idaho whitetail hunt

[highcountry32]

I will be hunting the Genessee Lewiston area from the ninth to the nineteenth on some private ground (wheat farms) in Gennessee and surrounding areas. What is considered a large whitetail for this area? Are the deer fairly responsive to calls/rattling? As a bonus how is the pheasant/hun hunting?

 

[WAHuntNut]

I hunted the Genessee area throughout the 4 years I attended the Univ. of Idaho; you are already a step ahead of the rest by having permission on private ground. I'm curious to hear who's ground you are hunting on, a good friend of mine farms a couple thousand acres in that general area. To get back to your question there is some good whitey's there, the 10 days you are hunting would be the exact same 10 days I would have picked given the opportunity. You will see it all, pre-rut and possibly mid-rut, depending on when it hits this year. Spending time around there I would hold off on a good 4x4 (125"+) or a good 5x5 (140"+), but again that is my opinion. I have seen some good whitey's taken off of private ground, one in particual hit the 165" in 2002 from a friend of mine.

It's a good area, you will have fun no matter what the outcome is. Bring the shotgun, the pheasant hunting isn't half bad either. Good luck!

 

[IDkTm]

I would normally say the bird hunting is good, but we are having a very bad year this year as far as bird numbers are concerned. IDFG brood routes in the clearwater region were very bad this year. I'll agree with the previous poster, if you see a 120 or better whitetail I would put it on the ground.

 

[2rocky]

Watch the edges of the timber along the Wheat fields along canyonsand draws at day light and then work across the fingers in the timber later in the morning. Rattle from the tops of the fingers where you have cover but can see for 50-100 yards. I killed my buck while I was at the U of I during the second week of November doing just that. I pretty much still hunted and rattled every 300 yards. I actually rattled in a doe, who pulled a buck along with her.

As for size, I'd be hard pressed to tell you what to shoot. My Father in law killed a real nice 5x5 and I shot a 4x4 in the river canyons near Kendrick.

If there are "eyebrows" in the middle of a wheat field, don't pass them by...You might bust out a sleeping buck...just lead 'em like a Pheasant!

Take the shotgun too. You might tag out early. the pheasants are in the Reed Canary grass near water, and the Quail wil be near the rim rocky stuff toward the tops of the draws. #6's will cover both if you get close shots on the pheasants. Lookin' forward to seeing pics.



>I will be hunting the Genessee
>Lewiston area from the ninth
>to the nineteenth on some
>private ground (wheat farms) in
>Gennessee and surrounding areas.
>What is considered a large
>whitetail for this area?
>Are the deer fairly responsive
>to calls/rattling? As a bonus
>how is the pheasant/hun hunting?
>

 

[highcountry32]

thanks, appreciate the advice heading out Friday morning can't wait!!

 

[OwnMoreBone]

Let me know how you do, I will be heading farther north to the Priest Lake area on the 13th to hunt Whiteys also. Good luck and I hope you harvest a dandy. P.S. Don't forget to take lots of pictures...
Reed