AgreedMy opinion is that I, and only I, should have statewide tags for deer and elk with season dates of July 1 to December 31 and everyone else goes without. If I only harvest one deer and elk each year the numbers and quality would skyrocket. Once there's 220" deer and 390" bulls in abundance in every unit then we can have a discussion about letting others hunt
, except I'll be the one with the tags
I see issues with grazing in other states as well. The Range Managers with BLM/FS seem to let the ranchers slide for the most part. They are supposed to meet standards set in their grazing permit (stubble height etc), but I don't think it happens often. I think we could see a change relatively quickly, at least on public land grazing, if BLM/FS were strict on adhering to conditions of the grazing permits.
Looks like fish and game is taking steps to boost the deer herd by reducing and eliminating some tags.
F&G Commission reduces controlled hunt tags in response to severe winter
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission cut deer and pronghorn controlled hunt tags during its May 11 meeting in Jerome after Fish and Game staff recommended reductions due to winter severity in the Southeast and Upper Snake Regions.idfg.idaho.gov
I know Fish and Game can only change the regs every two years for most things. I don’t know how much leeway they have (like what they did with draw tags) but I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw more draw only units the next time they change seasons.
The gov't accountability office, GAO, studied unauthorized grazing on BLM and USFS land in 2016. They found the frequency and extent of unauthorized grazing is unknown bc agency officials resolve issues informally, ie, over the phone, and do not record them.
Agreed about picking your unit. I can't imagine it's far off since they already did it to non residents.
Keep that pick your unit for deer nonsense to you down south please. Up here there’s no need.
Idahos combination nonresident tag is 100 dollars more than utahs… they stick non residents instead of their residents.Idaho is extremely far behind on current management practices compared to many of its neighbors. It’s for a number of reasons, but it is concerning.
You can argue opportunity vs. quality…. I like what Idaho does to ensure opportunities…..but when it comes to sound management practices, Idaho is running behind. Especially with Mule Deer
Here are a few examples.
1) GPS Collars- right now in most of the hardest hit winter range, IDFG barely has a collar on adult female mule deer. This is embarrassing. Wyoming/Utah/Colorado all have up to date information on survivability, IDFG doesn’t have a clue. To top it off, they were catching deer in JANUARY via helicopter to collar the handful of fawns they have. They are the only agency that I know that would do this. Other agencies collar late fall or early spring, not IDFG.
2) Tags before winter??? Idaho is the only state I am aware of selling tags a calendar year before the season. How can you sell tags to non residents before you even know winter mortality!? What about a big disease die off, CWD? When you issue tags 10 months before season you are setting yourself up for disaster. (Let’s not even go down the rabbit hole of how shitty that “tag sale” is, what a disaster)
3) $19.75 Resident deer tags is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. You can’t buy a box of ammunition for that price. No wonder they can’t afford GPS collars and helicopter time. Compare this number ti neighboring states,
4) Antler Seasons- it’s not a debate, there is scientific evidence there is impact from antler gathering/winter range disturbance. Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and Nevada have all figured it out, not Idaho. On the worst winter in 20 years, we have “sportsman” gathering antlers(note- finally there is legislation to address this)
5) Migration Routes - again, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and Nevada have all taken serious steps forward to install overpasses/underpasses in critical migration routes with a large number of highway mortality. Not Idaho. They have been “working” on one site I know of for over 15 years and NOTHING has happened,
…. I’m going to stop as I’m getting pissed thinking about it….
Fish and game like 1 buck to 17 doe ratio too many does won’t solve it. Still need doe management where they are thick. Idaho struggles with realizing what units lack does and when they do realize it’s kinda late and that units rebuild is slow. Look at 39 for instance most hunted unit in the state 2000 either sex tags controlled off (which is too many) but I can go in there every year and see 100s of does to very few bucks. Idaho needs to do what Washington and Montana does and go to a 3point buck or bigger for the general buck hunt. Forcing people to pass fork n horns and letting some bucks grow and bang a doe or two before he’s plowed over. I asked fish and game the reasoning behind 2point on units and letting people shoot forkys he said is because the mortality rate is high and so they’d rather people shoot the young deer than see it wasted come spring do to winter kill off.
At least they have the brains to go to a 3 point or bigger general buck… so the young bucks can at least get milk off their lips and smell some does in heat before they get smoked!
Doesn’t help that mule deer get absolutely hammered in the winter and aren’t as eager to eat at feed stations like elk are. Elk are just more equipped to survive 2-3ft standing snow than deer are.
I actually like that quota idea.. have a few general hunts to take pressure off… or hell if they’d offer more over the counter muzzleloader opportunities than they do I’d gladly take one for the team every other year and pickup the ol smoke stick. Also going to a 3 point or bigger buck for general would help a bit. Enough of the 2 point bullshit. Unless it’s a 24 inch spread and still a 2 point.alot of interesting perspectives. i think most are valid. Personally I would like to see a more “controlled” approach to the otc deer tags available to residents. If IDFG put in place quota limits on rifle tags per region(exactly like they do for elk), while maintaining similar opportunity for lower percentage harvest hunts(archery general opportunities) everybody gets to hunt if they want and it would also seem to be a more scientific, careful approach to the season setting rather then letting idaho militia loose on a fragile deer population every year. It seems absurd that the more delicate ungulate(deer) population would be less regulated. not rational. proves that the system leans towards and protects the species that makes more money for IDFG(elk). Us Idahoans should demand higher cost for deer tags and in turn better management! I would have no qualms paying 40-50-60-even 70 dollars for a tag if I knew we could hold IDFG more accountable for our herd. or make the nonrezys pay for it all…
I disagree that we need to force people to pass on a forkie for a couple reasons. First, most people just don’t care and would rather shoot a deer to eat. Secondly that allows deer with subpar genetics to keep breeding while year old bucks with more than 2 points on one side to get shot. I shot a “forkie” that was a mature buck but under a 3 point rule, I would have had to pass.
www.deeranddeerhunting.com
Robby also has a great Rokcast on this topic.I disagree that we need to force people to pass on a forkie for a couple reasons. First, most people just don’t care and would rather shoot a deer to eat. Secondly that allows deer with subpar genetics to keep breeding while year old bucks with more than 2 points on one side to get shot. I shot a “forkie” that was a mature buck but under a 3 point rule, I would have had to pass.
Also with any antler restriction rules, a percentage of deer will get shot and left in the field because it didnt qualify.
Here is an article that breaks down some of the problems with your proposal.
The Facts on Antler Restrictions and Deer Hunting | Deer & Deer Hunting
Deer hunters have lot of opinions about antler restrictions and whether they should be voluntary or mandated by state agencies, and whether they work.
Point restrictions don't work, and using Washington as an example on any kind of game management is laughable
