Decision made. Tearing up my 2021 deer tag due to EHD outbreaks.

[44hunter45]

EHD has hit North Central Idaho hard. Dead deer are being found well outside the originally reported area around Kamiah. I have seen several in the Palouse region, including on our own property. I have first hand reports from others who have dead deer as well.

The percentage of losses appear TO ME to be very high.

After consulting scientists, managers, and wildlife professionals whom I trust; I have decided I will not hunt deer this year. This is a personal decision. Every one of us has to make our own.
I'm not a complete deer hugger on this. We are still going to try to get a first deer for my granddaughter, Miss T. But for her, does are off the menu, its a buck only game. We will tree stand hunt on our property.

This is not just about the one deer I would put my tag on, but the general stress I would put on the rest by being in the field.

The decision comes at some cost since all I brought back from Prince of Wales this August was bruises. The freezer is empty.

I only hunted the last couple of days of the elk archery season because of shoulder rehab. I started shooting my bow again in early September and I didn't think I was dangerous past 20 yards until about the 15th.

I am not what anyone can call a subsistence hunter. While I prefer wild meat, my family can go to Safeway or buy a ranch raised beef.


I am still seeing elk and have not seen nor heard of any found dead. So I still have a late ML elk tag to try to fill.

 

[Dakota79]

Game and Fish is letting hunters return tags for a refund in South Dakota because of it.

 

[JLS]

Rough year for whitetail for sure. You going back up to POW?

 

[lastlight]

Good on you! That’s a tough deal up there right now.

 

[Trial153]

Hitting again in parts of NY, second year in a row. DEC says the numbers are negligible however I think you can see local impacts in some areas. I would way rather be prudent than regretful

 

[44hunter45]

Rough year for whitetail for sure. You going back up to POW?

Because I changed job roles, I went to the bottom of the pecking order for PTO seniority. Planning for next year's trip already.

 

[TheTone]

Friend of mine said he found two big bucks this morning, I’m waiting on pics still. Super weird driving through this country right now and not seeing live deer. I counted a bunch of dead ones from the road around orofino Friday

 

[44hunter45]

Friend of mine said he found two big bucks this morning, I’m waiting on pics still. Super weird driving through this country right now and not seeing live deer. I counted a bunch of dead ones from the road around orofino Friday

Did I see you heading south out of Moscow in late afternoon yesterday? Mrs45 and I had just spent 30 minutes watching a spike moose on the west side of 95 near Genesee.

 

[TheTone]

Did I see you heading south out of Moscow in late afternoon yesterday? Mrs45 and I had just spent 30 minutes watching a spike moose on the west side of 95 near Genesee.

Yeah I was either going to look for moose or talk to some classy people

 

[Hammsolo]

The whitetails in the Palouse and Colfax, WA area have been rocked. Last year I had dozens of bucks and countless does on my game cam, and this year I have watched them disappear. Talked to farmers last weekend, and they’ve been collecting piles of dead deer because scavengers aren’t touching them. Sad… I respect your decision. I’m going to hunt, but don’t know what I’ll do if I’m given what may be a rare opportunity.

 

[44hunter45]

The whitetails in the Palouse and Colfax, WA area have been rocked. Last year I had dozens of bucks and countless does on my game cam, and this year I have watched them disappear. Talked to farmers last weekend, and they’ve been collecting piles of dead deer because scavengers aren’t touching them. Sad… I respect your decision. I’m going to hunt, but don’t know what I’ll do if I’m given what may be a rare opportunity.

We have dead deer within 200 yards of the house just as you describe. The magpies led me to the carcass, but they haven't touched it. Only insects. no other scavengers.

 

[choc dogs]

Following this and f&g closely. Have an extra doe tag fof 10a. Think its gonna be a donation.

 

[FI460]

Sad to hear you're seeing the impacts up there. I was obsessed with chasing those whitetail through most of my early 20s. My family has been hunting around Kamiah for about 30 years now, though most of us opted not to this year before the EHD news.

 

[44hunter45]

Sad to hear you're seeing the impacts up there. I was obsessed with chasing those whitetail through most of my early 20s. My family has been hunting around Kamiah for about 30 years now, though most of us opted not to this year before the EHD news.

My Idaho hunting career began in the Selway. It will always be special to me. I've hunted most of Idaho from McCall north. The Clearwater Drainage keeps calling me back.
Many today can't imagine that it wasn't that long ago that you bought an OTC general deer tag and basically hunted either species, any weapon, any zone, from August 30 until the first week or two of December.

 

[BackofBeyond]

Did I see you heading south out of Moscow in late afternoon yesterday? Mrs45 and I had just spent 30 minutes watching a spike moose on the west side of 95 near Genesee.

Did he look like this?

 

[44hunter45]

Did he look like this?

Ha! Smaller. The one we saw was unique because he was on the "wrong" side of US95, out in the wheat fields. It's amazing how far west they and the elk will go.

When they come into Moscow, the whole town stops. All the students and new folks either panic or get too close.
You see them in Potlatch, Deary, or Troy and folks just give them their space. There are so many in Sandpoint, I think they have names.

We have a lot of Western Red Cedar creek bottom on our property. We have cows with calves winter in there almost every year.

 

[BackofBeyond]

Ha! Smaller. The one we saw was unique because he was on the "wrong" side of US95, out in the wheat fields. It's amazing how far west they and the elk will go.

When they come into Moscow, the whole town stops. All the students and new folks either panic or get too close.
You see them in Potlatch, Deary, or Troy and folks just give them their space. There are so many in Sandpoint, I think they have names.

We have a lot of Western Red Cedar creek bottom on our property. We have cows with calves winter in there almost every year.

If it was on the west side of 95 right around Genessee, very good chance it was the same moose. My best friend sent it to me, it’s his front yard, his house is 3 miles due west of 95/Genessee turn off.

He was asking me if I knew anybody that had a moose tag, it’s becoming a nuisance at their place. His girls went out to pick apples the other day and this guy got a little territorial.

 

[44hunter45]

If it was on the west side of 95 right around Genessee, very good chance it was the same moose. My best friend sent it to me, it’s his front yard, his house is 3 miles due west of 95/Genessee turn off.

He was asking me if I knew anybody that had a moose tag, it’s becoming a nuisance at their place. His girls went out to pick apples the other day and this guy got a little territorial.

Maybe. We were right at the Evans/Shirrod Road intersection. That is exactly two miles east of Mader's.

I know second hand of someone with a GMU 8A tag, but not a GMU 8.
Some folks don't want to put their OIL tag on anything but a brute, others don't care. Especially a nice apple fed one

I'd tell them to call the Region 2 (Clearwater) IDFG office in Lewiston.
(208) 799-5010