Idaho Mule Deer Propsals-public comment opp closes 2/23/25

[WRO]

Yes, agreed and the crowd I know down there saw the decrease in buck quality/hunt quality begin with 78 going limited quota and displacing the 78 hunters. Not to mention people doing research and seeing that 78 is LQ and figure when they don't draw, they'll check out 77/78s common border. It just shined a light on the whole area.

I’ve hunted the border area, it’s not for the weak of heart.. the south end gets hammered.

77 is pretty limited on access compared to 78 and I’ve only spent a few days in 75 and wasn’t at all impressed.

Putting open sighted rifles isn’t going to do much, it’ll take 2 years for them to figure out the peep thing and shoot 400-600 accurately.

Having good draw units isn’t a bad thing, same as choosing your weapon and unit you’re going to hunt.

 

[TButtars]

You have the same chance to draw every year.

People draw and hunt it every year, it’s not everyone but it’s a good experience for those who do, same as drawing other good limited entry units.

I guess in my 20 years of applying I’ve yet to beat the odds yet every year I apply my odds don’t get better a lot of the time they are getting worse……….. maybe that’s why I’d like to see them try something different like limiting hunters effectiveness instead of limiting the amount of hunters. But at the end of the day it’s just a pipe dream on something id like to see them try.

 

[Joelweb]

Good podcast, and I like the creative thinking. I've messed around with open sights a fair amount. It gets hard to see stuff through iron sights once you get out in that 200+ yard range. I know some guys have the equipment to shoot further, but it isn't easy.

 

[willfrye027]

Maybe my eyes suck but no amount of peep turret gagetry would allow me to shoot long range with open sights. Maybe on a white piece of steel at the range, but certainly not on a mule deer in poor lighting against a broken background.

Some guys might try it..I know my odds of a successful harvest with open sights would be much better making a stalk as if I was archery hunting rather than hoping to connect at distance. I think most guys would figure that out fairly quickly and very few deer will be killed beyond 200ish yards.

 

[WRO]

Maybe my eyes suck but no amount of peep turret gagetry would allow me to shoot long range with open sights. Maybe on a white piece of steel at the range, but certainly not on a mule deer in poor lighting against a broken background.

Some guys might try it..I know my odds of a successful harvest with open sights would be much better making a stalk as if I was archery hunting rather than hoping to connect at distance. I think most guys would figure that out fairly quickly and very few deer will be killed beyond 200ish yards.

I know several people smashing critters beyond 400 with open sighted muzzys.


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[robby denning]

I know several people smashing critters beyond 400 with open sighted muzzys.


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Sure, man. We’ve seen it in our muzzleloader forum

but I think everyone’s point is that will be a very specialized set of guys. You save deer by influencing the masses and a muzzleloader open sight is gonna drop the success rate quite a bit compared to even four power scopes with the average hunter IMO

 

[flyfisher117]

I can move this question to a specific thread if need be. I just wanted to pick brains of those better informed than I.

Pretending that these muzzle load units pass. Pretending that they are beneficial and well recieved and we start seeing more of this.
Do you think we (Idaho) would see any rules regarding types of muzzle loaders getting tightened? Example the reg state that the "Northwest inline models are allowed. " would anyone forsee that changing down the road?

 

[robby denning]

I wasn’t on the committee, but the guys I talked to said that since our muzzleloader rules have been very stable the last 10+years that they wouldn’t expect anything needing to be changed.

About the only thing they’ve loosened up on that last period of time is they liberalized what type of bullets you could use last year but that was more related to lack of availability of full lead conicals that met F&G regs. There are more bullets to choose from now, but you still can’t use sabots.

But this is a great question because they can’t just continue to change the rules on muzzleloaders and expect people to comply ever time they gotta upgrade/downgrade a gun.

Other people can chime in

 

[flyfisher117]

I wasn’t on the committee, but the guys I talked to said that since our muzzleloader rules have been very stable the last 10+years that they wouldn’t expect anything needing to be changed.

About the only thing they’ve loosened up on that last period of time is they liberalized what type of bullets you could use last year but that was more related to lack of availability of full lead conicals that met F&G regs. There are more bullets to choose from now, but you still can’t use sabots.

But this is a great question because they can’t just continue to change the rules on muzzleloaders and expect people to comply ever time they gotta upgrade/downgrade a gun.

Other people can chime in

Yeah they've been stable which I appreicate. I believe they are already some of the more restricted rules so I wouldn't think they would get any more restricted. It would suck though to buy into the game then have to change guns later to keep compliance.

 

[WRO]

Sure, man. We’ve seen it in our muzzleloader forum

but I think everyone’s point is that will be a very specialized set of guys. You save deer by influencing the masses and a muzzleloader open sight is gonna drop the success rate quite a bit compared to even four power scopes with the average hunter IMO

Robby think about the number of long range shooters, 15 years ago you shooting past 600 was not a common thing, now it seems like everyone is doing it.

As it becomes a “requirement” it will become much more popular and less expensive..

 

[willfrye027]

Robby think about the number of long range shooters, 15 years ago you shooting past 600 was not a common thing, now it seems like everyone is doing it.

As it becomes a “requirement” it will become much more popular and less expensive..

I’m not Robby but, scopes make it pretty easy. Takes some practice/work to figure things out but long range with a scopes rifle is very accessible.

The human eye is just not going to be capable of long distance through a peep, on a gray deer against a dark background. Maybe a deer shining in the sunlight against a contrasty background..but how often does that happen deer hunting? Maybe in the snow? We’re not talking painted white steel here.

The human eye is a major limiting factor..I’m sure guys will show up with a turret peep sight but real hunting situations in which you can see well enough are going to be few to none.

 

[robby denning]

Robby think about the number of long range shooters, 15 years ago you shooting past 600 was not a common thing, now it seems like everyone is doing it.

As it becomes a “requirement” it will become much more popular and less expensive..

Yup, and these long range capabilities are partly what’s pushing these committees in several states to propose shorter range weapons.

There’s always gonna be a small number of people who can push the limits. But if we move the average down, in theory, it could save some bucks.

I see guys all over this site saying people are shooting them at 1000 (not really sure how many that really is) so if this propsal cut that distance by 2/3?

I guess we’ll find out, if it even passes