18 first deer hunt

[kicker]

Hey my son drew this deer tag. He's 12. I've never been to idaho but some guy from california told me it was a good hunt. Anybody have any honey holes you could point me to? Can't involve too much hiking...but we have atv's and my son is a pretty good shot out to 1,000 yards with his .223

 

[manny53]

1,000 yards with his .223 Hmmmmmmmm

 

[IDbucks]

 

[customweld]

You might as well leave the atv's home and invest in good hiking boots and a good pack.

 

[125nontypicalforky]

I can't be sure but I believe Kicker might me a little annoyed by another post in the Idaho forum!

 

[ID_MW]

Best of luck to your son. 18 is an absolute mad house, and the roads (all 3 of them) are a traffic jam of ATV's and trucks during season. The comments are right on concerning putting a bit of dirt on your boots, you won't have to hike too far, and the snake side produces most of the good bucks as they all get bumped over the top from the "war-zone" Salmon side. As you might expect, most Idaho guys are pretty rough to Californians, and won't give a whole lot of help in the way of giving up specifics on units. Kids are always welcome though. However-you never trust Californians... They might just tell you that their "kid" drew the tag to get unit information on an Internet forum... Nah- just messing bud, good luck to the kiddo.

 

[OLDHORNHUNTER]

Funny post 1st suggestion get your kid a BIGGER GUN {7mm-08 243 270} something that has enough power to kill past 200 yards !! leave the 223 at home for yotes .. 2nd suggestion good boots & get in the best shape u can {look at google earth or some topo maps} this is some of the Steepest country in Idaho close to 6000 feet down to around 1800 feet at the river.. 3rd GO DO SOME SCOUTING .. I get a kick out of all the people that put in for tags in units they have NEVER been in {just heard or read that it was good} !! 4th don't burn your kid out hiking his butt off on those steep canyons find an open ridge & do some glassing this unit still has a few Good bucks but let your kid decide what is his GOOD buck good luck

 

[kicker]

I'm just poking fun at all the posts that read similiar every year but aren't a joke!!! He did draw 18. We both are Idaho born and raised. Live in southern Idaho but love 14 and 18! Put many miles on the boots in both units. Looking forward to him shooting whatever buck he deams worthy of his tag. I'm not hung up on getting him a monster buck. If he is happy I'm happy.

Kicker

 

[ID_MW]

Go get 'em. My first comment was accurate- as others will attest to. 18 is a zoo during the rifle seasons. Cow tags - bull tags (including outfitters allocations) - Extra cow tags - deer tags ( including outfitter allocations and an OTC white-tail season. It's way too many tags for a fairly small unit with limited vehicle access. It's pretty funny up there. Snake side is steep. Hells Canyon steep. Really steep. But that is where most mature bucks will bury themselves in October.

 

[OLDHORNHUNTER]

right on I know of about 15 people over the last 3 or 4 years that have drawn this tag & did NOT enjoy how tag soup tasted but I have also seen a few really good bucks come out of it as well.. again Good luck

 

[Goldberg]

I know this is of no real help, but fun to chime in and tell what it was like in the "good old days"
When i was a young pup, my dad's buddy owned the Len Jordan Ranch. ("home below hell's canyon")In the 60's it was a two deer area. buy your regular tag for two bucks, and your extra tag for two bucks, and off you go. Tons of mule deer. Tons of fun for a young lad. Can not remember ever seeing a WT. not sure there were any in there at that time. saw a cow elk one time. not sure what the population was, because i had no optics, my game spotting was done from bare eyeballs.
I drove down there to the ranch a couple of years ago. saw a lone 2pt muley. Only muley i saw. saw a fair number or WT. It's now a state park or some such preserve. Very interesting.
Anyway, i wish i would have treasured those times and taken more pictures, etc. A good thing never lasts. Hope we don't someday say that THESE were the good old days!!!
unit 18 brings back some good memories!
Good luck on everyone's hunt!!

 

[elkslam]

LAST EDITED ON Jul-13-15 AT 12:48PM (MST)[p]Had the tag in 2012 it is big steep country. We had horses and mules plus hunted on foot for 7 days saw 3 bucks first part of the season. Came back later in October and hunted 5 days got a long shot at a 170 buck and missed he was the only buck I took a shot at. I would hunt it again but I would pack in a long ways away from the road. I crawled out of sheep creek to the boise trail at the lookout and had a guy in tennis shoes drinking beer tell me I was crazy for hunting down there. We passed them on the way home they had a big nontypical buck and a 5 point bull on their trailer. Get in shape is all I can say be prepared that you may not see many deer.