Muley Hunting in Idaho

[Trophymossback]

Hey Guys, I am thinking of taking my Son and two Grandsons hunting in Idaho this year. I know the best Trophy Areas are draw only, but I need some advise on other areas where I could take them and have a reasonable chance of seeing some nice deer.
If you could share your thoughts and suggestions, I would sincerely appreciate your help?

Thanks, TM

 

[Trophymossback]

Well, I guess I won't get any help here to find a good spot for the kids. Taking youngsters on their first out of State hunt should be a positive experience. I am not looking for anyones Honeyhole, just a good spot to take some children for a good experience.

TM

 

[forkhunter]

Sorry you haven't been able to get any info. I hunt Idaho every year (different areas), but haven't found anything that I would consider "kid-friendly." Or, for that matter, friendly to me!!!! Lots of rough country and when you live out of state,as I do, it is hard to find a good general area. Best of luck. Hopefully somebody here will read it over and decide there is something they can offer you.

Best of luck.

 

[TFinalshot]

With a name like trophymossback I'm sure every guy on this site is a bit sceptical - you can see the issue, i'm sure. I'm not saying youre dishonest, but it's getting tougher to get good intel on this site and with a name like trophy. . . you have kind put your own name on yourself.

If i were you I'd start with reading posts on idaho hunting in genneral. If this is your kids first out of state hunt, there must be a reason you choose idaho. Call the game department and talk to a few bios, or call the Idaho mule deer club, I'm sure there's a few areas in idaho where there's a deer for your son to shoot.

 

[deerhuntr4885]

I agree..there is a ton of info on this site if you go back in the archives. My experiences also are really rugged terrain and not real ADULT friendly let alone kids. Most of the gentler area is either private or permit.

Mike Henne

 

[gb22]

I live in Idaho and have hunted here my entire life. I teach hunter ed. and have taken 15 (more or less) kids on their first hunts. We've never failed to see deer; sometimes they miss, but they have a good time.

I'm willing to "share", but much of Idaho IS physically demanding. I'm not very good with the technical aspects, which means I don't know how to originate PMs (only respond and that's something I only recently learned). PM me, we'll talk about how hard you want to go and what the expectations are.

Grant

 

[nochawk]

If it was me... I would be thinking about taking them to Wyoming for antelope, better chance of seeing game and a lot of opportunities for first time hunters and kids. keeps there interest going.

 

[Trophymossback]

>With a name like trophymossback I'm
>sure every guy on this
>site is a bit sceptical
>- you can see the
>issue, i'm sure. I'm
>not saying youre dishonest, but
>it's getting tougher to get
>good intel on this site
>and with a name like
>trophy. . . you
>have kind put your own
>name on yourself.
>
>If i were you I'd start
>with reading posts on idaho
>hunting in genneral. If
>this is your kids first
>out of state hunt, there
>must be a reason you
>choose idaho. Call the
>game department and talk to
>a few bios, or call
>the Idaho mule deer club,
>I'm sure there's a few
>areas in idaho where there's
>a deer for your son
>to shoot.

TFINALSHOT..........You made me laugh!

Trophy = large
Mossback = old

The name fits! BIGOLDHUNTER....MIGHT HAVE BEEN MORE ACCURATE.

I love to get the youngsters started in the sport we all Love!

I was just looking for the best Units in Idaho to take them. I have a daughter in Idaho, but the deer hunting isn't that good where shE and her husband live.

TM

 

[Slide]

Mossback, I sent you a PM.


Slide

 

[BrianID]

There are a couple reasons that no one responded to your original post. Your username and asking "have a reasonable chance of seeing some nice deer".

I think you had too high of expectation for Idaho. I think a nice deer is something that will score over 160". There just aren't many places in the Idaho general season units that hold many "nice deer". IMO it would be very difficult to fill 4 general season tags with "nice deer". Many of the general season units have success rates lower than 30% and most of those who do kill a buck are putting their tag on a buck that still has milk on his lips.

If you send me a PM I could give you some ideas but won't tell you exactly what ridge to hunt on or to places that 4 out of 4 hunters will likely kill deer and not have to hike very hard.

You might want to wait a couple months to select the exact area that you will hunt. The 2007 regulations won't be out until late April but I don't think there will be any major changes to the season.

 

[gemstatejake]

If you want a relatively easy/kid freindly hunt in Idaho, think whitetails up north. You can hunt during the rut, shoot either sex, and the possibility of taking a good buck is relatively high. The areas I hunt mule deer in Idaho are beyond rugged. Not good for kids. You may be able to apply for a youth hunt in a controlled unit, but most of those hunts are antlerless i think.

 

[Trophymossback]

Thanks for your help Gentlemen!

 

[elktalker]

sent you a pm

 

[idhunters]

You might have some luck getting on private ground for the kids. If you took a trip to Idaho prior to the season and knocked on some doors, told the landowner you wanted the kids only to hunt, you might have some luck.

The easiest place to harvest a mule deer during general season is on private lands and many of the landowners are kid friendly. Wait till the middle of season however and your odds of getting permission go down.

The next best bet for an easy deer is the controlled hunts, but the best ones are hard to draw. If drawn, the deer populations are better and the pressure is less.

The youth tags are another opportunity for the kids. Look at the IDFG website for which areas have youth hunts.

The guy with the whitetail idea speaks the truth.

Good luck Big Old Hunter (ha ha)

 

[supersider34]

I live in Idaho and hunt here and get lucky once in awhile with seeing some but what are we looking for here? I have taken multiple of kids over the years and have seen the kids for there first hunts get excited just over the oppurtunity of seeing and shooting. There are alot of either sex hunts for mule deer. Look in the regs. My daughter wife and son have hunted with me and daughter shot her antelope buck no problem. Shot her mule deer doe and decided hunting or pulling the trigger was not for her. So have not bought her hunting license since. Wife quit when son turned 12. Son wants to hunt all year round. He has got his bear and deer. I would look for area's where there is a either sex hunt. When my grandkids get of age it will be a hunt for them. It will be a memory for there lives to be able to recount there hunting trip with grandpa.
But if its so you can hunt also with a chance of you shooting a NICE deer then I hope you are in good shape to get around. Most units you have to get way off the roads. Or if you plan on hunting Idaho for sure then put in for the draw hunts as you have to buy Hunting license before you can put in for draws.
Good luck

 

[7MM_STW]

Big Old Hunter,

I sent you a PM.

 

[Trophymossback]

>Big Old Hunter,
>
>I sent you a PM.


For some reason I haven't received any PM's?

Try:

[email protected]


Thanks, George

 

[BPKHunter]

Look at the special hunts and there is one that includes many zones along with zone 54. I have a good friend born and raised here who said that is the best deal for kids, and should be relatively easy to draw. If you are truely looking for opportunity, any kid here can shoot a buck or doe with their tag so having a "successful" hunt should not be a problem. If your looking for mature 4x, then you will need to spend a few seasons here learning the country. Having spent three seasons here now I can tell you there is no easy country, so if those kids aren't motivated pick somewhere else.

 

[Trophymossback]

Thanks for the very helpful information.
The kids are able to hike well, we are not really looking for easy country. There is easy country near my daughter's place East of Payette, but not many deer.
I just want these fairly new young hunters to see enough game to keep it interesting and to improve their chances.

TM

 

[BQHIdaho]

TM,
If you are hunting does, you'll be ok I think... but bucks for youth on public land.. it's hard enough for adults, let alone kids. Its just not the terraine, its the long hours, hiking, thin air, lack of cover to hide, and these deer aren't dumb. I'd look at a state like Montana where deer are in abundice and doe tags are cheap even for out of staters. They are only $90.00 for an adult doe tag.

 

[BPKHunter]

I agree with BHQ that does are easier than bucks, but there should be NO problem getting a small buck in 32,32a,39, or 40. The tags are much cheaper here for kids, $10.75 for deer and $16.50 for elk. Now getting an elk is much much harder than a deer.

Brian

 

[gb22]

I love to hunt mule deer, in great part because of the challenge. That being said, they aren't magic. I live in Pocatello. I hunt for more of an adventure, but Unit 70 (next to town) has a 4-point hunt. You can find a buck...not a record but a buck.

Two years ago, my 3 1/2-year old son hiked 5 miles into a wilderness area and watched while I shot a 187. Last fall, at 4 1/2, he watched while I shot a 28 3/4" buck that had lousy forks. He also saw me fill a second tag with another 4x4.

He's been doing this stuff his whole life, but your kids can do it, too. There are more deer and more bucks that some apparently think.

Good luck. PM me, if you'd like any advice.

 

[BQHIdaho]

Gee gb22 maybe you should let us all in on your honeyhole. Not all of us know people and don't have the resources you apparently have.

 

[BQHIdaho]

Oh and gb22, get your reg book out, 70 is now a controlled tag unit. No general tags. Happy hunting in 70, with only 175 tags.

 

[gb22]

BQH,

I'll take your word for it that 70 was changed this year. I don't typically hunt there. I haven't read the regs yet this year.

As for knowing someone.....EVERY hunt I do is on public property. I have never hunted on ANY private property ('cause I DON'T know anybody). I have never hired a guide ('cause I can't afford it). I do know how to hunt Idaho mule deer.......I've done this a long time. FYI..I have three (typicals) that net over 200. I doubt I get into heaven because I can shoot mule deer, but this is my vice. I have no honey hole. I have LOUSY luck trying to draw tags; I just go look for them. I enjoy looking for them. When I was younger, neighbors used to comment to my dad about my good luck. Dad invariably said, "lucky h..., he just works harder than you". I'm not saying that applies to you, but that is my biggest "secret".

Since you "started" little debate, will it rub it in, if I tell you my two sons-in-law both got their largest-to-date bucks (4x4) in the last two years. My daughter took a 27" 4x4 in 2006. Nobody hunted on private property and all were DIY (or with dad's help). Deer were shot in units 43, 48, 39 and 55 (daughter DID draw a LE for 55).

I teach a LOT of hunter ed classes and have taken probably 20 of those kids to get their first deer. I really would help that guy who wanted to take kids. I'll talk about where and how with most any one.

 

[BQHIdaho]

Here is a little something... I hike my butt off the mountains of the Pashimori and the southeast region for elk and deer. And every year I get swamped with atvs. No Big bucks, they were run off by the atvs or there just werent any. I took a shot at a mack daddy two years ago, but he was running up hill away from a quad. I had spent so much energy stalking him and this turd on a quad chased him away, the shot range was at 400 yards and i could never get back on him. He was as flighty as a wild year old mustang. If you've ever been in the Pashimori, you'll know just how steep and rugged those mountains are. I shot my first four point last year and he was chased up the mountain to me by a quad. He was in his first year as a four point, so pretty small. I couldn't even enjoy it with all the shooting and quad activity going on below me. So sad to here and see. I cant travel far away from home... little ones in the nest... so, rubbing in that your family has lady luck means nothing to me. I work and work to get a bigger deer, but cant seem to get away from the quads. They go where they are not suppose to and ruin it. I have just now begun to put my foot down on this problem. I'm tired of rolling over!

 

[gb22]

You get no argument from me......I hate ATVs. There has long been a law on the books allowing disabled people to hunt from motorized vehicles. Beyond that law...and one must apply for the disabled designation....I don't have any use for them. PERIOD.

Here is my "secret". When/where I hunt, there are no 4 wheelers. I get to the end of the trail. Then we pack in. We go in anywhere from 5 to 10 hours....sometimes more; we stay there a while. In the last 3 years, I've heard no ATVs. I've not heard a single shot, except those taken by members of my party. Not only is it illegal to take ATVs into those areas, it's physically unrealistic. If you get more than 2 horizontal miles from the nearest trailhead/road, you won't have to put up with ATVs. These trips are how we spend vacation.

I do not mean to say you are hunting "wrong" if you do differently. I simply mean that you CAN find mature deer and peace and quiet in Idaho's remote backcountry.

If we would KILL SOME PREDATORS and use well-thought-out winter feeding, we could increase the overall herd numbers and the number of mature bucks. If that were done, there would be much more opportunity to take an older animal on the day hunts that many people do. Until we do that, you can improve your odds dramatically by doing almost exactly what David Long describes in his book. The good news is, nothing there in costs much money....just effort.

 

[Califelkslayer]

gb & BG, I also hate ATVs although I own one. I was riding a horse in 29 a few years ago, 4-5 miles from the trailhead when I came across a camp with a quad hidden behind it. This was 3 days before the opener of rifle but archery season was open. P*ssed me off.

My quad is to strap a dog kennel on and go get into chukar country. Saves wear/tear on the pick-up.

 

[gb22]

It's that kind of crap that causes my bad attitude about those things.

 

[BQHIdaho]

Sounds like we may have been seperated at birth gb22. I know what your talking about.

 

[IDHunter222]

If you see a quad off trial or in a closed area, get as much information as possible about the vehicle (serial #'s, gps location, license #'s, etc) and alert the authorities. Take a picture of the ATV if you have a camera as well. Send this information into F&G and see if something can be done to prosecute these fools!

A friend of mine suggested an alternative solution although it seems a bit harsh to me:

Carry a cup of sugar with you when you hike. In the unlikely event that you see an ATV in an area you KNOW they are not supposed to be in and the "hunter" is nowhere to be found (that's the unlikely part), put a bit of sugar in the gas tank and they will think hard about going off road next time as they remember how hard it was to drag their broken down ATV off the mountain. Or better yet maybe they won't be able to afford to buy a new one for a few years when the engine is wrecked.

 

[gb22]

I'd never do the sugar...but sure have thought about it. I agree with get the info and turn them in and DO that.

 

[gemstatejake]

gb22 speaks the gospel on this matter. I share his views almost to the letter..........BQ, dude you're gonna have to realize that your area is total $hit....get over whining about it and move on to greener pastures.
If man can take his ******** machines somewhere, he will PERIOD. Quad hunters are a lazy lot and if your area is crawling with them, I can tell you what it wont be crawling with- MATURE BUCKS. If any are around, they're so educated by those clowns you have almost no hope of killing one. Hunt where the bubbas on quads dont....That means no trails and straight up and down steep. remote as you can physically get..... Until the laws change or the current laws are enforced, you're area is useless to the hunter who wants a trophy....

 

[BQHIdaho]

I've spent nights awake thinking about this, but one thing just keeps coming back to me. I can't give up. It's just not in me. I won't be able to sleep at night knowing that i didn't do enough to try to protect the deer. I'm not pushing for monster bucks in this unit, just more bucks in general to help cover all the doe's. I feel sorry for the deer and can't just stand back and watch them get hammered. My problem with quads has been ongoing for many, many, years. I just can't stand back anymore. I am passionate about these issues and im not a enviromentalist, just a concered sportsman.

 

[BPKHunter]

BQH, I have seen your multiple posts regarding the ATV issue in your unit in SE Idaho. While I do not hunt there, I am quite aware of the legacy of that portion of the state and just wanted to say that if you feel strongly then you should rally as much support and fight the battle. In many parts of SW and central parts of the state they close roads/trails by gates so I can't see why they wouldn't eventually consider it there, but you have to convince the "powers" to do it and I think that can only happen by building a lot of support and taking it to F&G and BLM/Forest Service. I think F&G will help with the other agencies as I believe they think ATV's are evil and would like to limit access as much as possible. Good Luck!

 

[BQHIdaho]

Good points, I've been talking with F&G but i think i need safety in numbers while talking with them. It seems the forest service is not "in bed" with the local F&G office. They need to begin to work together or nothing will get solved. They should have just left the gates closed and not opend them this year. They were late doing it anyway because of the snow pack. We need to rally folks who are not affraid to stand for what they belive is right for the SE. Come on folks... lets go!

 

[Hntn4em]

Something that I have found effective is using the lazy buggers to your advantage. I have shot some of my biggest deer 100-300 yds from where ATV's have been driving. Cause it is nasty terrain and the lazy buggers won't get off their machines and they can't see a thing in that terrain from their angle. Go onto a facing slope and glass that slope carefully and you will see some deer. I have every season.