SE Idaho Deer 2023

[Hawk Tuah]

259% snow dump in some areas.


Ouch.

 

[OverlordBear]

I just did a 3 day turkey trip in se Idaho and I counted over 60 dead mule deer and these were not car hit deaths. In one drainage I found 12 dead mule deer only one mile in. The carnage in SE Idaho almost makes me think they should not allow any mule deer hunting in 2023.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

I just did a 3 day turkey trip in se Idaho and I counted over 60 dead mule deer and these were not car hit deaths. In one drainage I found 12 dead mule deer only one mile in. The carnage in SE Idaho almost makes me think they should not allow any mule deer hunting in 2023.

The winter kill in this area was 49/50 collared fawns in the 16-17 winter. Doe hunts for general archery and youth rifle were eliminated after that winter. General buck hunts continued, and the population rebounded to the point that IDFG was considering/planning on reinstating those doe hunts this management cycle.

I don't not agree that they should not allow buck hunts to continue. The resource has shown it can sustain that pressure. There is enough timber and private to hide bucks in the general units, and some are already limited controlled.

 

[DFS]

Nothing wrong with sitting out a few years to error on the side of caution. Wildlife need to recover and we don’t need to shoot them when they aren’t in abundance.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

Nothing wrong with sitting out a few years to error on the side of caution. Wildlife need to recover and we don’t need to shoot them when they aren’t in abundance.

There are plenty of bucks left. Does aren't going to go uncovered regardless of whether there is a season or not.

It might require some guys to get out of their trucks or OHVs to kill a deer, or maybe at least turn their defrosters on to find them.

Idaho is about maximizing opportunity while sustaining the resource. We will be ok. We have done this before.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

Nothing wrong with sitting out a few years to error on the side of caution. Wildlife need to recover and we don’t need to shoot them when they aren’t in abundance.

Aren't you from Montana?

Should Montanans be giving deer management advice to Idahoans? Seriously?

You would be absolutely shocked what the resource can handle with a two-week, pre-pre-rut general rifle season rather than two months of hammering them with rifles including the rut.

Montana has a special deer season for every user group on Earth imaginable, yet they seem to find another one or two every year. I heard next January there is a Montana buck deer season extension for dudes who have ever had a Tinder date with a Montanan and they get an extra doe tag thrown if they hit second base with their date....followed by a bucks only hunt through the month of February for flat-brimmed YouTubers to actually have a chance to put their hands on a pair of antlers before they fall into the snow.

IDFG fails in many areas, but they listen to residents who want opportunity. They do surveys every seven or so years and the vast majority of license holders want to hunt bucks every year. So the general seasons are usually two weeks when the big bucks are primarily timbered up and not rutting.

Generally, they do not cater to the people who want to turn it into Utah where they can hunt big bucks once every 15-20 years. That's not the goal, although we have some controlled hunts with better quality.

Apparently Montana wants opportunity, not sure, but structures their season as if the end goal is to eradicate the species.

Montana deer hunters have a different paradigm they view stuff from. We are good here. If you want to help the cause, and are so concerned about our deer, let the Montanans know they should stay there this season.
............
Montana biologists in January:

"There are still a few deer left "

"Really? Damn?"

"Ok, let's try again next season but add a special season for a new user group."

"Maybe an extra season for anyone who has tested positive for Covid?"

"Ehhhh, I don't know, that not enough of a group."

"How about an extra season for people whose names have a vowel in them?"

"Now we're talking!"

"But let's also just mail an extra tag to everyone anyway, again."

"Perfect. This is the year!"

....

I know you've advocated for change in MT, so kudos to you for that.

We are somewhere between UT and MT in management style.

 

[DFS]

Aren't you from Montana?

Should Montanans be giving deer management advice to Idahoans? Seriously?

You would be absolutely shocked what the resource can handle with a two-week, pre-pre-rut general rifle season rather than two months of hammering them with rifles including the rut.

Montana has a special deer season for every user group on Earth imaginable, yet they seem to find another one or two every year. I heard next January there is a Montana buck deer season extension for dudes who have ever had a Tinder date with a Montanan and they get an extra doe tag thrown if they hit second base with their date....followed by a bucks only hunt through the month of February for flat-brimmed YouTubers to actually have a chance to put their hands on a pair of antlers before they fall into the snow.

IDFG fails in many areas, but they listen to residents who want opportunity. They do surveys every seven or so years and the vast majority of license holders want to hunt bucks every year. So the general seasons are usually two weeks when the big bucks are primarily timbered up and not rutting.

Generally, they do not cater to the people who want to turn it into Utah where they can hunt big bucks once every 15-20 years. That's not the goal, although we have some controlled hunts with better quality.

Apparently Montana wants opportunity, not sure, but structures their season as if the end goal is to eradicate the species.

Montana deer hunters have a different paradigm they view stuff from. We are good here. If you want to help the cause, and are so concerned about our deer, let the Montanans know they should stay there this season.
............
Montana biologists in January:

"There are still a few deer left "

"Really? Damn?"

"Ok, let's try again next season but add a special season for a new user group."

"Maybe an extra season for anyone who has tested positive for Covid?"

"Ehhhh, I don't know, that not enough of a group."

"How about an extra season for people whose names have a vowel in them?"

"Now we're talking!"

"But let's also just mail an extra tag to everyone anyway, again."

"Perfect. This is the year!"

....

I know you've advocated for change in MT, so kudos to you for that.

We are somewhere between UT and MT in management style.

That’s very fair. I should not have made my comment. I have only hunted Idaho one time for elk and it was great. Good luck to you guys going forward you provide a lot of opportunities at the right time.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

That’s very fair. I should not have made my comment. I have only hunted Idaho one time for elk and it was great. Good luck to you guys going forward you provide a lot of opportunities at the right time.

I think Idaho tries to balance a lot of things, but with deer, I think it is a sound plan to cater to what most want.

This ticks off the trophy only guys, and their voices matter, but I am down with IDFG giving the surveys and acting accordingly.

The survey results are interesting and posted. Most Average Joe and Jane Idaho hunters want to be able to grab a tag at Walmart the week before the season, and hit the hills looking for a forky. I am cool with this for the time being, and if the resource started to falter, I'd advocate for a shorter season before draw hunts.

Best of luck this season and in the draws sir.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

That’s very fair. I should not have made my comment. I have only hunted Idaho one time for elk and it was great. Good luck to you guys going forward you provide a lot of opportunities at the right time.

And I am aware that you, many other Montanans, including quite a few HuntTalkers would like to see a little more balance in MT deer opportunity and hope you get some change.

 

[grizzly_]

I live in Northern Utah and have seen what's happened here and across the border in Idaho. I won't be wasting my money on a deer tag there this year

 

[rogerthat]

Aren't you from Montana?

Should Montanans be giving deer management advice to Idahoans? Seriously?

You would be absolutely shocked what the resource can handle with a two-week, pre-pre-rut general rifle season rather than two months of hammering them with rifles including the rut.

Montana has a special deer season for every user group on Earth imaginable, yet they seem to find another one or two every year. I heard next January there is a Montana buck deer season extension for dudes who have ever had a Tinder date with a Montanan and they get an extra doe tag thrown if they hit second base with their date....followed by a bucks only hunt through the month of February for flat-brimmed YouTubers to actually have a chance to put their hands on a pair of antlers before they fall into the snow.

IDFG fails in many areas, but they listen to residents who want opportunity. They do surveys every seven or so years and the vast majority of license holders want to hunt bucks every year. So the general seasons are usually two weeks when the big bucks are primarily timbered up and not rutting.

Generally, they do not cater to the people who want to turn it into Utah where they can hunt big bucks once every 15-20 years. That's not the goal, although we have some controlled hunts with better quality.

Apparently Montana wants opportunity, not sure, but structures their season as if the end goal is to eradicate the species.

Montana deer hunters have a different paradigm they view stuff from. We are good here. If you want to help the cause, and are so concerned about our deer, let the Montanans know they should stay there this season.
............
Montana biologists in January:

"There are still a few deer left "

"Really? Damn?"

"Ok, let's try again next season but add a special season for a new user group."

"Maybe an extra season for anyone who has tested positive for Covid?"

"Ehhhh, I don't know, that not enough of a group."

"How about an extra season for people whose names have a vowel in them?"

"Now we're talking!"

"But let's also just mail an extra tag to everyone anyway, again."

"Perfect. This is the year!"

....

I know you've advocated for change in MT, so kudos to you for that.

We are somewhere between UT and MT in management style.

So you want a buck season but you don’t want out of staters hunting it? Did I understand that correctly?

 

[Hawk Tuah]

So you want a buck season but you don’t want out of staters hunting it? Did I understand that correctly?

No.

I jested with a concerned Montanan that if he is concerned with our deer populations enough to advocate that we stop hunting deer for a few years, then he could stay home and tell his friends to....sort of along the lines of, "the fishing sucks in Idaho, tell everyone in Utah." I also said guys who take girls on Tinder dates with Montanan girls will get their own special season, which was also a joke.

NR aren't Idaho's issue for mule deer population downswings. It is tough winters, habitat encroachment on winter range and being the fastest growing state in percentage of population of new residents of all 50 states. NR deer hunter numbers have been static lately, just more distributed and trackable with the newer laws requiring NR to pick a unit rather than have a statewide tag. I miss being able to get an extra (discounted to $200) NR buck tag after getting one with my bow mid season, but that was simply a luxury about 7-8 years ago.

ID's current NR general deer system is fine by me, and I support it fully, other than the terrible computer system that I too have to deal with for capped tags .

If I was a NR, I wouldn't shoot for SE Idaho this year, but the truth is, every one of those tags is spoken for, so it'll just go to the next guy in line.

 

[Trap]

And I am aware that you, many other Montanans, including quite a few HuntTalkers would like to see a little more balance in MT deer opportunity and hope you get some change.

I’m originally from Montana but moved to Idaho 30 years ago. Idaho can have better quality bucks but Montana still has a crap load of deer. I have continued to hunt both states. It’s sad to see the quality go down in Montana but they are doing fine in my opinion. I actually see at least twice the number of deer in Montana as I do in Idaho. I get that Montanans are pissed because it’s not like 30 years ago. No state is and it has more to do with everyone moving there than fish and game. Both states will have to adapt to all the new residents eventually and scale back seasons and opportunities. I appreciate Idahos approach to opportunity and Montana is managing for opportunity as well. Montana I think does need to scale back the season for mule deer, whitetail seem abundant. Both states are good and like you said I have no desire to become a utard I mean Utah and wait to draw a tag every 5-20? Years.

 

[Firedude]

I have a few friends that own property just off some winter ranges. They say it's been a bad year. I don't know where you live but here in the upper snake region we had a thawing period followed by refreezing and more snow. The critters had to work so much harder to get to feed it was just to much for a lot of them.

Everybody hunting this year should definitely manage expectations for hunting in general and not be mad at Fish and Game for closing a bunch of antlerless hunts.

It takes a lot for fish and game to close those hunts. It took us 4 years of asking for our area to be closed to antlerless hunts to finally get it shut down. Yes I'm the bad guy that got the youth doe hunt shut off. But it needed to happen. Idaho Fish and Game uses harvest statistics to assess population. The last year I went to the meeting to ask it be closed the harvest was 7 does reported. I had pictures of 38 separate does killed. They were out in the field a ton the next year checking hunters and harvest. That year deer harvest in general was terrible so they shut the antlerless hunts down the 3rd year. My point being if they are preemptively closing off hunts, they're looking at some really bad data right now that a lot of us aren't privy to.

 

[Khunter]

No.

I jested with a concerned Montanan that if he is concerned with our deer populations enough to advocate that we stop hunting deer for a few years, then he could stay home and tell his friends to....sort of along the lines of, "the fishing sucks in Idaho, tell everyone in Utah." I also said guys who take girls on Tinder dates with Montanan girls will get their own special season, which was also a joke.

NR aren't Idaho's issue for mule deer population downswings. It is tough winters, habitat encroachment on winter range and being the fastest growing state in percentage of population of new residents of all 50 states. NR deer hunter numbers have been static lately, just more distributed and trackable with the newer laws requiring NR to pick a unit rather than have a statewide tag. I miss being able to get an extra (discounted to $200) NR buck tag after getting one with my bow mid season, but that was simply a luxury about 7-8 years ago.

ID's current NR general deer system is fine by me, and I support it fully, other than the terrible computer system that I too have to deal with for capped tags .

If I was a NR, I wouldn't shoot for SE Idaho this year, but the truth is, every one of those tags is spoken for, so it'll just go to the next guy in line.

whatcha thinking of the elk herd condition in SE Idaho this year?. Have Diamond creek tag

 

[Hawk Tuah]

whatcha thinking of the elk herd condition in SE Idaho this year?. Have Diamond creek tag

Elk do better than deer in winter. I am no expert, but run a bird dog kennel with the NFS biologist and just picked his brain last week. From what I'm hearing, likely there will be above average winter elk mortality, but it isn't as much of a game changer for elk.

I hope you have a good hunt and find a nice bull.

 

[rogerthat]

Elk do better than deer in winter. I am no expert, but run a bird dog kennel with the NFS biologist and just picked his brain last week. From what I'm hearing, likely there will be above average winter elk mortality, but it isn't as much of a game changer for elk.

I hope you have a good hunt and find a nice bull.

Never much of a reason to worry about the timber carp

 

[Khunter]

Elk do better than deer in winter. I am no expert, but run a bird dog kennel with the NFS biologist and just picked his brain last week. From what I'm hearing, likely there will be above average winter elk mortality, but it isn't as much of a game changer for elk.

I hope you have a good hunt and find a nice bull.

thx. Just planning to have a good time in nice country for this one.