In just over a month Ill be making my first trip West. I am building points for other states/units but this year to cut my teeth but im starting with an OTC Idaho archery mule deer hunt. Ive spent 20+ hours scouring property boundary maps, google earth, forums, reports, you name it. I will be driving up from Salt Lake City and am open to hunt anywhere from Unit 76 to Unit 46 and anywhere in between. It seems most known areas get hammered with pressure so Ive been leaning towards areas with less success ratios and less information available, assuming that means less internet researchers will be there. My biggest question is targeting mule deer a wise decision considering the previous 2 winters? Would I be better off getting an elk tag? And I hear mention of snakes on multiple occasions, how worried do I need to be in mid September of snakes? Particularly Units 49, 52, 52A, 57 and 73 are the units ive started to examine very closely. Any information or tips, places to avoid, etc. would be greatly appreciated through PM. If anyone wants to meet up I would also consider that also as im a die-hard hunter and always looking to make new hunting buddies, I'm going to be hunting solo. Thank you
Archery Mule Deer or not?
- Thread starter immel07
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Outdoordan
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LAST EDITED ON Jul-31-19 AT 12:07PM (MST)[p]Here we go again. Please understand that your question can be a little frustrating. One post, ie you've never contributed here. Now you want information regarding a specific unit? Kind of unfair to the guys that have spent years looking (boots on the ground) over units, scouting, and hunting hard. Pick a unit and hunt the heck out of it. I don't mean that harshly, just maybe a little common sense here. You will be fine in any unit, and you will enjoy some of the most beautiful country in the world.
Outdoordan
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LAST EDITED ON Jul-31-19 AT 12:06PM (MST)[p]Also, 52 has no open season, it's a controlled hunt. Read the two posts below "unit 46 elk", "unit 54".
andrew12gauge
Active Member
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Regarding snakes, I've not run into many anywhere I go in Idaho, but I think I'm just lucky that way, although when I lived in Washington I saw them everywhere.
The advice above about picking a unit and hunting it is good advice, I did that a couple years ago, got tired of hunting at the backdoor of the treasure valley with 10000 of my closest friends and drove an extra hour to get to a spot and what I found was deer that act like deer because they aren't pressured from August 15-Dec 15 aside from recreational pressure all summer and a new favorite hunting spot, even though I've got an archery elk tag for another area this year, I may still head there and try and stick a muley buck over Labor Day weekend I enjoy the solitude and feel that confident in the number of deer there.
So pick a unit, glass early and late and you will find mule deer, I've found I can find deer just about anywhere within a day, elk are a little different as they use the landscape differently and tend to be more nomadic. If you find deer in a spot 1 day they will be somewhere pretty close the next day, week and even years but elk could be there today and 20 miles away the next it seems
The advice above about picking a unit and hunting it is good advice, I did that a couple years ago, got tired of hunting at the backdoor of the treasure valley with 10000 of my closest friends and drove an extra hour to get to a spot and what I found was deer that act like deer because they aren't pressured from August 15-Dec 15 aside from recreational pressure all summer and a new favorite hunting spot, even though I've got an archery elk tag for another area this year, I may still head there and try and stick a muley buck over Labor Day weekend I enjoy the solitude and feel that confident in the number of deer there.
So pick a unit, glass early and late and you will find mule deer, I've found I can find deer just about anywhere within a day, elk are a little different as they use the landscape differently and tend to be more nomadic. If you find deer in a spot 1 day they will be somewhere pretty close the next day, week and even years but elk could be there today and 20 miles away the next it seems
IdahoInfidel
Active Member
- Messages
- 148
>In just over a month Ill
>be making my first trip
>West. I am building
>points for other states/units but
>this year to cut my
>teeth but im starting with
>an OTC Idaho archery mule
>deer hunt. Ive spent
>20+ hours scouring property boundary
>maps, google earth, forums, reports,
>you name it. I
>will be driving up from
>Salt Lake City and am
>open to hunt anywhere from
>Unit 76 to Unit 46
>and anywhere in between.
>It seems most known areas
>get hammered with pressure so
>Ive been leaning towards areas
>with less success ratios and
>less information available, assuming that
>means less internet researchers will
>be there. My biggest
>question is targeting mule deer
>a wise decision considering the
>previous 2 winters? Would
>I be better off getting
>an elk tag? And
>I hear mention of snakes
>on multiple occasions, how worried
>do I need to be
>in mid September of snakes?
> Particularly Units 49, 52,
>52A, 57 and 73 are
>the units ive started to
>examine very closely. Any
>information or tips, places to
>avoid, etc. would be greatly
>appreciated through PM. If
>anyone wants to meet up
>I would also consider that
>also as im a die-hard
>hunter and always looking to
>make new hunting buddies, I'm
>going to be hunting solo.
> Thank you
Better deer numbers on the eastern side of the state.
>be making my first trip
>West. I am building
>points for other states/units but
>this year to cut my
>teeth but im starting with
>an OTC Idaho archery mule
>deer hunt. Ive spent
>20+ hours scouring property boundary
>maps, google earth, forums, reports,
>you name it. I
>will be driving up from
>Salt Lake City and am
>open to hunt anywhere from
>Unit 76 to Unit 46
>and anywhere in between.
>It seems most known areas
>get hammered with pressure so
>Ive been leaning towards areas
>with less success ratios and
>less information available, assuming that
>means less internet researchers will
>be there. My biggest
>question is targeting mule deer
>a wise decision considering the
>previous 2 winters? Would
>I be better off getting
>an elk tag? And
>I hear mention of snakes
>on multiple occasions, how worried
>do I need to be
>in mid September of snakes?
> Particularly Units 49, 52,
>52A, 57 and 73 are
>the units ive started to
>examine very closely. Any
>information or tips, places to
>avoid, etc. would be greatly
>appreciated through PM. If
>anyone wants to meet up
>I would also consider that
>also as im a die-hard
>hunter and always looking to
>make new hunting buddies, I'm
>going to be hunting solo.
> Thank you
Better deer numbers on the eastern side of the state.
BPKHunter
Very Active Member
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- 1,749
Welcome to Idaho.
There are definitely snakes in some areas, so ignore anyone to makes it sound like they don't exist in Idaho. I'll say that they aren't a problem in "central" Idaho. I did hunt 73 one year and don't think they're a problem there.
Most parts of the state have experienced winterkill last winter and then again back in 2016/2017. There are still deer in most places, but you may find an odd age class depending on how bad the area you go into.
That said, the best advice I can give is to get in your vehicle and head this way now and start to see country. Boots on the ground is the only way to learn. If you are not an experienced hunter, then you have a ton to learn. If you are, you still need to learn about whatever area you end up in. If you prefer deer, hunt deer, if you prefer elk, get that tag. Seriously, it's that simple. You'll find plenty of other UT plates heading the same direction as you.
Good luck.
There are definitely snakes in some areas, so ignore anyone to makes it sound like they don't exist in Idaho. I'll say that they aren't a problem in "central" Idaho. I did hunt 73 one year and don't think they're a problem there.
Most parts of the state have experienced winterkill last winter and then again back in 2016/2017. There are still deer in most places, but you may find an odd age class depending on how bad the area you go into.
That said, the best advice I can give is to get in your vehicle and head this way now and start to see country. Boots on the ground is the only way to learn. If you are not an experienced hunter, then you have a ton to learn. If you are, you still need to learn about whatever area you end up in. If you prefer deer, hunt deer, if you prefer elk, get that tag. Seriously, it's that simple. You'll find plenty of other UT plates heading the same direction as you.
Good luck.
Outdoordan
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 2,148
Yes, I did not mean that in an aggressive way. I really feel that you should look at non-desert units, and find some good high country. Go as high as you can, find a good bowl to glass, and sit yourself down with some glass and pick out the deer. You will be much happier and satisfied with your hunt.
LAST EDITED ON Aug-01-19 AT 07:30PM (MST)[p]>He posted the same questions on
>rokslide, is this how scouting
>is done now?
When you're a 34hr drive away, it is. Trust me I'd love nothing more than to be able to scout it physically beforehand but I'm not able to. I havent asked for any valuable information just curious about the elk vs mule deer herds and inquired about the snakes. If anyone gives me Intel on an area or likewise, I'm grateful but that wasnt my purpose. Thanks everyone for the help
>rokslide, is this how scouting
>is done now?
When you're a 34hr drive away, it is. Trust me I'd love nothing more than to be able to scout it physically beforehand but I'm not able to. I havent asked for any valuable information just curious about the elk vs mule deer herds and inquired about the snakes. If anyone gives me Intel on an area or likewise, I'm grateful but that wasnt my purpose. Thanks everyone for the help
greatbasin
Active Member
- Messages
- 527
By snakes I guess you mean rattlesnakes. There are not big numbers of them anywhere I have been in Idaho. I'm never concerned, as I only see a couple a year at the most.
As far as deer, pick any open unit based on the habitat you like to hunt. Get away from people the deer are there. Good luck.
As far as deer, pick any open unit based on the habitat you like to hunt. Get away from people the deer are there. Good luck.
andrew12gauge
Active Member
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- 788
So you're 34 hrs away, that tells me you are flying into salt lake and driving up, which begs the question why not fly to Spokane and hunt N Idaho or Boise and hunt SW or Central Idaho?
BrianID
Very Active Member
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- 2,154
LAST EDITED ON Aug-02-19 AT 05:25PM (MST)[p]This has been a hostile environment lately for newcomers. He is just asking for basic information, not anyones honey hole. He has already done his homework.
Yes, there are some rattlesnakes in Idaho but I doubt you will come across one in a week of archery hunting. Even if you go looking for rattlesnakes, I doubt you would find any. I have come across a couple rattlesnakes in unit 73 but they are rare. I bet you could come across snakes in any of the other units you mentioned. You are much more likely to get in a car accident during your hunt than bit by a rattlesnake.
Make sure you read and understand the regulations before your hunt. I'm sure you might see some nice bucks in unit 52, but I don't think you should hunt there.
With the exception of unit 52, you could find deer to hunt in any of the units you mentioned.
Since you are are flying into SLC, I think you should hunt in the SE part of Idaho. I'm sure you could have a great hunt in 56, 57, 71, 73, 73A, 74, 75, 76, 77 or 78. If you didn't buy your plane ticket yet, I'm sure you could have a great hunt in a unit close to Boise or Spokane as well. Regardless of how much internet scouting you do, you are not going to find a secret spot that has a lot of big bucks and few hunters. If you want to avoid seeing other hunters during archery season, hunt an area that doesn't have many elk. Anywhere that has a lot of elk will have a lot of archery hunters in September.
The deer hunting would be better if it wasn't due to recent winter kill, but there are still deer to hunt. You could buy an elk tag if the extra cash isn't a big deal to you . An elk hunt can be a lot more physically challenging than a deer hunt. Many new elk hunters are not properly prepared to pack out an elk after they have killed one.
There is a quota for nonresident deer and elk tags in Idaho. My guess is the elk tags will be sold out in a week or two and deer could sale out by the end of the month.
https://idfg.idaho.gov/tag/quotas-nonresident
If you don't have any experience with spot and stalk archery hunting, you should be warned that it is very challenging and possibly very addictive. I hope you have an enjoyable hunt.
Yes, there are some rattlesnakes in Idaho but I doubt you will come across one in a week of archery hunting. Even if you go looking for rattlesnakes, I doubt you would find any. I have come across a couple rattlesnakes in unit 73 but they are rare. I bet you could come across snakes in any of the other units you mentioned. You are much more likely to get in a car accident during your hunt than bit by a rattlesnake.
Make sure you read and understand the regulations before your hunt. I'm sure you might see some nice bucks in unit 52, but I don't think you should hunt there.
With the exception of unit 52, you could find deer to hunt in any of the units you mentioned.
Since you are are flying into SLC, I think you should hunt in the SE part of Idaho. I'm sure you could have a great hunt in 56, 57, 71, 73, 73A, 74, 75, 76, 77 or 78. If you didn't buy your plane ticket yet, I'm sure you could have a great hunt in a unit close to Boise or Spokane as well. Regardless of how much internet scouting you do, you are not going to find a secret spot that has a lot of big bucks and few hunters. If you want to avoid seeing other hunters during archery season, hunt an area that doesn't have many elk. Anywhere that has a lot of elk will have a lot of archery hunters in September.
The deer hunting would be better if it wasn't due to recent winter kill, but there are still deer to hunt. You could buy an elk tag if the extra cash isn't a big deal to you . An elk hunt can be a lot more physically challenging than a deer hunt. Many new elk hunters are not properly prepared to pack out an elk after they have killed one.
There is a quota for nonresident deer and elk tags in Idaho. My guess is the elk tags will be sold out in a week or two and deer could sale out by the end of the month.
https://idfg.idaho.gov/tag/quotas-nonresident
If you don't have any experience with spot and stalk archery hunting, you should be warned that it is very challenging and possibly very addictive. I hope you have an enjoyable hunt.
IdahoInfidel
Active Member
- Messages
- 148
Since you are are flying into SLC, I think you should hunt in the SE part of Idaho. I'm sure you could have a great hunt in 56, 57, 71, 73, 73A, 74, 75, 76, 77 or 78. If you didn't buy your plane ticket yet, I'm sure you could have a great hunt in a unit close to Boise or Spokane as well. Regardless of how much internet scouting you do, you are not going to find a secret spot that has a lot of big bucks and few hunters. If you want to avoid seeing other hunters during archery season, hunt an area that doesn't have many elk. Anywhere that has a lot of elk will have a lot of archery hunters in September.
+1
+1
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