Unit 54 mule deer

[Jboylan3]

I drew a early rifle tag for mule deer in unit 54 anybody have any decent info on this unit I have a couple of weeks to spend hunting up there but it will be the first 2 weeks of the hunt. Thanks

 

[muleyjohn]

I've seen more deer in the lower end of Goose Creek and south west of Deadline Ridge than anywhere. If you could make it the last two weeks I think it would be a little better for you specially the closer to the rut.

 

[Jboylan3]

Thanks for the info I might be able to spend a little bit of time there within the last couple of weeks . But most of the time off I have will be at the start.

 

[NickM]

Are you from the area? Are you able to scout at all?

 

[Jboylan3]

Im not, I am one of them damn out of staters. I am going scouting in 2 weeks up there. And i will keep going back till I find something or feel good about the area.

 

[idhunters]

I am not an expert but I would be sure to look in the bottoms of those deep canyons on the north side of the range.

In lots of that country the road is on the top and the deer are in the botton.

I have seen some good bucks in the southern part (goose creek) but it was later in the year. Sure is some good looking country around there.

 

[HayZeus]

Try along the border. Get a GPS so you dont get on the wrong side/state.

 

[baerman]

agreed with Heyzus. was just down there the past 5 days and most archery deer hunters are heading south along the boarder. We saw lots of deer but nothing worth pointing you in a direction for.

 

[Jboylan3]

Hey thanks for everybody's input.

 

[Idahoron]

A lot of that area burned up this summer in fires. I don't know the areas that burnt personally I just know a lot of acres went up in smoke. Ron

 

[BPKHunter]

I think the fire was on the NE section.

 

[baerman]

Yes the fire burned some area but there is more than enough great country in the rest of the unit. Go find yourself a buck! Crowds this weekend should not be as hectic as last weekend.

 

[Idahoron]

>Yes the fire burned some area
>but there is more than
>enough great country in the
>rest of the unit. Go
>find yourself a buck! Crowds
>this weekend should not be
>as hectic as last weekend.
>


Can you give him the boundary's of the burn so he doesn't waste time in the wrong area? I know that some of the fire was by oaklye and goose creek. That is all I know of it. Ron

 

[baerman]

The area is the NE section as mentioned above. If you stay west of Dry Creek and South of Father and Sons campground you will be out of the fire.

 

[BigRutt]

Any more input on this unit for the late rifle tag? Hoping to find a big buck hunted my whole life in idaho and still dont have over a 150 buck. Would like to accomplish that this year if possible. Looks like another fire possibly right now

 

[Glock10mm]

I hunted this unit last year and it has gone to complete hell over the last 20 years, deer used to be thick, now your lucky to see deer.

 

[mtlionchaser]

I hunted this unit last year and it has gone to complete hell over the last 20 years, deer used to be thick, now your lucky to see deer.

What season did you have??

 

[Deer]

Any more input on this unit for the late rifle tag? Hoping to find a big buck hunted my whole life in idaho and still dont have over a 150 buck. Would like to accomplish that this year if possible. Looks like another fire possibly right now

I spent close to 45 days in this unit last season. In that time i saw 4 bucks over 150 and 1 of those was over 170. It sounds like you have realistic expectations. Good luck

 

[mtlionchaser]

I spent close to 45 days in this unit last season. In that time i saw 4 bucks over 150 and 1 of those was over 170. It sounds like you have realistic expectations. Good luck

I spent the week before late season to the last few days of late season and I couldn’t turn up a good buck for my wife in 3 weeks. It really wasn’t what I was expecting. We saw one buck that would maybe go 160”

 

[BigRutt]

Dang that is crazy i was hoping to hear better populations or herds around there. Either way i am going to go down at the end of general season and see what is going on then. Spend 2 weeks hunting and scouting the late season. Hopefully the snow will come in and get some big bucks out of hiding.

 

[BigRutt]

Well got up there and so far not what I was hoping for. Saw more moose and elk than anything. Didn't think there would be wolves in there but saw a lone black wolf. Found a handful of bucks maybe 140-150 was the biggest. Going back tomorrow for more. Hopefully can find a bruiser

 

[bclayton]

Well got up there and so far not what I was hoping for. Saw more moose and elk than anything. Didn't think there would be wolves in there but saw a lone black wolf. Found a handful of bucks maybe 140-150 was the biggest. Going back tomorrow for more. Hopefully can find a bruiser

For sure it was a wolf and not a black bear?

 

[BigRutt]

For sure it was a wolf and not a black bear?

100 percent it was a wolf...lone wolf. Howled at him when he saw us and started to move off slowly. Found an access road and went his way closed about 100 yards and he took off (literally disappeared Into some half open country) . I could see his paw in his stride and it was huge and almost touching his hind quarter every time it went back. I know a lot of people including myself that thought no way in hell a wolf has been that far down yet. Talked to a local who lives at the base of the mountain and he said F&G will say no but he snares a lot of yotes and a few years back he said one of his snares ripped out fence line off 6 poles. He said there are wolves in there. Tried to cut a track but it was on an open ridge that was frozen. Found a little bone pile though, might have been chewing on. First glance without the binos looked like a huge dog/coyote. Pulled binos up had the body of a doe big body. All black dog im sure it was a lost domestic dog. Way to high up.

 

[Homer]

Why would anyone be surprised for a wolf to be in that area??

 

[treedagain]

Why would anyone be surprised for a wolf to be in that area??

Because there is very few. Pretty far from established packs

 

[Homer]

well....one just gone run over by a car in Kern County California.....Idaho unit 54....seems a hell of alot more likely to have one wandering around....

 

[JPickett]

Wouldn’t surprise me a bit to see a wolf in any unit in Idaho. They’ve been right up behind boise and I’ve seen one within sight of 84 in mountain home. There all over

 

[bclayton]

100 percent it was a wolf...lone wolf. Howled at him when he saw us and started to move off slowly. Found an access road and went his way closed about 100 yards and he took off (literally disappeared Into some half open country) . I could see his paw in his stride and it was huge and almost touching his hind quarter every time it went back. I know a lot of people including myself that thought no way in hell a wolf has been that far down yet. Talked to a local who lives at the base of the mountain and he said F&G will say no but he snares a lot of yotes and a few years back he said one of his snares ripped out fence line off 6 poles. He said there are wolves in there. Tried to cut a track but it was on an open ridge that was frozen. Found a little bone pile though, might have been chewing on. First glance without the binos looked like a huge dog/coyote. Pulled binos up had the body of a doe big body. All black dog im sure it was a lost domestic dog. Way to high up.

That is crazy, unfortunate they've made it down that far.

 

[Blank]

There have been plenty of wolves just North of there in the Fairfield/ SunValley areas for many years (early 2000's). Used to have a bunch around the cabin on Smoky Creek and the South Fork of the Boise River. Not hard for them to roam around anywhere, they just don't LIKE to live around people.

 

[tlowe1209]

Curious how your hunt went. I drew this tag for October 2022.

 

[freebird63]

Saw a long black female wolf in unit 40 several years ago. So ya they are pretty much everywhere now.

 

[andrew12gauge]

Curious how your hunt went. I drew this tag for October 2022.

The Rok didn’t go so well for you huh?

 

[tlowe1209]

The Rok didn’t go so well for you huh?

Nope, sure don’t know what the issue was. But hey on here bunch of guys have out sent messages with their experiences or actually useful information vs being obnoxious. Definitely won’t be participating in any more forums ?. Best of luck this fall peace