First ever western hunt- help (idaho)

[ICantHunt]

Hi, this is my first post on here.

My buddy and I decided that we want to go on our first western style hunt, and were going to target Mule deer. We are doing OTC rifle, so we are thinking that Unit 28 is the best bet for us to be successful and not be around too many hunters. I've done some backpacking so I have some backcountry knowledge, but we're flatlanders from Illinois and Minnesota who primarily hunt waterfowl so we are way over our heads trying to figure out what we need to know. I've got a long list of questions, but ill list a few to start. Thanks for your help!

Is unit 28 a smart decision? we want a decent chance at harvesting a buck and I know that with a deer tag we could shoot wolves or bears, but we also want to spike hunt if we have the opportunity and get away from the crowd. If anybody has any specifics that they'd like to share that would be awesome, but I'm not trying to get any honeyholes.

What budget clothing would you recommend? were both college students so money is a fantasy, and we have no idea how to prepare for both hot and cold.

Is a spotting scope going to make our odds much better? we have vortex 10x42s but I know most people use bigger optics.. What are some very budget friendly brands?

For the october rifle season, are deer mostly in the high country, or would it be better to hunt down low?

lastly, what are the basics of mule deer hunting? what should we look for when internet scouting and while hunting? we might try to get out there in the summer to scout but it most likely won't happen due to work.

Thank you so much!

 

[Dos Perros]

You're going to learn worlds more by actually going on the hunt (or scouting) than you will from the computer between now and then. That being said, if'n I were you:

-I'd read a few books on mule deer
-settle in here and read as much as you can, use the search function liberally
-don't stress on the gear (make do with what you have and what you can afford between now and then)
-call the local biologist and game warden after you've done your research; don't waste their time, be prepared and ask specific questions and they'll likely be helpful
-try your damnedest to get out there to scout, even for a long weekend; this is more to prove in your gear and yourself, and calibrate your expectations, and give you time to tweak your plans if you must
-when you go, give'r hell, don't ever give up, and most importantly have fun

Be sure to come back and post a trip report. There are a ton of posts like yours every year and most dudes never make it back to share their experience even after people have been helpful. Please realize Rokslide is a community and it thrives when people give more than they take.

 

[Travis Hobbs]

When are you thinking on hunting? If it’s the fall of 2021, unit 28 is sold out. Tags went on sale Dec 1st.

You’d have to find a new unit, or try and get a tag for 2022.

 

[lif]

Hi, this is my first post on here.

My buddy and I decided that we want to go on our first western style hunt, and were going to target Mule deer. We are doing OTC rifle, so we are thinking that Unit 28 is the best bet for us to be successful and not be around too many hunters. I've done some backpacking so I have some backcountry knowledge, but we're flatlanders from Illinois and Minnesota who primarily hunt waterfowl so we are way over our heads trying to figure out what we need to know. I've got a long list of questions, but ill list a few to start. Thanks for your help!

Is unit 28 a smart decision? we want a decent chance at harvesting a buck and I know that with a deer tag we could shoot wolves or bears, but we also want to spike hunt if we have the opportunity and get away from the crowd. If anybody has any specifics that they'd like to share that would be awesome, but I'm not trying to get any honeyholes.

What budget clothing would you recommend? were both college students so money is a fantasy, and we have no idea how to prepare for both hot and cold.

Is a spotting scope going to make our odds much better? we have vortex 10x42s but I know most people use bigger optics.. What are some very budget friendly brands?

For the october rifle season, are deer mostly in the high country, or would it be better to hunt down low?

lastly, what are the basics of mule deer hunting? what should we look for when internet scouting and while hunting? we might try to get out there in the summer to scout but it most likely won't happen due to work.

Thank you so much!

You have quite a few questions that need great detail to answer and are going to be nearly impossible to answer in a quick thread on here. There is a bunch of info on almost all your questions on this forum as well as other sources on the internet. I would spend a few weeks reading and searching some of your questions and then repost and get more specific with your questions on here. Also Robby Dennings book on mule deer would be a good Xmas present. There should be more info about mule deer hunting in that book than you could consume before next fall. Be sure you’re not biting off more than you can chew the first time around. Idaho is pretty rugged in general. Good luck.

 

[Fatcamp]

The little looking glass thing at the top is the search function. Type in what you want to know and start reading.

 

[hibernation]

Is a spotting scope going to make our odds much better? we have vortex 10x42s but I know most people use bigger optics.. What are some very budget friendly brands?

No, it won't. Unless you really want to evaluate individual bucks or are familiar enough with the area to know for sure it will help, it isn't going to change your hunt at all. At most, get a tripod mount for your binos, or at least sit down and brace them on a trekking pole while you're glassing.

And if you're on a tight budget, you really don't want to waste money on a spotting scope. "Budget friendly" and scope just don't go together, I've used the inexpensive ones and they are usually more frustrating than anything. If you can't buy a decent one (~$1k +), I wouldn't bother. Your money can be much better spent elsewhere for now.

 

[KyleM4130]

Your binos are fine. A spotter is good, but not necessary. If you have the extra money for glass look into a 15x binocular for large area scanning.

You mentioned some budget friendly clothing, but in October in Idaho, or anywhere out west, expect snow, expect 80* days, expect rain, expect cold clear days as well. Buy the best you can afford. I know you’re on a budget but don’t skimp on clothing. It could mean the difference in chasing bucks, or having to stay in camp.

There’s a ton of good info on here for spotting, and stalking bucks in the high country. Just do a search.

 

[Rob5589]

Welcome! So, 28 regular is sold out, unless you already have tags. The answers to all of your questions are located here somewhere, guaranteed. Stick around and start combing through all the relevant sections. What you cannot find, ask about.
I would recommend buying OnX and downloading Google Earth. You can do a lot of scouting from a distance with both. Good luck!

 

[ICantHunt]

When are you thinking on hunting? If it’s the fall of 2021, unit 28 is sold out. Tags went on sale Dec 1st.

You’d have to find a new unit, or try and get a tag for 2022.

Thank you for pointing that out, I didn't even think of checking that. Of the units that are still available, they have generally low harvest rates or a lot of private land and according to GoHunt are pretty slow. do you think that an OTC archery option for deer or elk somewhere else would provide more action? I know there are a lot of variables to this question, but if i could choose between seeing 5 bucks or elk and having a chance to stalk one with a bow, I think I would prefer that over potentially taking a shot at the only one I would see with a rifle. regardless of what we do, We're ready to hunt hard

 

[ICantHunt]

Welcome! So, 28 regular is sold out, unless you already have tags. The answers to all of your questions are located here somewhere, guaranteed. Stick around and start combing through all the relevant sections. What you cannot find, ask about.
I would recommend buying OnX and downloading Google Earth. You can do a lot of scouting from a distance with both. Good luck!

Thank you! I didn't realize it was sold out already so were looking into the available units. I have OnX and GoHunt so i should be set for internet scouting

 

[Timberline001]

No, it won't. Unless you really want to evaluate individual bucks or are familiar enough with the area to know for sure it will help, it isn't going to change your hunt at all. At most, get a tripod mount for your binos, or at least sit down and brace them on a trekking pole while you're glassing.

And if you're on a tight budget, you really don't want to waste money on a spotting scope. "Budget friendly" and scope just don't go together, I've used the inexpensive ones and they are usually more frustrating than anything. If you can't buy a decent one (~$1k +), I wouldn't bother. Your money can be much better spent elsewhere for now.

I would have to disagree with the part of not needing a spotting scope if you plan on hunting any where in central Idaho. A spotting scope is my most important optic hunting the big burns of central idaho in october. I will however agree that budget spotting scopes are nearly worthless for long distance glassing. If you can’t afford at a minimum a gen 1 vortex razor I would rent a spotting scope for the week you’re hunting. A spotting scope will allow you to cover way more ground in a day to find deer than is physically possible on foot. I hike to a glassing point where I can see at least a mile, if not more and sit down and start glassing. First everything close with the 10s on the tripod and then I take them off and glass everything else with the spotter and just pick every single detail of the burns and other feeding areas apart piece by piece. The buck below I glassed up at a little over a mile in the spotter right before dark and was able to tell he was the one I wanted. I glassed the same spot before with the 15s and did not find this buck but the spotter allowed me to grid the burn to finer detail to find him. The next day I hiked into the country I glassed him up in and spent most of the day glassing from different vantage points with the 10s until I relocated him in the afternoon in his bed. For me it’s the best way to hunt this bog country that doesn’t have a TON of deer. It allows me to cover way more country than is possible with just 10s,15s and my boots. Also, I’m extremely ADD and the spotter helps me to focus on the finer details and not let my eyes wander.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Timberline001]

Thank you for pointing that out, I didn't even think of checking that. Of the units that are still available, they have generally low harvest rates or a lot of private land and according to GoHunt are pretty slow. do you think that an OTC archery option for deer or elk somewhere else would provide more action? I know there are a lot of variables to this question, but if i could choose between seeing 5 bucks or elk and having a chance to stalk one with a bow, I think I would prefer that over potentially taking a shot at the only one I would see with a rifle. regardless of what we do, We're ready to hunt hard

There are still quite a few good units left. Send me a PM and I can give you some suggestions.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ICantHunt]

I would have to disagree with the part of not needing a spotting scope if you plan on hunting any where in central Idaho. A spotting scope is my most important optic hunting the big burns of central idaho in october. I will however agree that budget spotting scopes are nearly worthless for long distance glassing. If you can’t afford at a minimum a gen 1 vortex razor I would rent a spotting scope for the week you’re hunting. A spotting scope will allow you to cover way more ground in a day to find deer than is physically possible on foot. I hike to a glassing point where I can see at least a mile, if not more and sit down and start glassing. First everything close with the 10s on the tripod and then I take them off and glass everything else with the spotter and just pick every single detail of the burns and other feeding areas apart piece by piece. The buck below I glassed up at a little over a mile in the spotter right before dark and was able to tell he was the one I wanted. I glassed the same spot before with the 15s and did not find this buck but the spotter allowed me to grid the burn to finer detail to find him. The next day I hiked into the country I glassed him up in and spent most of the day glassing from different vantage points with the 10s until I relocated him in the afternoon in his bed. For me it’s the best way to hunt this bog country that doesn’t have a TON of deer. It allows me to cover way more country than is possible with just 10s,15s and my boots. Also, I’m extremely ADD and the spotter helps me to focus on the finer details and not let my eyes wander.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Congrats on the nice buck! and thank you, that helps a lot. Where can I rent spotting scopes from?

 

[Timberline001]

Optics4rent is one good one. There’s another that sponsors Rokslide as well I believe. There’s quite a few places to chose from.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ICantHunt]

Optics4rent is one good one. There’s another that sponsors Rokslide as well I believe. There’s quite a few places to chose from.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

thank you! what size magnification do you recommend for a spotter? I see the information on here is pretty much personal preference, but is there a bare minimum?

 

[Timberline001]

thank you! what size magnification do you recommend for a spotter? I see the information on here is pretty much personal preference, but is there a bare minimum?

It depends on the glass. Some of the higher ends will have the same field of view at 1000 yards at 27 power as another does at 20 power. Anything that starts around 20 and gets up to at least 40 will get the job done. All of my glassing is done on 20-30 power. Anything above that is usually to check out what I’ve found. And that’s where higher end glass pays off is the higher magnifications.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ICantHunt]

It depends on the glass. Some of the higher ends will have the same field of view at 1000 yards at 27 power as another does at 20 power. Anything that starts around 20 and gets up to at least 40 will get the job done. All of my glassing is done on 20-30 power. Anything above that is usually to check out what I’ve found. And that’s where higher end glass pays off is the higher magnifications.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Okay, so ill research a 20x-40x rental. Thank you, and I'll shoot you a pm as soon as I am able to.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

the mountains are always bigger and steeper than they appear on google earth

 

[Runar]

the mountains are always bigger and steeper than they appear on google earth

That’s an understatement! I’m pretty experienced In the backcountry, but Idaho can be humbling. Realize that getting to 9k when you start at 6k may not be realistic, especially if you live at sea level. Plan for some days to get your legs under you. Don’t think that by going into the backcountry you’ll be all alone, it seems to be the latest fad.

 

[hoyt-guy]

I did my first back country mule deer hunt in ID this past fall. Spent some time in 28, but more time in 36b. The thing that shocked me was how big & vast that area of ID was. The hunting was tough, as the deer sightings were low, and I came back with my tag. From my experience the learning curve for ID is steep & so is the country. Come in shape & ready to hike. Optics are very important. If you are set on hunting ID, I would keep your success expectations low, especially for your first trip out there. Without any advanced scouting, it is going to take time to learn the country & find where the animals are. My experience is that it may take you multiple hunts or seasons to gain this knowledge. Even though my hunt turned out to be more of a high country camping/glassing trip, I still had a good time & saw some amazing country. I'm a flat lander too, and was once intimidated by this kind of a hunt. Scour this site for info on gear, high country hunting etc., and just go do it. It may take you a few trips to find success, but the things you learn from DIY, are invaluable & worth learning.