Idaho otc regular deer tag

[Tuffcountry]

This last year I hunted Idaho regular season for Muleys. Granted I basically shot from the hip so we packed in a fashion that we could move quickly from area to area. I figured it would be fairly tuff going in blind but that was an understatement!! We hunted 5 different units and covered great country and came up with all young bucks in 12 days. Is this state going down hill too? Are the Mule deer initiatives not working? Is it a case of too many predators? I was disappointed to say the least and left with my tag.

Any thoughts?

 

[26Reload]

Tough winter last year....and worse for animals for the upcoming year....
Older bucks lucky to make it thru the winter.....only the strong survive...or the ones feeding in people's alfalfa pivots.......
Took me three years to find this one....
But he was worth it...tastes good too....

 

[Tuffcountry]

Great buck! That's what I was looking for.
Yeah tough winter's do play a part.

 

[26Reload]

This guy had little left to his teeth....very sure he would have been dead by now this winter......
And he lived within two miles of a taxidermy shop....

 

[screech]

Last year was the worst year I've hunted in Idaho and I've hunted here my whole life. Hopefully this year will be better

 

[Tuffcountry]

I personally think it has to do with all I mentioned, what you added and the simple fact that hunting pressure has simply increased over the years. More people are pushing farther in and hunting harder, which is great! That's why a guy needs a draw hunt I guess to have an opportunity at a good buck.

 

[Rum Man]

I haven't hunted in Idaho yet but over here in Montana you have a nice hay field in the middle of 20,000 acres your golden for a nice 200 " Buck ! Or if you can spend the whole month of November high up in the Mountains and hike atleast 25 to 35 miles a week you just might run into a 180 " Buck the Wolves missed !!

 

[26Reload]

I met a guy whom showed me pictures of some awesome bucks in unit 70...on mountain until first hunter or summer atv enthusiast pushes tbem down to the private fields along mccammon....
Some absolute giant non-typical......no hunting signs everywhere....

 

[screech]

Ya I think with onx a lot of the little honey holes have been made more public. There's lots of ground that I used to rarely ever see anybody in that now looks like a Walmart parking lot. And there is a huge influx of out of state hunter numbers. Not that I can blame them but it has made a lot more hunting pressure. I don't mind the out of state hunters to a point, mostly just have noticed it's harder to get permission to hunt some of the private ground unless the person knows you because of the farmers/ranchers having had such bad experiences with people shooting stuff they aren't supposed to and leaving trash or tearing up there property with atv's/pickups.
That and the unit I hunt had a bad summer kill of whitetail this year. Blue tongue or whatever it is left dead deer up and down the Creek and a few of the ranchers have had the fish and game ask to go collar deer to try to figure out why the dropping deer numbers so at least they see there is a problem

 

[Tuffcountry]

I drew Owyhee (Oregon side) in 2017, after the hard winter of 2016, killed a nice 3x4 with a 29" spread, great old buck, and seen other bucks on that hunt. So winter I think plays a part in certain areas.

 

[Tuffcountry]

I met a guy whom showed me pictures of some awesome bucks in unit 70...on mountain until first hunter or summer atv enthusiast pushes tbem down to the private fields along mccammon....
Some absolute giant non-typical......no hunting signs everywhere....

That is a story that is told everywhere. Many of the deer you see around here are the same deal, pushed down on private.

 

[Tuffcountry]

Ya I think with onx a lot of the little honey holes have been made more public. There's lots of ground that I used to rarely ever see anybody in that now looks like a Walmart parking lot. And there is a huge influx of out of state hunter numbers. Not that I can blame them but it has made a lot more hunting pressure. I don't mind the out of state hunters to a point, mostly just have noticed it's harder to get permission to hunt some of the private ground unless the person knows you because of the farmers/ranchers having had such bad experiences with people shooting stuff they aren't supposed to and leaving trash or tearing up there property with atv's/pickups.
That and the unit I hunt had a bad summer kill of whitetail this year. Blue tongue or whatever it is left dead deer up and down the Creek and a few of the ranchers have had the fish and game ask to go collar deer to try to figure out why the dropping deer numbers so at least they see there is a problem

I agree screech, I mean I was an out of stater there in Idaho, and there are those who leave a hard road for us to come behind because of there lack of respect for our privilege to hunt and that's sad. Me and my wife were meet with a lot of scouls in Idaho, as if we had already been judged, but I don't let that bother me knowing I have helped a lot of out of state hunters here in Oregon.

 

[26Reload]

"That is a story that is told everywhere. Many of the deer you see around here are the same deal, pushed down on private"...

Yes...same story...predation or pressure...those deer just drop off to private as fast as possible.....
And this herd of bucks ate up all the flowers in the yard....
The biggest was easily 250 non-typical.....several in 200 club..all mature bucks were extreme multi point non typical.....younger bucks were just awaiting their growth..........

 

[Tuffcountry]

"That is a story that is told everywhere. Many of the deer you see around here are the same deal, pushed down on private"...

Yes...same story...predation or pressure...those deer just drop off to private as fast as possible.....
And this herd of bucks ate up all the flowers in the yard....
The biggest was easily 250 non-typical.....several in 200 club..all mature bucks were extreme multi point non typical.....younger bucks were just awaiting their growth..........

There is a place close to me with the same MO, Lot of mature bucks, lot of private, but it is intermingled with public! For those who draw the coveted late season archery tag there, its phenomenal!!