Idaho 2018/19 winter

[a_noob_hunter]

I cant really say too much as i just moved here in October of 2017. But I have far more elk and deer this spring then I did last spring. So I really dont care what IDFG says the numbers are. My eyes tell me all i need to know.

That's what I like to hear!!!!


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[IdahoHntr]

IDF&G knows they can pedal any bullsh**t they want to NR'S and they'll still flood in for cheap OTC deer hunts. 60% is pretty poor, especially figuring in that we are missing an entire fawn crop from 2 seasons ago. That translates into far fewer mature bucks, and far less does for them to breed, meaning a long road to recovery for the species.

60% is really pretty good. It's above average and in line with what last winter was, which was about as easy a winter as I can remember. Fawns are going to die EVERY winter. That's why deer tend to have twins, cause odds are one of them isn't going to make it. The 16/17 winter sucked, but for a majority of the state the last two winters haven't been bad and they will bounce back. Some parts got hit hard again this year and they will have a long road, but that doesn't mean the whole state has gone to pot!

 

[Daddy]

Up towards Orifino area I heard that the elk struggled with all the late snow but not sure about central Idaho. Alot of areas had really warm falls so I think the deer got more feed later and seemed to have a better chance through the winter/spring

 

[cbarrie]

Loved that info about hunter numbers. Made it real easy and slick to see how harvest rates change due to winters. It’s good to note that even still after not as bad winters success rates still stayed in the 30-40% range besides just before the winter of 16-17

 

[Idahohillboy]

Winter kill was massive in 43, 48, 49, 50, 36, 36B in Idaho this I know for a fact. If anyone wants proof between two friends they have found 15 dfferent full dead heads...

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[robby denning]

Winter kill was massive in 43, 48, 49, 50, 36, 36B in Idaho this I know for a fact. If anyone wants proof between two friends they have found 15 dfferent full dead heads...

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Bucks or bulls or both on the deadheads?


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[jd30069]

I don't think it is all doom and gloom. This is what happens after bad winters and within a few years of mild winters things will change for the better.

Here is some history of deer harvest numbers in a particular SE unit that has been affected by several bad winters in the last 15 years. Sorry for the long list but I think it helps to illustrate a longer time period with multiple trends.

Year / Harvest / Does / Hunter # / success rate %
2017 / 720 / 0 / 3531 / 20.4
2016 / 1822 / 163 / 3774 / 48.3
2015 / 1764 / 177 / 3864 / 45.7
2014 / 1410 / 209 / 3417 / 41.3
2013 / 979 / 101 / 2660 / 36.8
2012 / 731 / 100 / 2166 / 33.8
2011 / 515 / 126 / 2498 / 20.3
2010 / 991 / 120 / 2766 / 35.8
2009 / 876 / 97 / 2882 / 30.4
2008/ 803 / 12 / 3518 / 22.8
2007 / 1367 / 3 / 3629 / 37.7
2006 / 967 / 1 / 3276 / 29.5
2005 / 774 / 31 / 2935 / 26.4
2004 / 751 / 0 / 3001 / 25
2003 / 798 / 3 / /
2002 668 / 18 / 3737 / 18

Idaho had hard winters in 2000/2001, 2007/2008, 2010/2011 and 2016/2017. The harvest following the 2010/2011 winter was much lower than it is now, especially considering that only 389 of the deer were bucks. And yet, within 5 consecutive mild winters the harvest rose to 1659 bucks. Look back at the years following other bad winters and you can see the harvest trending up and it would have continued if hard winters hadn't come along to stop the growth.

Certainly there are other factors at play and I wonder why the recovery after 2010/2011 was a little faster than the post 2007/2008 winter.

Young bucks (spikes and forkies) have always accounted for a large portion of deer harvested. I think that closing doe harvest after the 2016/17 winter may have been the right decision for fast population regrowth but may reduce the number of bucks in the short term. Youth hunters who would have been happy to shoot a doe had to hold out for a forky, whereas in other years every doe that gets shot allows a forky to survive and grow another year older and larger.

very interesting .....thanks

 

[Idahohillboy]

Bucks or bulls or both on the deadheads?


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Bulls but a lot of dead baby deer. Throw some pics hold on.

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[Idahohillboy]

One buddy found all of these in 48/49

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[Idahohillboy]

Same units different friend.

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[Idahohillboy]

Same units from another friend.

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[Joe Schmo]

Well I for one am not gonna hunt 43, 48, 49, 50, 36 or 36B for years and years and years. No sir. No way. No elk. No deer.

 

[270BBD]

I have the same report and actually visited some winter grounds. Not great at all. Actually I was very disappointed as I took my kids to go see some animals. Bucks way down. Actually has me thinking of trying to find new ground.