Idaho Experience

[tpm231030]

I love it when nonresidents say "scouting was not possible for us". Scouting is always possible, you just choose not to exert the effort.

Is scouting always physically possible - sure. Is it possible when one/any of the following conditions apply :

a.) Inability to take time off of work
b.) Familiy commitments
c.) Financial limitiations
...maybe not possible; certainly impractical and potentially even unfeasible.

I can tell you that everyone's situation is different, and the blanket "choos[ing] not to exert the effort" is likely mischaracterizing many hunters' situations. We do not all live a few hours drive my potential elk hunting spots. We do not all have the luxury having one single care in life and the abiltity to brush off anything that interferes. More importantly though, I think you missed the point of jkiburg's post and its a little weird that the scouting comment is all you took away from it.

His post was a commentary of sorts on the entitled/possessiveness he observed by a fellow hunter, and a logical conclusion one could derive would be hunters should not be shaming other hunters for seeing opportunity in the same areas. If you listen to hunting podcasts, you'd undoubtedly have heard by now that in many areas, the numbers of hunters are dwindling. Being a 'hater', especially toward new hunters, is not a position our community should take if we care about its future.

 

[Geewhiz]

We do not all have the luxury having one single care in life and the abiltity to brush off anything that interferes.

Neither do I but it's called prioritizing. If it's important to you then you find a way to make it happen. Obviously scouting wasn't a priority for him, that's all I'm saying. I've got 3 little kids and work 60+ hours a week. I'm busier than most.

Also, everyone gets time off work, just depends on what you choose to spend it on. Again, priorities.

you'd undoubtedly have heard by now that in many areas, the numbers of hunters are dwindling.

Hunter numbers are dwindling my A$$. That must explain why permits are more and more difficult to draw year after year across the boards. Or why there are more and more pickups at every single trailhead/parking spot year after year. If you think hunter numbers are down then you've got your head in the sand.

 

[pugwylde]

Idaho resident here and I just want to say, Idaho skunks residents and non-residents, alike. I'm glad you enjoyed your time here; you are doing exactly what drew my family here more than 150 years ago, enjoying the bounty of beautiful public land. I hope I get the opportunity to do the same in a few other states, myself.

 

[MallardSX2]

 

[tpm231030]

Neither do I but it's called prioritizing. If it's important to you then you find a way to make it happen. Obviously scouting wasn't a priority for him, that's all I'm saying. I've got 3 little kids and work 60+ hours a week. I'm busier than most.

Also, everyone gets time off work, just depends on what you choose to spend it on. Again, priorities.



Hunter numbers are dwindling my A$$. That must explain why permits are more and more difficult to draw year after year across the boards. Or why there are more and more pickups at every single trailhead/parking spot year after year. If you think hunter numbers are down then you've got your head in the sand.

Wow Dude! 60+ hours of work a week, with three small kids, and you're still getting out there. I'm genuinely impressed. You're doing life so much better than I am and my hat is off to you for being able to make it all work. Everyone's got busy lives right! Got it.

I can sympathize on your trailhead being crowded and being unable to draw units like you could in the past, I don't have my head in the sand and can assure you I didn't just dream up the point about hunter numbers dwindling. To be completely fair, that is a nation-wide statistic, but it is relevant because many western states game management offices depend heavily on non-resident license fees in their budgets. I am certainly willing (hoping) to be wrong on this, and maybe the trends are different where you live.

Doesn't change the fact picking apart at inconsequential details from an otherwise insightful post from the perspective of a non-resident.

 

[jkilburg]

Neither do I but it's called prioritizing. If it's important to you then you find a way to make it happen. Obviously scouting wasn't a priority for him, that's all I'm saying. I've got 3 little kids and work 60+ hours a week. I'm busier than most.

Also, everyone gets time off work, just depends on what you choose to spend it on. Again, priorities.



Hunter numbers are dwindling my A$$. That must explain why permits are more and more difficult to draw year after year across the boards. Or why there are more and more pickups at every single trailhead/parking spot year after year. If you think hunter numbers are down then you've got your head in the sand.

I too have (3) children; ages 5, 3, 1. I also work on average 50-60hrs a week. Your point isn’t lost on me or most in this thread. However, you’ve chosen select topics to focus on as if my choice to e-scout given the constraints which this season of my life had with my father’s passing, handling his affairs and trying maintain a semblance of normality through that, is an excuse of some sort. You’re right, there are priorities, and my priority is family before fun. Doing right by my father will pay dividends in the long run. If that came at the expense of boots on the ground scouting, I’d make that choice 1,000x over again.

The post was a reflection on the entitlement we as hunters exhibit (resident or non-resident) as if we’re owners of public domain and its inhabitants. We’re blessed to have the ability to spend time outdoors, see God’s creation, and find fellowship with other hunters near and wide. None of us own these elk, deer, or any other animal we pursue. And, it doesn’t matter if someone scoured via boots or via satellite, we’re all partaking in the same sport.

And yes, hunters are down. That’s been a long substantiated topic and is proven through statistics over the last 20-30yrs. Just because you observe an increase in a macro setting such as trucks at trailheads, and competitiveness for tags out west doesn’t mean that hunter numbers are up. It simply means there’s been a shift in what hunter interest is. This is strongly correlated to the increase in content on social media. It doesn’t replace the fact that hunting as a past-time has decreased in popularity across the U.S.


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[Thomasj1107]

Neither do I but it's called prioritizing. If it's important to you then you find a way to make it happen. Obviously scouting wasn't a priority for him, that's all I'm saying. I've got 3 little kids and work 60+ hours a week. I'm busier than most.

Also, everyone gets time off work, just depends on what you choose to spend it on. Again, priorities.



Hunter numbers are dwindling my A$$. That must explain why permits are more and more difficult to draw year after year across the boards. Or why there are more and more pickups at every single trailhead/parking spot year after year. If you think hunter numbers are down then you've got your head in the sand.

I’m sure that between your 60 hour work weeks, using your vacation to scout, and your awful attitude in general…you must not be prioritizing being a father as much as you should. Maybe that’s what took you to the internet to troll a guy for at least getting in the woods and using the time he can.

To each his own, I love hunting just as much as the next guy. I make time, raise my kids, but heck if I’d be on here sounding like you do right now lol

 

[Idaboy]

To me it seems the math suggesta that it's not the 15K NR hunters that make it crowded, but the 80K resident hunters

 

[Thomasj1107]

Yeah, and when you figure all those LAZY nonres hunters probably get an average of 7 days for the season, and the res hunters have the whole month if necessary…. The disparity in the number of hunter days is even more obvious

 

[WRO]

Yeah, and when you figure all those LAZY nonres hunters probably get an average of 7 days for the season, and the res hunters have the whole month if necessary…. The disparity in the number of hunter days is even more obvious

They typically come in and outwork most of the residents, then the residents complain about it.


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[Thomasj1107]

They typically come in and outwork most of the residents, then the residents complain about it.


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Blasphemy, OP didn’t even scout, he probably makes grilled cheese at night also

 

[Rotnguns]

To me it seems the math suggesta that it's not the 15K NR hunters that make it crowded, but the 80K resident hunters

Got to agree with this. And in the last ten years or so, more of them are pushing farther off the roads and trails. Back in the day, a solid majority were likely to be road hunters on ATV's.

 

[CB4]

We have hunted the same area in Idaho in three of the last five years. All three years ran into the same group from Washington state and had similar conversations the first two years "how did you find this place". Also ran into the same father/son duo in 2019 and 2020 both actual local residents who were much more cordial. Actually helped give some pointers and commended us for how we were hunting as 2019 was our first elk hunt ever. I found it funny that the NR from Washington almost act like they are Idaho residents. However will be heading back in 2025 but to slightly different zone.