OTC Deer tag thoughts?

kickerbuck · Jan 11, 2018

Hey guys, I was wondering what your thoughts are on the over the counter deer tags available in Idaho? I know a guy who hunted over there this past fall from Oregon and he was telling me that the deer got slaughtered after it snowed and they started to migrate.

The guy told me there were gut piles literally laying everywhere up and down the roads. He also said there were a bunch of does getting killed I guess on youth tags or something like that?

I was just wondering if the deer herd can handle all that in Idaho especially after last winter? On a positive note he did say they saw lots of deer and they all tagged out with bucks.

Anyway I don't want to start an argument just curious of residents thoughts on OTC tags and does getting shot on top of that.

Deerlove · Jan 11, 2018

You even haven't brought up buying a 2nd tag.

andrew12gauge · Jan 11, 2018

What part of the state, wasn't anything like that where I hunted in southwest Idaho

kickerbuck · Jan 11, 2018

>What part of the state, wasn't
>anything like that where I
>hunted in southwest Idaho

Yes I know about the 2nd tag and how peeps can buy another one until sold out. I think they were north of Boise around 39 but not hunting 39. Maybe a unit or two close by there??? Sorry not exactly sure.

scopenstalk · Jan 11, 2018

Where I hunted I saw people kill some bucks but nothing like what you described. I scouted southeast and central Idaho. Much of what has been said about winter kill last year I found to be true.

HalfAce · Jan 11, 2018

Do you trust your friend fully? Gut piles all along the roads? Sounds too good to be true. Everywhere I looked last year would indicate the EXACT opposite of what your buddy saw. I only saw three dead deer all season. Maybe the winter was easier on them in the country where he was at.

twsnow18 · Jan 13, 2018

In terms of deer sightings per day, I would say 2017 was a typical season for me.

In terms of good buck sightings (150-170"), it was slightly above average. The deer in their prime, say 3-5 years old, made it through the brutal winter. Due in part to the mild winters the 2 years prior. I'm sure we lost some 6+ year old bucks and many fawns certainly though.

I did not hunt the Weiser area or central Idaho, where the mortality rates I think were the highest.

In conclusion, I think the deer hunting on OTC tags is still pretty good. The way this winter is looking thus far, with the local ski hills still not even really open, the deer hunting continues to look promising to me over the next 5 years.

twsnow18 · Jan 13, 2018

And regarding doe tags, I think they should be cut some in areas. Other areas I think they are ok. Many people still don't understand the simple concept of winter range carrying capacity.

idhikker · Jan 13, 2018

AspenAdventures · Jan 14, 2018

Hunting in South East Idaho was worse last year but decent. We only found good bucks 3 to 4 miles away from roads. We consider a shooter 24" or better. The year before, before the winter, there were a few 24" or better bucks by the roads. This year....none.

This is a hunt of last resort. We hunt Idaho if we dont draw anything else. It is beautiful country. Put in for a premium tag. If ya dont draw then hunt the OTC area. Ya gotta buy a license to put in so ya might as well get the tag.

"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." - Plato

ByeByeObamas · Jan 14, 2018

Rough deer year everywhere. People seemed to forget how bad last years winter was.

Outdoordan · Jan 14, 2018

https://idfg.idaho.gov/press/winter-kill-was-less-expected-mule-deer-and-elk-fared-better

pufftuffly · Jan 15, 2018

>Hunting in South East Idaho was
>worse last year but decent.
> We only found
>good bucks 3 to 4
>miles away from roads.
>We consider a shooter 24"
>or better. The
>year before, before the winter,
>there were a few 24"
>or better bucks by the
>roads. This year....none.
>
>This is a hunt of last
>resort. We hunt Idaho
>if we dont draw anything
>else. It is beautiful
>country. Put in for
>a premium tag. If
>ya dont draw then hunt
>the OTC area. Ya
>gotta buy a license to
>put in so ya might
>as well get the tag.
>
>
>"The penalty good men pay for
>indifference to public affairs is
>to be ruled by evil
>men." - Plato

Yea sure whatever, liar.

AspenAdventures · Jan 15, 2018

Thats good news. Founder felt the same way about Wyoming. I would like to think the population was not affected as much as has been advertised.

"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." - Plato

kickerbuck · Jan 15, 2018

>>Hunting in South East Idaho was
>>worse last year but decent.
>> We only found
>>good bucks 3 to 4
>>miles away from roads.
>>We consider a shooter 24"
>>or better. The
>>year before, before the winter,
>>there were a few 24"
>>or better bucks by the
>>roads. This year....none.
>>
>>This is a hunt of last
>>resort. We hunt Idaho
>>if we dont draw anything
>>else. It is beautiful
>>country. Put in for
>>a premium tag. If
>>ya dont draw then hunt
>>the OTC area. Ya
>>gotta buy a license to
>>put in so ya might
>>as well get the tag.
>>
>>
>>"The penalty good men pay for
>>indifference to public affairs is
>>to be ruled by evil
>>men." - Plato
>
>
>Yea sure whatever, liar.

Here we go more negative posts on a simple topic.

kickerbuck · Jan 15, 2018

Thanks for the replies guys. I was just wondering about the OTC tags after the winter and if the deer can handle it? I guess one thing I never really agree with is shooting does at least Mule Deer does. Maybe I am just to use to Oregon where we have no deer???

regul8r1 · Jan 15, 2018

I live east of boise at about 3500ft and many deer winter a few miles from me. Last winter we had 16? plus on the ground plus temps below freezing for over a month, I think these conditions were better than some other areas. I left the deer alone the entire time, did not even hunt coyotes. After it all melted I hiked around and saw more dead yearlings than I have ever seen. There were bodies everywhere. I don't even hunt 39 but seeing all those dead deer just made me sick. The central idaho unit I hunt got hit much harder than here. There are still deer there, but not near the numbers as years past.

Bolt · Jan 16, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Jan-16-18 AT 07:43AM (MST)[p]So, is Aspen lying? About what?

Or, is Puff just a troll?

And, why is Puff so negative?

NiceRack · Jan 16, 2018

I hunted unit 28 and 37A for 15 days of rifle and 4 days of archery last season. Saw several nice 4x4 bucks but all were on (alfalfa pastures) private land. Never did get buck for the first time in so many years I can't count. Only saw minimal doe and fawn numbers every day. I'm sure this is the result of last winters devastating snow and cold.
Funny thing was I saw Elk almost every day and got my bull opening day. The hard winter didn't seem to affect the Elk population. This was further demonstrated by ID F&G calling me for an Elk depredation hunt in unit 37. Unfortunately my work calendar was full and I was not able to hunt again. Maybe this milder winter will allow the deer to bounce back.
PB

OutdoorDude15 · Jan 16, 2018

While scouting over the Summer I saw a few nice bucks but overall it seemed that there were less deer than I was used to seeing. Did see quite a few more does with fawns than was expecting after last winter which was good. Once hunting season started though it seemed everything was pretty scattered. Not to many shots heard while I was out and about. In my opinion deer numbers were down but not as bad as I thought it might have been with all the snow and freezing temps we had last winter. Spent most of time in Sawtooths.

pufftuffly · Jan 16, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Jan-16-18 AT 10:36AM (MST)[p]>LAST EDITED ON Jan-16-18
>AT 07:43?AM (MST)
>
>So, is Aspen lying? About
>what?
>
>Or, is Puff just a troll?
>
>
>And, why is Puff so negative?
>

ASSpen is a lying sack of Utarded crap. I wouldn't believe anything he says.

In 2016 he comes on this Idaho forum begging for info. He says "This is our first hunt in Idaho". He gets his info and then acts like a complete ASSpen.

2017 he knows everything there is to know about region G, he's got a packstring of horses a mile long, owns 10 businesses, hunts guided hunts but tells his guides they're not needed and can just stay in camp while Mr. Trophy Killer goes out and kills trophys, and has "HUNTED AND SCOUTED IN IDAHO FOR MULTIPLE YEARS".

Then recently comes back on this Idaho forum asking about Idaho elk outfitters. You'd think someone incredible like ASSpen with his own mules and horses wouldn't need an outfitter to kill a 280 6 point.

http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/DCForumID37/2981.html

Go ahead and read all of ASSpens post in this entire thread. Pur Gold!!

http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/DCForumID6/27247.html#66

Coyote_chaser · Jan 16, 2018

I spent a lot of time hunting in central and SE Idaho this year. It was brutal. Elk everywhere, not so much deer.

IdahoHntr · Jan 16, 2018

Hunted central and southeast Idaho. Saw a lot more deer than normal, but bucks were harder to come by. That's hunting though. I think, for the most part, the overall deer herd wasn't hit as hard as some like to make it sound. Granted, some areas were hit hard, but those were more the anomalies than the norm. Deer populations were as strong as they've been in a while going into last winter, and so even though there was A LOT of snow, the deer were in good shape and well prepared for it. Especially if this winter continues the way it is, the deer herd will continue to grow as it was before last winter.

Bolt · Jan 16, 2018

>ASSpen is a lying sack of Utarded crap. I wouldn't believe >anything he says.

What is your deal Puffy? People acting like you are common on monster muleys?

>In 2016 he comes on this Idaho forum begging for info. He says >"This is our first hunt in Idaho". He gets his info and then >acts like a complete ASSpen.

So he hunted it in 2016 and 2017. Sounds like more experience than I have in Idaho. I still dont get where he said one lie?

>And 2017 he knows everything there is to know about region >G,he's got a packstring of horses a mile long, owns 10 >businesses, hunts guided hunts but tells his guides they're not >needed and can just stay in camp while Mr. Trophy Killer goes >out and kills trophys, and has "HUNTED AND SCOUTED IN IDAHO FOR >MULTIPLE YEARS".

Puffy, he says he owned a business. So what? He has horses. So what? He has hunted and scouted some region G in Wyoming. Great! What is your beef? By the way, 2 years is "mulitiple years". It is more years than I have hunted in Idaho. I appreciate his willingness to share. Whats your deal dude?

>Then recently comes back on this Idaho forum asking about Idaho >elk outfitters. You'd think someone incredible like ASSpen with >his own mules and horses wouldn't need an outfitter to kill a >280 6 point.

Maybe he usually hunts deer? Again, I dont see where he lies! Where is one single lie?

>http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/DCForumID37/2981.html

>Go ahead and read all of ASSpens post in this entire thread. Pur >Gold!!

He has a lot to say but where does he lie? What the hell did he say to get you so pissed off? Cant you still act decent? I see that he has acted decent the entire time. Whats your beef dude?

http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/DCForumID6/27247.html#66

From what I can see he is right calling you and that guy a troll. Why do you attack a guy? Especially when he seems like he is just trying to help on this thread?

Bolt · Jan 16, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Jan-16-18 AT 02:56PM (MST)[p]Also, what is up with the Utard thing? I am from Utah? I thought the owner of this site was too? Does he tolerate your constant badgering of his other users on his forums?

You call him an ASSpen but the only person running around accusing people of lying and calling people liars and Utards is

YOU

Foxbow · Jan 19, 2018

Southern Idaho and South West Idaho came thru ok

Central Idaho and South East Idaho major deer winterkill !

scopenstalk · Jan 20, 2018

I have very little experience hunting Idaho, 1 season to be exact. I didn't see many bucks. I did see like 30 doe in one day in southeast Idaho as well as 3 different people packing 1-2 year old bucks out of some road-less areas. I don't have a good gauge of how many deer I should have seen, but based on my experience hunting Utah I believe I saw a fair amount of deer. I ended up killing a small 4 point (140 inches on the nose). Overall for never having hunted out of state before I was happy with how it went. Those mountains are so beautiful and fun to hunt.

AspenAdventures · Jan 21, 2018

Hey Bolt, thanks for getting my back. I dont know what lies Puffy is talking about either.

"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." - Plato