Central Idaho ramble....what did I do wrong?

[Andrew12gauge]

True. Mine is MD only.

That seems odd, unless it is a controlled hunt?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mule3006Elk]

That seems odd, unless it is a controlled hunt?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes a CH

 

[Muledeerfanatic]

I just spent 6 days in some of the best looking deer country a guy could think of in unit 36a
Didn't see a single deer!
Packed in around 7 miles and hit it hard the whole time
Nothing
Seen over 500 elk though
I got the adventure I was looking for and didn't see a single person the entire time but man that is the shittiest deer herd I have ever seen and I grew up in southwest Idaho

 

[littlebigtine]

Every couple of years IFG puts out a survey asking hunters what they prefer. Every time, the same consensus is opportunity over quality. I think we forget that we on these forums are a small minority of the actual hunter numbers. I don’t know what the actual number is, but a lot of folks apparently don’t really mind the lower deer numbers so long as they get to go every year. There are so many facets to the declining mule deer herd. Hunting mortality is obviously a factor, but the carrying capacity and overall habitat health is the number one factor in herd health. I've said it before. We could completely close down hunting for 5 -10 years and one bad winter kill will set that all back.

I suppose you are right but my intuition tells me that there is something fishy going on over at ifg simply because of the difference between how they approach elk general vs deer general. deer general is loose and I think that it almost seems lazily put together, especially when put side by side with elk otc options. deer populations are objectively more sensitive to predation and weather. so why would their otc hunting seasons be less intricate. Mule deer, IMO, are the species that requires the extra work so that science and season combine for herd health, diversity and protection. There is no doubt that with human population growth in idaho and montana we are on track for some interesting opportunity changes. what would you like to see done? october bowhunting? otc capped rifle tags? Tag a buck, sit out the next rifle season? I guess I believe you that fish and game is representing the idaho public in a fair manner, but it would be nice to see a little more effort on deer. I know I wouldnt hesitate to spend $60 a tag if that was to happen.

 

[jimh406]

Mule deer and Elk move a lot. I watch deer and Elk a lot from my house. One day I will see deer move through my property all day or bed, and the next day nothing. In other words, deer/Elk may use that area, but maybe you were there when they weren't there.

From what I can tell over the past few years, deer/Elk almost never use my property in windy or high precipitation days with significant wind. Which way the land faces will probably make a difference in your hunting areas as well. My property is a bowl facing primarily SW, fwiw and most is pretty open.

 

[Customweld]

I suppose you are right but my intuition tells me that there is something fishy going on over at ifg simply because of the difference between how they approach elk general vs deer general. deer general is loose and I think that it almost seems lazily put together, especially when put side by side with elk otc options. deer populations are objectively more sensitive to predation and weather. so why would their otc hunting seasons be less intricate. Mule deer, IMO, are the species that requires the extra work so that science and season combine for herd health, diversity and protection. There is no doubt that with human population growth in idaho and montana we are on track for some interesting opportunity changes. what would you like to see done? october bowhunting? otc capped rifle tags? Tag a buck, sit out the next rifle season? I guess I believe you that fish and game is representing the idaho public in a fair manner, but it would be nice to see a little more effort on deer. I know I wouldnt hesitate to spend $60 a tag if that was to happen.

I agree with your sentiments. I most certainly agree that IFG is behind the times in doing something with the mule deer seasons. There are things that they are doing that goes unnoticed. They have volunteer brush planting in the spring, bitter brush seed harvesting in the fall/ winter, along with other programs aimed at helping habitat. One thing they don’t have much control over is rangeland management. Habitat is the number one factor in mule deer population. I think there are some things that need to be done right now for future hunting opportunity. Personally, I’d like to see pick your weapon and zone. I’m not sure if it would be a good idea to have the same elk zones as mule deer zones. But I think it’s worth looking in to. This spring should be a season setting. Be sure to show up to the open houses and give your thoughts. I know most folks don’t think it helps, but they do actually listen.
Edited to add:
It sounds like I am a cheerleader for IFG . I think they do the best that they can given their circumstances. They have to deal with an ever increasing hostile legislature and the public. I think that they are a government agency that gets a ton of stuff wrong too.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

I agree with your sentiments. I most certainly agree that IFG is behind the times in doing something with the mule deer seasons. There are things that they are doing that goes unnoticed. They have volunteer brush planting in the spring, bitter brush seed harvesting in the fall/ winter, along with other programs aimed at helping habitat. One thing they don’t have much control over is rangeland management. Habitat is the number one factor in mule deer population. I think there are some things that need to be done right now for future hunting opportunity. Personally, I’d like to see pick your weapon and zone. I’m not sure if it would be a good idea to have the same elk zones as mule deer zones. But I think it’s worth looking in to. This spring should be a season setting. Be sure to show up to the open houses and give your thoughts. I know most folks don’t think it helps, but they do actually listen.
Edited to add:
It sounds like I am a cheerleader for IFG . I think they do the best that they can given their circumstances. They have to deal with an ever increasing hostile legislature and the public. I think that they are a government agency that gets a ton of stuff wrong too.

I really hope they start making us choose deer zones and not a single unit like nonresident tags.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Customweld]

Do you think th

I really hope they start making us choose deer zones and not a single unit like nonresident tags.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do you think that they should use the existing elk zones rather than reinvent the wheel? I agree with the individual unit, I'm not sure they could get a buy in on that.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

Do you think th

Do you think that they should use the existing elk zones rather than reinvent the wheel? I agree with the individual unit, I'm not sure they could get a buy in on that.

Maybe use the DAU’s that they use in the mule deer plan. I know they are generally a lot larger than the elk zones but mule deer herds are different and at least it is a way to start managing smaller chunks vs trying to manage the whole state


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Customweld]

Maybe use the DAU’s that they use in the mule deer plan. I know they are generally a lot larger than the elk zones but mule deer herds are different and at least it is a way to start managing smaller chunks vs trying to manage the whole state


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That makes the most sense. I wonder if it will be approached this winter in the season setting meetings.

 

[sneaky]

I just spent 6 days in some of the best looking deer country a guy could think of in unit 36a
Didn't see a single deer!
Packed in around 7 miles and hit it hard the whole time
Nothing
Seen over 500 elk though
I got the adventure I was looking for and didn't see a single person the entire time but man that is the shittiest deer herd I have ever seen and I grew up in southwest Idaho

I've got the November muzzy elk tag in there. I can throw a rock into 36A from my house. Don't even bother with deer hunting it lol.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Muledeerfanatic]

It is too bad because that would be a fun place to hunt deer if they were there
The elk are out of control

 

[Customweld]

@littlebigtine69, I think you are asking the right questions and maybe there is something coming down the line in the season settings this year. I attached the last survey IFG done for mule deer. You probably have already read or seen it, but it really drills down on surveyed hunters thoughts.

https://collaboration.idfg.idaho.gov/WildlifeTechnicalReports/Idaho%20Mule%20Deer%20Hunter%20Survey%202017.pdf?_ga=2.59355373.1597274644.1666662528-890814806.1666662528

 

[Dioni A]

Winter and predators control deer populations. Hunters do effectively nothing to a population of deer by harvesting bucks. You people are going to bitch yourselves out of the ability to hunt and not do a damn thing for the deer herd. I'm sick of people having a bad hunt and deciding they know more than the biologist's managing the states game species. If you want to make a difference preserve migration routes and help restore habitat. Everything else is about as useful as throwing soup on a Van Gough to get people to stop using oil.

 

[270quest]

This was a central Idaho buck from the general hunt - but I did have to go deep into a hole to find him…normally we will see a few deer this size and ones bigger to go after - this year, this was the biggest buck I could find. Warm weather in big timber country makes the mule deer hunting hard…

 

[IdahoBeav]

I can't understand why so few deer are found in the units off Hwy 75, but in 39 and 43 (extreme pressure & overcrowding) you can easily see 30+ deer per day.

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

 

[Calbuck]

When a guy puts his boots to the ground and his glass to the hillside and sees maybe 10 deer over several days covering elevations from 6-10000' in multiple drainages after hiking in to basins 2+ miles from the road, it seems there's more to the problem than just "you weren't there when the deer were" or anything like that. Not only lack of deer, but no sign they were ever there. Couple that with the fact that there are cattle browsing all over all of those mountains and the "shoot the first forky you see" mentality and it is my opinion that the deer herds are in far worse shape than our F & G folks let on. Browse is not there due to the cattle. I don't think they know what to do about it so they do nothing. It's sad to see all this beautiful deer country with no deer in it. Not just in Idaho but other mule deer states as well.

 

[stephen_seeks]

I can't understand why so few deer are found in the units off Hwy 75, but in 39 and 43 (extreme pressure & overcrowding) you can easily see 30+ deer per day.

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

See above. Winters and predators.

 

[littlebigtine]

seems like a viable option would be for f n g to limit dionis! predator control. but seriously from a biological perspective, unnaturally low buck to doe ratios means inbreeding. inbreeding means genetic inferiority. bad genes means sick deer. i am not a scientist.

 

[Dioni A]

seems like a viable option would be for f n g to limit dionis! predator control. but seriously from a biological perspective, unnaturally low buck to doe ratios means inbreeding. inbreeding means genetic inferiority. bad genes means sick deer. i am not a scientist.

That might help the age class of bucks in a couple spots! I have scouted and hunted most the units mentioned and there's enough bucks for a healthy gene pool. As much as anything I think fish and game needs to begin studying how the massive increase in elk numbers is impacting our deer herd. I don't think it would be a popular finding.