Idaho otc regular deer tag

[FIGJAM]

I've hunted mule deer in Idaho for over 20 years. Deer numbers are cyclic and many areas were affected by the recent bad winter. In my opinion the mule deer initiative hasn't done anything significant to improve the deer hunting. Habitat has been a big factor in the decreasing deer numbers. More difficulty in finding mature bucks is a result of predators. Humans are the number one predator of mature mule deer bucks. Today's hunters are much more effective at killing mature bucks than they were 20 years ago and much more effective than than they were 60 years ago. Hunters have more effective weapons, optics and ability to travel into remote places. Another big factor is that a higher percentage of today's hunters are hunting for horns than they were in the past. There are still many mature bucks in OTC units in Idaho but they are more difficult to locate when the season is open. Bucks that survive more than 4 seasons have found a way to avoid hunters. Private land helps some bucks survive. Mature bucks on public land become nocturnal and/or stay in heavy cover when the season is open. I've killed a couple mature bucks right out of their beds and I knowfor a fact that both of them bedded down before legal shooting light. If you want to hunt mature muley bucks that feed out in the open during daylight then you are going to have a hard time on public land Idaho OTC. Idaho OTC is managed for opportunity, not quality. You will find much better quality on Idaho's controlled hunts or hunts in other states. If you want an opportunity to hunt you can find it on an OTC hunt in Idaho but don't expect a mature buck without a lot of luck or a lot of hard work.

Dude - there is no way the number of moster bucks exist today that did 20 or 30 years ago. There are a couple around, mostly on private land where they are safe from hunters and can fill their guts on alfalfa. Sure, I see them out and about once in a while while I am hunting or scouting, but the numbers are no where close to what they were years ago.

 

[FIGJAM]

All kids deserve the opportunity to take their first buck....hopefully it is at least a nice 2.5 year old buck....
I would insist he shoot it...wherever it was...a great experience made better with parent(s) and children......i won't ever forget the first buck my son got...
Hell of a hike downhill across a canyon and in to big timber..about 700 yards...he wounded the buck at 200 yards...we went after it...caught it in he big timber and he finished it at about 20 yards....great pictures..a little video for mom..and a huge pack back up the mountain....never forget....

We had been passing up smaller bucks for 4 days and my little guy did a good job hunting with the big guys in hard country without complaining all while hauling his own gun and backpack - I was super happy for him to take the buck that he did.

 

[BrianID]

FIGJAM,
I total agree there are not as many mature bucks in Idaho OTC units as there was in the past. It is just my opinion, but I believe hunters are the main reason there are not as many mature bucks as there was 20-30 years ago and no were close to what there was 60 years ago. Hunters are very effective at culling bucks in Idaho's OTC units before they can reach 5 years of age.

 

[glbhunter]

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?

I live in SE Idaho and yes the buck populations where I live have taken a nosedive, mainly I feel because of the bad winter of 2017. Areas where I typically see a few 4 points I only seen 2 point and small 3 points. And now they are having one of the worst winters of the last many years. I'm in Arizona but the people out in that area are telling me that we have 5 feet of snow on the level that's pretty severe. I don't look for things to get better there with the bucks for several years. Glbhunter

 

[glbhunter]

Uhhh, I sense some disapproval.

That statement wasn't an indictment of any type but rather an observation. By my count, about 40% of the vehicles I see driving past my camp in the wilderness area are from out of state. I'd say that qualifies as a layman's survey. Don't get your panties in a bind. Out of stater's are as welcome as me so long as we all follow the rules.

I noticed that Idaho made some adjustment to hunting regs this next couple of years in our areas. Like for instance the non-resident tags are going to be down from 35% to 25% for a few species and areas. I think that they realize that mature animals are down and want to provide a better quality experience.

 

[glbhunter]

Sorry guys, I screwed up the picture of the buck taken in Idaho the year after the way bad winter. Deer numbers were way down. I mean like way down. Idaho F&G estimated a 90% fawn and yearling winter kill rate in the unit we were hunting. My partner shot this buck after several dry days and many miles of humping. No road hunting on this deal. Tuff way to go but if you put in the hump miles and mix in a little luck you can find em.

Nice deer. I'm certain there are none like that where I live

 

[Flatbow]

I lived in Idaho my entire life (50-yrs) and have been in the woods ether hunting or on a dirt bike ever chance I could and I can not say for southern ID but northern has had a huge increase in people moving here and taking to the woods. Also, in N. ID and central ID the wolves have not only devastated our Deer, Elk, and Moose but they have also altered their behavior which has also added to the difficulty of the hunt.
Hi Tommybangs

 

[Jared2700]

If you want a strong deer and elk heard you need to start by controlling the predators namely wolves, lions, and coyotes. Then and only then will you see an increase of deer and elk in your region. It used to be there were elk everywhere in Idaho but now all you find are wolf tracks, where you saw elk according to my friend in Burley Idaho. It's a shame they ever let wolves back in to this area. Instead of letting us enjoy eating these animals. I think that it was a ploy by the liberal communist to make sure that if we ever had war nobody would survive on the land. Or very few of us. And the rest would have to go to concitration camps. Because that food source would be eliminated. They are well thought out. More than most think when it comes to the end games. They are widling away a little at a time, and being very cautious while doing so. If they tried to take it all at once we would be outraged. So they do small steps to accomplish crushing the people. One step at a time their ploy has taken place without as so much as a shot being fired. That is how they are planning their attack. Now we need to plan counter measures to elevate us above this tyranny. Gental as the dove but wise as the serpent. Just something to think about.

 

[Mike 338]

A couple years ago, while working my way down a ridge, I found a fresh mountain lion kill. A very young mule deer. I passed it on consecutive days and it was being eaten daily. Perhaps a microcosm of a much larger issue. I suspect predation is playing a very big part in mule deer declines. Populations were crashing before the wolves and the wolves just tipped the scales heavily in the wrong direction. I'm not sure how you "manage" that away.

 

[Tuffcountry]

A couple years ago, while working my way down a ridge, I found a fresh mountain lion kill. A very young mule deer. I passed it on consecutive days and it was being eaten daily. Perhaps a microcosm of a much larger issue. I suspect predation is playing a very big part in mule deer declines. Populations were crashing before the wolves and the wolves just tipped the scales heavily in the wrong direction. I'm not sure how you "manage" that away.

Are the wolves as accessible as like coyote hunting?

 

[RCMSTER]

.....More out of staters, Maybe you should see if trump will build a "WALL" around your beloved hunting grounds. Unreal

If you get rid of the out of staters, I'd venture a guess you also lose alot of money to the game and fish department. I'd also venture a guess that there's also as many in-staters that do stupid stuff and are disrespectful as out of staters. Iowa may not be Idaho, but I see some of the most "what the crap" behavior from local hunters. It's mind boggling some of the stupid stuff that goes on.

 

[RCMSTER]

Sorry guys, I screwed up the picture of the buck taken in Idaho the year after the way bad winter. Deer numbers were way down. I mean like way down. Idaho F&G estimated a 90% fawn and yearling winter kill rate in the unit we were hunting. My partner shot this buck after several dry days and many miles of humping. No road hunting on this deal. Tuff way to go but if you put in the hump miles and mix in a little luck you can find em.

Real nice buck there. Oh, to be young again and be able to do the humping into the back country, but I digress...

 

[Mike 338]

Are the wolves as accessible as like coyote hunting?

Oh, sure. You need a tag to hunt them and tag numbers are managed by Fish and Game but you can definitely hunt them. Scads of hunters buy a wolf tag during deer/elk season just in case. You'll occasionally see them and if there's any snow on the ground, you'll see tracks.

 

[Tuffcountry]

Oh, sure. You need a tag to hunt them and tag numbers are managed by Fish and Game but you can definitely hunt them. Scads of hunters buy a wolf tag during deer/elk season just in case. You'll occasionally see them and if there's any snow on the ground, you'll see tracks.

I never seen any the whole time I hunted.