Recent content by BrianID

At least someone saw some nice bucks. I didn't see a single older buck in about 7 days of hunting in October in 2023. I did see a few decent bucks before October and some after the season closed but I would estimate the deer population in 2023 in many areas was only 25% of what it was in 2022...

2023 harvest data is available on the F&G website. https://idfg.idaho.gov/ifwis/huntplanner/stats/?season=general&game=deer&yr=2023&method=any%20weapon We all knew it wasn't good but it is sad to see the actual numbers. 2022 wasn't a great year for deer in most areas but compared to 2023 it...

2023 Harvest data is available on the F&G website. Very sad to see the actual numbers. 2022 wasn't a great year for deer in most areas but compared to 2023 it was night and day. Deer killed was 100% to 200% less in most SE Idaho units in 2023 vs 2022. I haven't gone through and analyzed all the...

I’ve been loading for my rifles and handguns for more than 20 years and haven’t thought it was worth my time loading for my shotguns. If I got back into doing a lot of waterfowl hunting and want to create custom TSS loads I would look at loading for my shotgun. If I shot 1000+ rounds per month...

Hornady or RCBS kit would be a good place to start but I would highly recommend finding friends that loads ammunition. Spend some time with them at their bench and see what you really need and don't need.

The best advice I could give you is find a friend that loads ammunition. Spend a day or two with them loading ammunition to see if it is really something you would enjoy. It will also give you a good education in getting started if you can sit down at a bench and learn from someone else with...

I don’t get any paid time off but I take time off for hunting. In 2023 I took about 7 weeks off work to go hunting. There are many people like you and me that take significant time to hunt or scout.

I’ve killed wide bucks, bucks with extras and tall bucks. The one thing that will get me to go after a buck almost anytime is mass.

The F&G argues they are trying to preserve opportunity for those that want to kill a deer every year. I'm still surprised by how many people hunt those 2 point units every year. There are obviously a lot of hunters that just want an opportunity to kill a forky. It would probably make many of us...

I think think the best solution is to make hunters that kill a deer wait out the next hunting season. There just are not enough bucks out there anymore for hunters to shoot one every year. It would significantly decrease the number of bucks killed and still preserve opportunity. There are many...

Personally I did not have a problem with limited auction tags like AZ has done. They have generated significant $$ to help wildlife. I have no personal problem with Jimmy Jon or others like him. I'm not impressed by them either but they do kill some animals that are impressive. Having a posse of...

He is big enough for me on almost any tag. I would take the safety off and squeeze the trigger. Once I determine they are big enough, I don't care about score and don't take time to evaluate their score anymore. I feel confident he is 30"+ and 180"+ If he is a big bodied buck from Colorado...

I have no problem with doe hunting when the population is up. In my opinion it would not have caused any harm and may have actually helped to kill more does in many Eastern Idaho units in 2022. Doe hunting was appropriately restricted to being almost nonexistent in Eastern Idaho in 2023. There...

Interesting to see the numbers. Compared the general season in Idaho, these numbers are very good. Utah doesn't have "general deer season" any more than Colorado has general seasons for deer. It is no surprise that success was low in some of the northern units. Last winter was a tough one in...

I would be in the same situation as montezmarchery, I would have been hoping he steps forward and gives me a better shot. Then he would blow out of there without me getting a shot.