Late rifle hunt in unit 39

[freebird63]

Has there ever been a late rifle hunt in unit 39??
I have never seen anything in the controled section.
If not why can't the rifle guys have a chance at them?
I know the IDFG guy at the check station said there were more deer in unit 39 then in past years, I really wanted to laugh at this guy, I hunted really hard for being disabled and didn't even see a deer. Without ATV's or horses/mules I had not other way to get back-way back.

 

[idahobuckfever]

LAST EDITED ON Nov-30-10 AT 12:05PM (MST)[p]An Old Timer I worked with told me of a time when the general hunt in 39 went late into the season. They used to slaughter them above Cottonwood during the migration. He went on to say one year he and a buddy shot good bucks and while they tended to them they saw many even bigger bucks. A couple teenagers climbed up near them and were amazed at the size of the bucks on the ground so he asked them if they wanted them. They gave them away and continued hunting for bigger deer. That wouldn't fly today. I know 39 is over hunted, but I would love to see IDFG offer a handful of late controlled tags. I think it would generate some needed money. I also think it would pull a number of applicants from other hard to draw areas. Imagine what 5 tags could accomplish. What do you all think?

 

[GSJ]

Not all that long ago they would split the season in 39-43. don't remember the exact dates but it would close around mid october then open up again first week in november. Ran to mid-november if memory serves. lots of bucks killed that last couple weeks.








the artist formerly known as "gemstatejake".

 

[Goldberg]

when I was a young lad, 39 was open "until 2500 deer were checked at the Moores creek check station" - i am pretty sure that is real close to what the reg's said. That was in the 60's- and the hunting didn't end until late November- usually. I was just 10 or 12, went with my dad as a last chance deer. Anything with deer hair on it back then was legal, and my dad could care less about a stinky November buck! Love to see those days again. Maybe in my dreams??

 

[freebird63]

It would be nice to have alittle better odds at getting a deer in unit 39. We all know how easy it is to draw a unit 40 tag. I don't need a 30" deer, heck if I shot one with a spread of 18 inches that would be a trophy for me, but its really about putting meat in the freezer. Which again didn't happen. I really think 39 could have some awesome hunting but IDFG needs to change a few things for that unit to come back. Just my opinion and I'm not a biologist.

 

[Idahoshedhead]

Those poor deer in 39 get hunted from late August to late November. You gotta give em brake sometime and to say it would be a good idea for a rifle hunt in the rut is the dumbest idea I've ever heard. If you want 39 to keep producing big bucks they need to get rid of the youth doe hunt and put a limit on otc tags imo.

 

[freebird63]

I know alot of people don't like the idea of a rifle hunt during the rut. Just like over in Oregon the archery hunters get to hunt during the elk rut. But it would be nice to see a very limited number of tags for a later rifle hunt and an overall limit on tag sales in 39. Or do like the elk season, have an A tag and have a B tag. I am not here to piss anyone off, we all have our own opinions. I just know that 39 is going downhill very fast. But no matter what your not going to make everyone happy. For being partially disabled I hunted as hard as I could and still did not see a deer.

 

[Birdchaser]

I would not mind this, Maybe reduce tags on early hunt by 20 to 40 to supplement for late hunt. The other thing i would'nt mind is early season rifle tag in 39 maybe 20 tags.I think it is a big enough unit it might be able to absorb this but i have not hunted 39 in a few years.

 

[OLDHORNHUNTER]

I hunted this same unit back in the DAY !!! we killed some HUGE bucks & saw some real monsters..we used to hunt around Atlanta up the Yuba River & off of Grouse creek..that season ran way into nov & we always waited until there was 4 to 6 inches of snow before we went!!! this would be a killer tag for late rifle ..it would quickly become one of the most sought after tags in the state & really there is no reason why F&G shouldnt ave a draw hunt for this unit...hell 20 to 40 tags would not hurt a damn thing...it would take alot of applicants out of 40 41 42 43 & 45....

 

[freebird63]

IDFG really needs to change some things in 39. Like I said I am partially disabled, the last weekend I had a plan to try and hike up this small hill, I got started well before daylight, by daylight I had made it maybe 200 yards up the hill and it was light enough to see, I looked across the draw and there was 6 other hunters heading up the same draw as me. When you see 6 to 8 people on every draw is a bit much or drive up past cottonwood and see how many people are up there. Unless my surgery in January eases things up for me I won't be going back up to 39, hell it would be easier on me and cheaper to just run out to that elk ranch East of Boise on I84 and buy a cow elk. I understand there are those that only hunt for trophy's, not me, you can't eat the horns. How many people would like to see IDFG change 39 some???? and then its a matter of if they will even listen.

 

[orion23]

id like to see them take the last week of the general season off and do a late rifle hunt in november for 25-30 tags.

If F&G did this the numbers would absolutely boom by taking the last week of the season off. Then you would see the absolute bomber bucks again after a few short years all over and that tag would without a doubt be the best tag in the state.

Travis
www.RidgelineOutdoors.com
Blacks-Creek Pack Dealer
Havalon Knife Dealer

 

[fowladdict]

freebird,

Are you looking for some areas that you can access easily and see some deer, but don't care about buck size...just want meat?

 

[idahobuckfever]

Dumb idea, wow with your imput consider the unit fixed. First, the impact the early, archery, and youth doe hunt have on deer in 39 is so minimal it's a joke, but what do I know I'm dumb, I almost forgot, you're the smart one. Second, money matters won't allow a limit on tags. Plus IMO the average hunter is lazy and expects an easy hunt. Finally, for now, a few controlled tags in 39 generate money, and cars are taking more deer out than the hunt would.

 

[shelbys]

When I was a kid in the 80's, the rifle deer hunt in 39 went to mid November. I actually killed my first buck on my 12th birthday (November 10th). We hunted out in the Blacks Creek/Danskin/Long Tom area and would slay the bucks. It wasn't uncommon to go out and see 10+ 4 points in a day and we would see hundreds of deer.

For the earlier poster, there is an early 39 rifle tag. I have had that tag about 10 years ago and it was HOT. Season starts in August if my memory is correct. Too early. Too Hot. They give out 200 tags on that hunt and have only a 25% harvest rate.

I too have always thought it would be incredible to have a rifle tag in 39 that went from November 15-30th, like they do in other rut hunts around the state. (40,41,42,54,69, etc)

If you only wanted 10 deer harvested on this hunt, you could take 40 tags from the August hunt to make up for the harvest. Heck, even take 75-100 tags from that early hunt and give 10 tags for the late 39 hunt. You would see the other hard to draw units odds improve dramatically.

Just my opinion.

 

[_rutN_]

If goals are to improve hard to draw unit odds and improve unit 39... MAKE 39 A DRAW HUNT??? Heck quota could still be unlimited as it is now for the general, but you just have to apply. Then just like any other draw unit, if you draw you can't apply the next year. Some people will b!tch about not having every year opportunity, however, every other year with improved deer heards and less that 1/2 the hunters is more WAY more opportunity IMO. Force everyone that uses 39 as a "back up" unit to commit to it or gamble elsewhere applying for 40/42/45/etc...

 

[freebird63]

Yep I hunt for meat, my family loves deer meat and being partially disabled, hope the surgery in January helps that out. I have never been a trophy hunter, heck most of the does here are bigger then the blacktail bucks I hunted on the Oregon coast 30 years ago.

 

[freebird63]

also on another note, my wife is partially disabled, having had both hips replaced and back surgery last summer, she does not get around quite like she use to. What I did this year was to encourage my son inlaw to go get his hunter safety course taken care of and I would buy his hunting license and deer tag, so I put both him and my wife in for controlled doe tags, we got him out hunting a couple times. His little family unit sure could have used the meat, but he didn't want to put in the time. I know there are deer in unit 39, but it seems the unit really went downhill about 3 years ago. This year I put in for units 40 & 42, I knew it would be very tough for me to do. A friend has told me to put in for a unit 32 depredation hunt, I will have to check it out more as I know very little about that hunt or that area.

 

[matt4695]

I'm little late in replying, this was my first year hunting in unit 39. I've spent most of my life hunting a unit up north. I new I had to get off the roads to find deer and boy did I find deer. The last weekend after we got our first snow I was seeing 50-60 per day. I screwed up twice on a couple of 150-160 bucks. I didn't see anything huge. I live in Boise and visit the winterange often with spotting scope in hand. There are plenty of 180 bucks in the unit. A late tag would be sweet. Last year fish and game counted 26,000 deer on the winter rangs. The deer know to stay away from the roads while season is open. It would be extremly diffuclt to hunt with a disabilty. I take my hat off to you. I think we all feel frustration with Idaho fish and game. There's guys who kill 170-180 bucks every year but they keep there lips tight. They hunt deep in the high country.