New Hunter Looking for some Guidance

[Big.Taco]

Hello everyone, I'm a new hunter and am looking to hunt as responsibly as possible, looking for some guidance. I'm located in SW Idaho.

After being an avid fisherman for as long as I can remember, I'm getting into hunting. I've wanted to hunt most of my life but didn't grow up in a hunting family. Anyways, I'm finally able financially to seriously start hunting (I have hunted grouse a couple years ago). I've been reading a lot of posts on this forum and on others and have become a bit concerned with the current state of hunting in Idaho, particularly mule deer which I am planning on chasing this fall.

Being a fisherman, I know that not everything within the regulations is ethical (EX: keeping wild salmon when they're near extinct in most places or shooting does when muley populations are low).
I am passionate and deeply care about conservation and don't want to have a significant negative impact on wildlife. I'm looking for a bit of guidance regarding ethical hunting when and if fish and game agencies aren't pulling their weight.

Any help is greatly appreciated, this is what I plan on hunting/rules I am setting for myself. Please let me know if there is anything I should be made aware of/look further into.

-Turkey (Don't see a problem with this one)
-Mule Deer (Bucks Only)
-Rabbit (Don't see any concerns with this one)
-Grouse (Every once in a while shooting a couple)
-Black Bear (I see myself potentially hunting bears a few years down the line)

Thanks in advance!

 

[HntHrdr]

They have biologist setting game limits for the tags you are getting so from an science and carrying capacity standpoint you are good to go. Personally I’m with you on MD does, and even small bucks don’t feel the need to shoot them. I would encourage you to hunt black bears, coyotes, and Mt. Lion especially if you are passionate about helping Muley’s out those things can suck up fawns in the spring, and Lions are hell on deer all year. Seems like you have a solid basis, good luck in your hunting career

 

[Rie bread]

Just shoot the damn thing

 

[Soj51hopeful]

Shoot a whitetail. Any sex

 

[Muleman1]

Camtops ? Is that you

 

[JPickett]

bear hunting is actually a really good place to start. long seasons, low pressure, spring is a great time to get out and roam around the hills and learn stuff. you spend enough time out there you'll probably see a bear.

get out and look for green areas, sit and glass, pick up some sheds. shoot a coyote if you see it. all that'll hook ya

 

[willfrye027]

Go hunt and enjoy it. Mule deer populations are down, but they are cyclical. Shooting a buck will not affect population growth.

 

[Katoom]

Don’t hunt out of season or without a license. Don’t shoot recklessly or put people at risk. other than that, if you are legal, hunt whatever floats your boat. and sort of like fishing, hunting can always be catch and release until and unless you decide to pull that trigger.

 

[Big.Taco]

bear hunting is actually a really good place to start. long seasons, low pressure, spring is a great time to get out and roam around the hills and learn stuff. you spend enough time out there you'll probably see a bear.

get out and look for green areas, sit and glass, pick up some sheds. shoot a coyote if you see it. all that'll hook ya

Dang I just looked at the regs and I didn't realize bear seasons were that long. Thanks for the help I'm definitely gonna look into this.

 

[Big.Taco]

Don’t hunt out of season or without a license. Don’t shoot recklessly or put people at risk. other than that, if you are legal, hunt whatever floats your boat. and sort of like fishing, hunting can always be catch and release until and unless you decide to pull that trigger.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Big.Taco]

They have biologist setting game limits for the tags you are getting so from an science and carrying capacity standpoint you are good to go. Personally I’m with you on MD does, and even small bucks don’t feel the need to shoot them. I would encourage you to hunt black bears, coyotes, and Mt. Lion especially if you are passionate about helping Muley’s out those things can suck up fawns in the spring, and Lions are hell on deer all year. Seems like you have a solid basis, good luck in your hunting career

Thanks for the help.

 

[JPickett]

Dang I just looked at the regs and I didn't realize bear seasons were that long. Thanks for the help I'm definitely gonna look into this.

Yup, and the later you wait in may the better it gets. Bear rut is June .Boars really start cruising towards the end of May looking for sows. Think food then booty. Find green slopes around some timber and there should be both. Sit, glass. Feel like you’ve sat long enough, sit some more. You’ll see the most bears just before dark. Other then the ticks, it’s a really fun hunt

 

[Big.Taco]

Yup, and the later you wait in may the better it gets. Bear rut is June .Boars really start cruising towards the end of May looking for sows. Think food then booty. Find green slopes around some timber and there should be both. Sit, glass. Feel like you’ve sat long enough, sit some more. You’ll see the most bears just before dark. Other then the ticks, it’s a really fun hunt

Appreciate the help man, hunting in June sounds awesome. If you don't mind me asking, what do you do with coyotes after you shoot them? I understand there's a heap of problems surrounding coyotes but I have very low motivation to shoot something and leave it there. Thanks

 

[JPickett]

Appreciate the help man, hunting in June sounds awesome. If you don't mind me asking, what do you do with coyotes after you shoot them? I understand there's a heap of problems surrounding coyotes but I have very low motivation to shoot something and leave it there. Thanks

I give them a good kick and try not to break my arm patting myself on the back

I’m actually an avid coyote hunter. I kill a bunch of them. You could skin and put up the hide , but spring hides will be pretty crappy. I wouldn’t bother. Cleaning up the skull is pretty cool. I do a few a year

Great thing about coyotes is there’s a mommy and daddy coyote out there somewhere making more. You actually can’t thin um out shooting them. They just have more pups

 

[Rie bread]

Coyote carcasses are an excellent source of nutrients for the soils

 

[Soj51hopeful]

Buzzards gotta eat, same as the worms.

 

[JPickett]

Buzzards gotta eat, same as the worms.

all time favorite line of clints

i was actually in a wilderness area years ago bear hunting and a group of granola crunchers came across us glassing. they were asking what we were doing hunting in a hiking area.... we were 14 miles in... and then they asked us if we buried the animals after we killed them. i responded with that line. they moved on. it was pretty great

 

[HntHrdr]

I give them a good kick and try not to break my arm patting myself on the back

I’m actually an avid coyote hunter. I kill a bunch of them. You could skin and put up the hide , but spring hides will be pretty crappy. I wouldn’t bother. Cleaning up the skull is pretty cool. I do a few a year

Great thing about coyotes is there’s a mommy and daddy coyote out there somewhere making more. You actually can’t thin um out shooting them. They just have more pups

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I used to just target coyotes in the winter, even though I am awful at putting up fur, the only way to get better is practice… but I read a study somewhere that it actually helps out the fawns, poults, and calves if you knock some down in spring-early summer when they are most vulnerable, and yes there will always be more yotes , especially in places like Co which have outlaws trapping, so OP just go for it, I think you will find out Coyotes are a very worthy adversary in the field, a seasoned coyote can be very challenging to kill. I am planning on packing my predator rifle more often this spring and summer

 

[Big.Taco]

I give them a good kick and try not to break my arm patting myself on the back

I’m actually an avid coyote hunter. I kill a bunch of them. You could skin and put up the hide , but spring hides will be pretty crappy. I wouldn’t bother. Cleaning up the skull is pretty cool. I do a few a year

Great thing about coyotes is there’s a mommy and daddy coyote out there somewhere making more. You actually can’t thin um out shooting them. They just have more pups

View attachment 142047

View attachment 142048

I wasn't trying to bash on coyote hunting, I got NOTHING against it, just trying to understand it a bit better. Those skulls look great!

 

[Big.Taco]

I used to just target coyotes in the winter, even though I am awful at putting up fur, the only way to get better is practice… but I read a study somewhere that it actually helps out the fawns, poults, and calves if you knock some down in spring-early summer when they are most vulnerable, and yes there will always be more yotes , especially in places like Co which have outlaws trapping, so OP just go for it, I think you will find out Coyotes are a very worthy adversary in the field, a seasoned coyote can be very challenging to kill. I am planning on packing my predator rifle more often this spring and summer

I might just have to start dropping coyotes whenever I see them. Seems like they're an even bigger problem than I realized.

 

[JPickett]

I wasn't trying to bash on coyote hunting, I got NOTHING against it, just trying to understand it a bit better. Those skulls look great!

anymore it's my favorite thing to do. i'm out there all winter and usually some of the fall/spring calling. it's actually kinda silly what i have invested in it. so fun

 

[huntindad4]

anymore it's my favorite thing to do. i'm out there all winter and usually some of the fall/spring calling. it's actually kinda silly what i have invested in it. so fun

We've recently gotten into yote hunting. We kill a few but looking to learn more. Maybe my questions can help the OP as well.

Can you recommend a good e caller?

How do you set for the wind?

Thanks.

 

[willfrye027]

Coyotes hunting is probably the best way to get proficient at making the shot opportunity count on big game. Small target moving a lot doesn’t give much time for screwing around behind the gun. And learning to deal with buck fever… coyote running in on your setup will get the heart pounding quick!

 

[JPickett]

my favorite call is the fox pro X24. they are coming out with a new X48 that if you don't have one already would probably be worth it. i don't see enough to switch other than the new remote looks pretty cool

wind, i ride right on the edge. a cross wind is what you want, too much in your face and you'll have a lot of dogs coming in behind you that you'll never see.

coyote hunting is all in the set up, and it takes the longest to learn. you can be in a great area but if you set up wrong never get a shot. its actually the only time i recommend watching hunting video's. i hate hunting shows but watching a ton of coyote ones on you tube will start to show you how to approach it. pretty good thread a while back on the predator forum where a bunch of us were talking about the different approaches to it. its really its own discipline if you want to start having a lot of success.

be carful, it will take you over. i've skipped some big game hunts because i love it so much.

 

[JPickett]

Stand selection question | Bears, Lions, Coyotes, Wolves, etc.

Not a experienced coyote hunter, usually just a shoot on sight coyote hunter. But, my youngest really wants to get more serious, so old dad is trying to learn. What do you guys look for in a good stand? I try not to get skylined, try to stay in shadows, obviously wind plays a part. In snow I...

www.monstermuleys.info

 

[huntindad4]

Stand selection question | Bears, Lions, Coyotes, Wolves, etc.

Not a experienced coyote hunter, usually just a shoot on sight coyote hunter. But, my youngest really wants to get more serious, so old dad is trying to learn. What do you guys look for in a good stand? I try not to get skylined, try to stay in shadows, obviously wind plays a part. In snow I...

www.monstermuleys.info

That is an excellent thread. Lots of good info. Some I knew and some I didn't for sure. Thanks.