Idaho help

[ss13]

I am trying to plan a 07 mule deer hunt for me and my father. My hometown is New Berlin Wisconsin so I am not familiar with the mountain states. I have a few questions that I hope can be answered.

First off, are the deer tags for general units in Idaho over the counter, or do you need to apply (I am not looking for a controlled unit.) I am not expecting to get a trophy, but would like to see deer and possibly have the opportunity at a nice deer. I understand that the higher mule deer populations are in the southern part of the state. What units or terrain should I be looking at? Hells Canyon, sawtooth, salmon river, ect.... How about habitat, in general what type of terrain are the deer found in? High mountain rock out crops, sage brush, barren hill sides...

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. If you have any information to spare it would be greatly appreciated.

-Steve-

 

[springbear]

Steve, I am familiar with the central part of the state (salmon river, Lower snake river hell canyon, clearwater river, selway river) for the most part those are all controlled hunts. odds of drawing a tag are not great, but not as bad as other areas that might be considered "trophy"...
units 13, 14, 11A, 11 (trophy), and 18 are permit only for any weapon. 11A is OTC for archery. Unit 15, 16, 16A, 17, 19, and 20 are OTC for any weapon.. 16A, 17, 19, and 20 have a late rut hunt in them. (wilderness)and they are steep.
13 and 11A are mostly private with 11A dominated by agricultral lands.
14 50% Forest Service
18 well, it's called hells canyon for a reason.
15 and 16 low mule deer population. (I wouldn't come all this way to hunt mule deer in these two units)

Your OTC options are a bit limited. If you are commited, then buy your licence and tag, put in for the draw on May 6th.. hope for the best. if you don't draw, I would advise you look at some of the more southern Idaho units that have OTC tags(called the general deer tag) it is good state wide except a part of South East Idaho. it is also good for white tails in the early season only. you have to buy a white tail tag to hunt them later in the rut....
good luck

 

[ss13]

Where on the Fish and Game web site can i find a list of controlled, and OTC units?

 

[Tinytim]

Hi Steve

In the regs. it shows you the diffrent areas, and season dates, iIf is says " controled hunt" That unit is a draw, if is show a season date and what you can take. it's over the counter.

Also get the regular deer tag you can then take white tail and Muley's I hunted unit 28, it wasn't that great got a buck. but the south is the best I feel. some parts are otc.

Good Luck
Tim

 

[Daxter]

If this is your first trip to the western states, you might want to do some reading or watch some mulie hunting videos. The lowland mulies series were filmed mostly in Idaho, and a book like David Long's would be great for somebody just starting out with mulies. Idaho has lots of open units you can hunt on a general tag where you will see some deer. Big bucks are hard to come by on public land general tag units, but there are some out there. Hope you have a good trip, keep doing your homework and it will pay off. Gpod luck.

Dax

 

[Pre64]

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/hunt/rules/bg/

 

[TFinalshot]

Idaho FG must really be out of it's mind. I wonder what the guys who traditionally hunt the gen areas think about having all the guys who dont draw a limited tag come down and gun through the deer. it's no wonder that in some areas idaho's deer are suffering. It is crazy to support a few "good" areas and let the rest of the herd suffer when all of idaho has the potential of growing good, healty herds that include a few mature bucks. . . it idaho keeps on this course much longer the potential for great mule deer hunting will be gone. Maybe it already is. . .

 

[idahonative]

Bingo.

 

[gemstatejake]

Yeah....i'm an Idaho native who typically hunts the general units due to tough draw odds in the better units. Sure hope the fish and game does'nt screw with the current regs. It's great to be able to hunt EVERY YEAR in general units with a reasonable chance at a great buck. Funny when i hear about guys who blow off the deer season cuz they did'nt draw in some premier area in all the far flung states they apply in. The guys who really get after it give themselves a shot at a good buck. The guys who dont shoot forked horns or nothing. What more do you want??????? Idaho Fish and Game is doing a fine job with deer management here in south central Idaho.

 

[prarierocket]

Steve,

I sent you a PM.

Bob

 

[TFinalshot]

"IDFG is doing find job," as compared to where, washington and oregon?? Do you have any idea the potential of the state of idaho? If done properly you could hunt every year yet have more opportunity. The state has managmend to wreck the best mule deer hunting in North America! Sure some is habitat, some is land management practices, but overall, more could and should be done, using modern management stratigies to impove the overall health of the muledeer in idaho. For a good accounting of the history, read Ryan Hatfileds, "idaho's greatest mule deer." Maybe you already have?

Take care,

 

[missalot]

Some of these guys need to read the question again.

Steve, be forewarned, when these guys say rugged country, they mean rugged country. Check the website for the kill statistics for each zone in the general hunt. Highway 20 pretty much divides the state as to type of terrain. North is timber and very mountainous. South is agricultural and sagebrush.The Panhandle and Clearwater zones are predominately whitetail or controlled hunts. There are some mule deer, but you would need a lot of local info to find them. The southwest zone north of Boise is mostly mts. and timber and generally not as steep as the Salmon zone. South of Boise it is generally sage brush and also, controlled for most of the good hunting. The Southeast region is timber and quakies, but I've heard a lot of guys who live there complaining about the lack of deer in most of that zone. I've heard good things about SW part of this zone. The Salmon zone is steep, steep, steep. Big deer, but not a lot of deer. The Upper Snake zone is pretty much normal terrain, but with the exception of some great controlled hunts, I don't hear anyone saying that it's particularly good for deer (I've hunted elk here for years and see very few deer until they migrate in from the park)). However, any zone south of the Salmon River could produce a big buck.

 

[gemstatejake]

>"IDFG is doing find job,"
>as compared to where, washington
>and oregon?? Do you
>have any idea the potential
>of the state of idaho?
> If done properly you
>could hunt every year yet
>have more opportunity. The
>state has managmend to wreck
>the best mule deer hunting
>in North America! Sure
>some is habitat, some is
>land management practices, but overall,
>more could and should be
>done, using modern management stratigies
>to impove the overall health
>of the muledeer in idaho.
> For a good accounting
>of the history, read Ryan
>Hatfileds, "idaho's greatest mule deer."
> Maybe you already have?
>
>
>Take care,


Yes, I have read Hatfield's books which are excellent. And I know exactly what your driving at. And I too agree that Idaho's potential is not being realized. Having said that, IDFG has a dang near impossible task on this issue. so many difering views on whats expected from big game hunters. Also, they have little say in how private land is managed. Loss of winter range/migration corridors etc. I've actually been pretty encouraged the last few seasons in the general areas i hunt. seen some good bucks and strong numbers. I get pretty nervous when i see guys griping about general seasons here in Idaho. We are the last of the mohicans here. With all the other western states going to LE hunts exclusively. I never want to see that here in our State. No reason for it. Our herds are strong in most areas. I would certainly fight tooth and nail against any proposals that turned more units into controlled areas here. In the grand scheme of things, hunting is not the major factor that determines how healthy our herds are. Not even close.

 

[supersider34]

Most people out there hunting are not after monster muleys. The majority of hunters just want to fill there tags. So to limit tags because some hunters want trophy quality deer would not be in the best interest of all hunters. Thats what the controlled hunts are for is for the trophy hunters. Open hunts are for the people that dont care what they hunt for.
Just my opinion.

 

[sagerat]

Here's my advise for you. It's too late for this year but next spring apply for Montana. If you have little experience hunting the west this is a great place to start. Look to the east part of the state, there's plenty of public land and accessible private. There's tons of deer, you'll be impressed! And it's closer to your home. Don't get me wrong though, Idaho is also an excellent state but it also takes lots more effort. When theses guys say it's steep they mean it! I live in Washington and hunt both Idaho and Montana. You've really got to be in shape and have the motivation to hunt very hard to kill nice bucks in Idaho. Now on the other hand, if you guys are happy shooting 2 or 3 points, and there is nothing wrong woth that, than head for Idaho this fall! Just pick a unit with a decent general season success rate(listed on the Idaho F&G website), finding a smallish buck shouldn't be all that tough! You'll also get to see some of the most amazing country in the world. Good luck...

 

[BrianID]

ss13,

Others have already given you some good information but I thought I would put my 2 cents in as well. There are some bigger bucks on public land in the general season units but you will have to work for them. Just look at the harvest data on the F&G website and you will see how few hunters actual kill a 4 point (western count). Some of the guys that kill a 4 point get lucky but most of the guys killing bigger bucks know what they are doing and are willing to put in the work.

Almost all of the bucks that you see will be younger bucks. Many of the bucks in the general season units are shot the first year they grow antlers. The bucks that have managed to survive more than a couple hunting seasons don't spend much time in the open. Especially when the any weapon season is open.

I sent you a PM with some additional information.