Best way to hunt Northern Idaho Whitetails?

[Luke Acquistapace]

Moved to Northern Idaho. Never have hunted thick timber like this before. Whats the best way?

 

[Ding]

Moved to Northern Idaho. Never have hunted thick timber like this before. Whats the best way?

I’ve had success in Idaho in the thick timber by ambushing well used game trails on the downwind side, and playing the thermals to my advantage. Sometimes, the bigger bucks will parallel a trail 20 yards or so on the downwind side, so you have to be prepared for a shot closer than you anticipate. I think they do this to avoid detection from predators, but haven’t found it applies much during the rut.
I look for places where a trail is funneled by pinch points, either from vegetation and/or topography. I often find that multiple trails converge at these places.
To maximize seeing a deer in daylight hunting hours, I try to be as close to a bedding area as possible, but not too close as to give up my location.
In places with lower deer densities, or when there’s snow, I prefer to tracking bucks.