Nonresident general tags sold out

[BrianID]

I shouldn't be surprised but it still doesn't make sense to me. All the general deer tags sold out in Idaho already. 225 nonresidents thought the $$ was worth committing to hunt 2 points in unit 40. Is anyone else surprised the 2 point tags sold out, especially this early?

 

[Deerlove]

And you had to pick a unit.

 

[backcountryID]

I guess if I had to choose between not hunting big game at all, and paying $600-$800 to shoot a forky, I'd still probably try to go hunting.

Other states just don't have the opportunity to go hunting each year. And any hunt in the Owyhees can be a "trophy" hunt if you do it right, even if your buck has some small antlers.

 

[huntindad4]

I guess if I had to choose between not hunting big game at all, and paying $600-$800 to shoot a forky, I'd still probably try to go hunting.

Other states just don't have the opportunity to go hunting each year. And any hunt in the Owyhees can be a "trophy" hunt if you do it right, even if your buck has some small antlers.

Curious, not arguing at all as I dont know but what states don't have ANY opportunities to hunt deer at all?

 

[huntindad4]

Another curiosity question. Is the 2 point hunt a development of some genetic issue.

The reason I ask is I was hunting a NV unit that borders that area and we found a big 4x2 that was probably 28 inches wide and would have easily been a 180 buck were it even on both sides so I was wondering if there was a genetic issue they were trying to clear up in the region.

 

[Deerlove]

Dang Brian, I thought you were being sarcastic about the 2 pt? Does that mean you can ONLY shoot a 2 pt?

 

[Outdoordan]

Unless you draw a tag in the owyhee's, to hunt there you can only shoot a 2 pt. The draw tag is a very low odds tag.

To some people, they don't care what they shoot, they just want to shoot a deer, buck preferred. I have met and know plenty of them. To them, hunting deer for "horns" is stupid. To each their own I guess.

 

[huntindad4]

Unless you draw a tag in the owyhee's, to hunt there you can only shoot a 2 pt. The draw tag is a very low odds tag.

To some people, they don't care what they shoot, they just want to shoot a deer, buck preferred. I have met and know plenty of them. To them, hunting deer for "horns" is stupid. To each their own I guess.

I get this. But why do it on a "trophy" draw unit?

 

[Outdoordan]

Opportunity. Most hunters in Idaho continue to list opportunity to hunt, either with big family get togethers, or close to home, or a plethora of reasons, as their number 1 desire.

 

[BrianID]

Dang Brian, I thought you were being sarcastic about the 2 pt? Does that mean you can ONLY shoot a 2 pt?

I wasn't being sarcastic. Unit 40 is 2 point only as well as some of the general season tags that they sold to nonresidents.

Outdoordan,

I can understand residents being content with shooting a 2 point in a unit close to home and paying $25 for a tag. But residents can hunt other units with their general season tag as well. Nonresidents are stuck with one unit that is now selected at the time they purchase their tag.

I just have a hard time believing that 225 nonresidents payed $534 ($351 + $185 for the hunting license) for a forky tag 6 months before the season. On top of that, nonresidents are traveling a long distance to hunt for a 2 point.

backcountry,

Nonresidents have many other options in other states that you can get a tag every year. I've drawn deer in NM six years in a row and will get a tag in NM this year as well. In Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Montana and Wyoming you can get a tag just about every year as a nonresident. I'm guessing a number of the nonresidents that bought the unit 40 tag had no idea that they were limited to 2 point only.

 

[Outdoordan]

Yes, agreed. It's baffling to me as well. A couple years ago I was hunting elk in Grouse Creek, and met some great people (a guy, his son, and his son's friend). They were from Nor Cal and were great guys. They all shot little bucks and were happy about it. Not what I'd want to do, but for them, it was a great time.

 

[BrianID]

Outdoordan,

I guess many of us have killed enough deer that we are happy to let young bucks walk and go home with tag soup before killing a 1 1/2 year old buck. I prefer eating elk over deer and would rather put the time and expense of an out of state hunt for a cow elk over a 2 point muley. Especially when you consider the success rate for 2 point hunters in 40 only averages around 25%.

Maybe there are a bunch of nonresidents that will spend $500+ in license fees to shoot a 2 point. I still believe that a number of those unit 40 tag holders don't know they are limited to 2 points only yet. Hopefully they figure it out before they put a bullet in the chamber. It would probably make us all sick if we all really found out how many deer are poached every year.

 

[Outdoordan]

Yes, that scares me as well. How many are going to kill a good 4x4 thinking they were within their rights as a tagholder. Could get really ugly. They should just make that unit resident only 2 pt., or better yet, no 2 pt. hunt at all.

 

[Katoom]

I am a non-resident and I tend to agree that giving a 2 pt tag to a non-resident in a remote trophy unit is kind of asking for it. If even a few a-holes are out there, that could put a hurt on the mature bucks. And we all know there are a few a-holes in every group and temptation is a powerful drug for some. The fact that it doesn't define the majority of the group is still small comfort to any unlucky buck. If it happens, please nail them to the wall, Idaho.

 

[huntindad4]

I as a NR would not be interested in the tag.

I asked further up about the why of the tag. As in is it a management issue for mature deer with a fork on one side. It seems I have read that info somewhere and I saw a big 4x2 on the NV side. It could be a myth or reality that others have heard or read about and they are basing it on that?

I wouldn't be surprised either if they were sold without people fully understanding the parameters of the tag.

I don't believe anyone is doing it because they can't hunt their home state. I dont know of any state where a hunter doesn't have an opportunity to hunt deer.

 

[Mallards_Only]

Seems insane to me to spend $500+ to come here and shoot little 2 pt deer. I find it hard to believe that guys couldn't kill little deer in their home state of No Ca.

 

[ELKOHUNTER]

Whats strange is the unit 40 tag sat at 160ish tags for weeks only selling one now and then. Other units had a few tags that no one wanted either. I logged in just before you made this post and the entire tab for general deer was gone. I figured it was a glitch, but apparently not.

 

[hawkbill]

I was down in the Owhees for a month and a half last fall, it’s beautiful and very tough hunting for Deer and Elk, for most of those guys 3/4s are going home without. I would have to agree that they don’t know what they bought. I never saw anyone from fish and game the entire time down there. It’s not about success anymore with fish and game, it’s about oppurtunity that’s all they can give you. The Fish and Game Commissioners are farmers they run the show they have figured out how to sell as many licenses as possible, Evan stripping the trophy units of mature animals. They want to sell our wildlife off every year just like they sell their livestock off every year, as yearlings.

 

[Pinlard]

Here in Montana I see lots of guys drop $1000+ on the NR deer/elk combo. They never see an elk and then shoot a 1-1/2 or 2-1/2 year old deer. Many seem to come from Washington. Seems like they are saving money by shooting their 2 points further west.

 

[Chesterwyo]

The cost of a forkie tag in Idaho would put you well on your way to a nice hunt in Texas. People are crazy.

 

[Mallards_Only]

I don't subscribe to Epic or HF any more so I don't know the answer to this but one has to wonder if those mags don't show Unit 40 as being a trophy deer unit without clarifying that the OTC tag is 2 pt only. Guys see tags available in the unit and think they've hit the mother lode only to find out later that it's only the draw tag that lets you kill a mature deer.

 

[huntindad4]

I don't subscribe to Epic or HF any more so I don't know the answer to this but one has to wonder if those mags don't show Unit 40 as being a trophy deer unit without clarifying that the OTC tag is 2 pt only. Guys see tags available in the unit and think they've hit the mother lode only to find out later that it's only the draw tag that lets you kill a mature deer.

Could be this...

Crazy the comment above that there was just recently 160 tags then suddenly none.

I have heard of anti hunter groups buying tags just so hunters can't get them? I hope this is it at this point, it would be great to hear they bought a bunch of tags that wouldn't have sold thus putting money towards management that wouldn't have gone there.

I know it has been written in this forum prior, but too lazy to seek it out. How was NR tag numbers per unit arrived at? I seem to recall it was off of hunter reporting, no? If so maybe there is more interest in an Owyhee forkie than I can understand.....

 

[backcountryID]

I wasn't being sarcastic. Unit 40 is 2 point only as well as some of the general season tags that they sold to nonresidents.

Outdoordan,

I can understand residents being content with shooting a 2 point in a unit close to home and paying $25 for a tag. But residents can hunt other units with their general season tag as well. Nonresidents are stuck with one unit that is now selected at the time they purchase their tag.

I just have a hard time believing that 225 nonresidents payed $534 ($351 + $185 for the hunting license) for a forky tag 6 months before the season. On top of that, nonresidents are traveling a long distance to hunt for a 2 point.

backcountry,

Nonresidents have many other options in other states that you can get a tag every year. I've drawn deer in NM six years in a row and will get a tag in NM this year as well. In Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Montana and Wyoming you can get a tag just about every year as a nonresident. I'm guessing a number of the nonresidents that bought the unit 40 tag had no idea that they were limited to 2 point only.

Yeah, I will take your word for it about opportunity in other states. I would be the price of an Owyhee County forky hunt would still be attractive to nonresidents living within a few hours of the unit.

 

[Sparks Shooter]

For years I have hunted whitetail in a unit that is predominately known for mule deer. I was surprised to see the low number of non-resident whitetail only tags this year. In the past there were a few of us that would buy the whitetail only general tags so we could hunt later into November. While I'm sure a few good whitetails were taken during the regular general hunt, the majority of concentration seems to always be on mule deer. Over the years we got to know several camps of locals that bought second tags at NR prices to hunt the November whitetail rut. Now, there are just a handful of whitetail only tags available and they sold out very quickly. In the past, I have seen more whitetail bucks in a week of hunting than the total number of tags they are selling now. Unless there is a big die off in the next few years, there will be some old whitey bucks roaming the hills and dying of old age because I can guarantee that hunting pressure will not even be putting a dent in them. I totally get wanting less NRs around and more quality but it seems like Idaho is leaving some great opportunity for both residents and NR alike on the table. Does anyone really care about growing trophy whitetail in Idaho? ------SS

 

[Deerlove]

I don't subscribe to Epic or HF any more so I don't know the answer to this but one has to wonder if those mags don't show Unit 40 as being a trophy deer unit without clarifying that the OTC tag is 2 pt only. Guys see tags available in the unit and think they've hit the mother lode only to find out later that it's only the draw tag that lets you kill a mature deer.

I hope that tag clearly says 2 point only for those novices.

 

[johnbra]

Might be all the Californians with a bunch $ leftover from selling their 900 sq/ft house and buying a 4000 sq/ft house here?
I lived in Utah for a couple years and once you finally draw one of their limited entry deer tags it's ~ $170 and almost $300 for an elk tag. I remember thinking to myself " Damn, Idaho should charge alot more for out of state tags" and now they do. To some Utahns and other NR's, the price to get away from the war zones that they call general season is worth it. (It was for me at the time, but I wouldn't pay the new price Idaho is charging) As mentioned above, I think there were some mistakes made and I bet there will be alot of pissed off people when they realize what they bought and that they can't return it! (But we thank them for their donations ?)

 

[johnbra]

Another curiosity question. Is the 2 point hunt a development of some genetic issue.

The reason I ask is I was hunting a NV unit that borders that area and we found a big 4x2 that was probably 28 inches wide and would have easily been a 180 buck were it even on both sides so I was wondering if there was a genetic issue they were trying to clear up in the region.

I don't know if it's necessarily a genetic disorder or not, but I believe the thought process is "if you kill the small ones, the big ones will thrive". There could be a different science to it, but there are quite a few units with this regulation, and alot of debate as to whether it works or not.

 

[buckhorn]

I have hunted unit 42 on the November buck hunt 3 times over the years and I can tell you it’s dang hard to find any buck let alone a big one. When you kill off all the two points and then hunt the big bucks in the rut year after year after year its poor management in my opinion it’s not working.

 

[andrew12gauge]

I have hunted unit 42 on the November buck hunt 3 times over the years and I can tell you it’s dang hard to find any buck let alone a big one. When you kill off all the two points and then hunt the big bucks in the rut year after year after year its poor management in my opinion it’s not working.

IDFG can’t take away the 2 point season because it would displace too many hunters, this from an IDFG employee at the MDF banquet a few years back after they said they can’t figure out why buck numbers are declining in the owyhees

 

[Mallards_Only]

IDFG can’t take away the 2 point season because it would displace too many hunters, this from an IDFG employee at the MDF banquet a few years back after they said they can’t figure out why buck numbers are declining in the owyhees

Which is a classic example of how incompetent and idiotic IDFG is.

 

[critterstalker]

I have hunted unit 42 on the November buck hunt 3 times over the years and I can tell you it’s dang hard to find any buck let alone a big one. When you kill off all the two points and then hunt the big bucks in the rut year after year after year its poor management in my opinion it’s not working.

Every year I'm out 42 antelope hunting or taking a new hunter out for their first deer and almost always see a big buck or two (big as in 26" wide and 5yrs old roughly) out there on a one or two day trip. I don't know how anyone can't go out there and find bucks. I can't believe you guys think that all the two points get shot. 40,41 and 42 are HUGE units with a ton of places for deer to hide. Last year I ran out with a coworker after work on a Saturday to unit 40 we had 2 hrs before dark and saw a nice 4 point and one 2 point he got his second deer ever and saw what a decent 4 point looked like and now wants to hunt bigger deer.

 

[Obsession Outdoors]

Here in Montana I see lots of guys drop $1000+ on the NR deer/elk combo. They never see an elk and then shoot a 1-1/2 or 2-1/2 year old deer. Many seem to come from Washington. Seems like they are saving money by shooting their 2 points further west.

Sad state of deer management in Montana

 

[Hunt4more]

Is there a point where some of these tags may be turned back in and the public will have an opportunity to purchase again?

 

[Blank]

The returned tag process will start with the first sale on April 21st (Thursday). They will post a list of available tags every Tuesday, then the tags will go on sale 1st come on Thursday. This will occur every week after that. The girls at any of the offices can explain it better to you than I can.

 

[boise]

Last year when the unsold tags in outfitter pool came available you could pick up quite a few units. some of the controlled deer and cow hunts are not out of reach, the draw is worth it if you already have a hunting license

 

[HUNTNNW]

its every other week the returned tag sale

 

[Outdoordan]

First returned tag sale is April 21.

 

[eelgrass]

We used to hunt Owyhee County before they had the 2 point restriction. When they went that route, we moved to southeastern Idaho and never looked back.