Idaho Mule Deer Winter Kill

[Idahohillboy]

Let the little deer grow please.

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[SoCalMuley]

Let the little deer grow please.

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For what? You can't eat the Antlers?

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[Idahohillboy]

Part of the sportsman experience for me is taking a deer that has character age and lived good life. It is nice to see mature bucks when hunting and a fun conquest finding them. A mature buck carries more meat and right now as you can read from the posts they are scarce so I just saying give the next crop a chance so that there are not fewer deer next year. A big buck gets my blood pumping a little 3x4 I wouldnt even shoot it with my bow last day of archery at 20 yards n I like deer meat.

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[idahohikker]

To each his own. I'm more of a meat hunter myself, though not purely.

 

[SoCalMuley]

Part of the sportsman experience for me is taking a deer that has character age and lived good life. It is nice to see mature bucks when hunting and a fun conquest finding them. A mature buck carries more meat and right now as you can read from the posts they are scarce so I just saying give the next crop a chance so that there are not fewer deer next year. A big buck gets my blood pumping a little 3x4 I wouldnt even shoot it with my bow last day of archery at 20 yards n I like deer meat.

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I passed on 11 one more time 11 Bucks to get a shot at a 4x4 and Didn't make it happen. Others in the Group to each thier own harvested Bucks and couldn't be happier. I Love and Respect the Hunt and don't consider it a Sport either. Good Luck to you and yours.

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[Idahohillboy]

Glad you had so Cal fun not hatin or trolling. I am more depressed about how bad the winter did the deer.

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[Idahohillboy]

Meant to say glad you had fun. I hunted the 43 and 36 border did not see much during archery. It was cold and snowy though unseasonably.

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[Idahomnts]

Seen a few decent bucks in 36 archery, elk were silent , early snow had em pushed down.
Hunted 43 for first 3days of rifle and didn't even see a deer for first two days in country I know holds good deer , seen em before during early season, wondering if the early snow got them movin early, only heard 4 shots on the trip, didn't see much sign besides a die with fawns on the same trail I was on, on way out seen a buck about an hour from truck right after shooting light and a 15 mile trip lol, I laughed admired and appreciated the scenery as I watched him turn away and down into the deep steep he probably appeared from, I did a lot of glassing and nothin, I've been hearing about the same report of not much out there, wintering grounds sounds like they are moving in tho, good luck to all , still searchin

 

[bluetick78]

I have seen 3 times as many hunters as deer so far. Might not sound too odd, until you consider I just got home from six days spent 3.8-6 miles deep in a rugged and roadless area. I saw 5 deer, and 15 Kuiu - clad non-residents staring at Onx maps. I've never seen a non-resident in this particular area, and usually only one or two other guys on horseback that I know. The deer population is clearly way down, and backcountry warriors are clearly on the rise. Now I know how the Colorado sportsmen feel. Defeated mostly.

 

[idahomuleys]

Spent a week in central Idaho. Quite a few does, 2 small bucks and 1 decent 4 point. Most of the deer were down lower. Was not impressed with the deer numbers but the elk seem to be thriving. One herd had 3 bulls fired up with a couple hot cows.

 

[semperfidelis97]

We just got back from a week in the backcounty in the Salmon region. The deer numbers were abysmal we literally did not see a one deer we also didn't see one hunter where we packed into. We spent two nights at about 9k then dropped down to 7k for several more days we covered miles of county by foot, and countless miles by glassing. One thing I will concur with is the elk herds seem to healthy we probably seen in excess of 50 elk, and quite a few bulls. We did see a couple smaller whitetail, and muley bucks down near the farm fields, but they were not what we came there for. The only two deer we seen hanging on the way out were a couple older gentleman who happened to shoot them on a mid-day drive to their fishing hole.

 

[chukar_chaser]

Spoke to the F&G at the check station in Eastern Idaho, they had checked 10 deer all weekend.....

 

[MNTNHUNTER284]

i just got back from a weekend adventure in 76. I was a day late and a buck short, literally. I got there saturday morning to hike back into this area and passed two guys packing out 4 points, nothing huge but I would've been plenty happy with. Then another family packing out a small 3 point. I saw roughly 20 doe about 4 miles in. The deer were in the thicker country. The people I talked to had seen fewer than 10 deer in 5 days of hunting.

 

[Joe Schmo]

Just returned from the central part of the state. I could only hunt 3 days. The winter was worse than I thought, and I knew it would be bad. I saw 5 bucks in those three days, all of them were 1.5 year old bucks. Nothing bigger than a 3 point. Last year i only hunted 2 days right after the opener, 3rd and 4th day of the season and I saw 6 or 7 bucks a day including some decent ones..

Wouldn't the 1.5 year old bucks be the ones who woulda died during the winterkill as yearlings?

 

[David Gough]

Just came off 43, 11 bucks 2-3 point and 2 4 point. One I couldn't close the deal. 2 of 6 tags filled with a small 4x3 and small 3x3.

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Good to know you saw some. A buddy and I are driving up to 48 on Thursday.

 

[SoCalMuley]

Good to know you saw some. A buddy and I are driving up to 48 on Thursday.

That's Great! The BEST of LUCK to you! we were between 8-9k ft where we saw Deer

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[David Gough]

That's Great! The BEST of LUCK to you! we were between 8-9k ft where we saw Deer

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Thanks! We may head over to 49 or 43 if we can't find them in 48, but I figure start in the area where I'm familiar.

 

[JustHunt]

Wouldn't the 1.5 year old bucks be the ones who woulda died during the winterkill as yearlings?

Joe, one maaaaaaaaaaaybe was a 2.5 year old deer. But the other 4, I'de bet my bottom dollar that they were 1.5 year old deer. Tiny pencil antlered 2 and 3 pts.

 

[Greg Beck]

My buddy and I were in 49 on Saturday. Saw 1 buck. No other deer at all. But that's not to abnormal for us in that unit. Saw 6 bulls though and lots of elk sign.

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[David Gough]

My buddy and I were in 49 on Saturday. Saw 1 buck. No other deer at all. But that's not to abnormal for us in that unit. Saw 6 bulls though and lots of elk sign.

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The elk are doing pretty well up there, although there were a lot of wolves when I was across the highway last month.