Idaho Non Resident Mule Deer

[WVOregon]

A little bit torn on drawing unit 22 general deer as a non resident. Put it as a choice on the first non res draw and ended up drawing it over units that are not 2 pt restricted. Definitely learned my lesson in the draw process this year- Had I not been going strictly off the non resident handbook (where they don't list the antler restrictions) I wouldn't have selected unit 22 as a choice to begin with. Went into the first tag exchange today and got booted off the website (30 minute timer) with unit 3 in my cart before I could exchange. For anyone who has hunted this unit as a general tag- is it worth traveling 10 hours to hunt an antler restricted tag like this? There is always a (very slim) chance at a freak but I know for sure I not going to shoot a yearling forky either. And the hunt dates overlap with our blacktail rut in western OR.

 

[IdahoBeav]

Turn the tag in by May 1 to get a 75% refund. Apply for controlled hunts, and try your luck at the remaining returned tag sales later in the year.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I hunt that unit most years for elk/bear there's no way I'd pay NR price and drive 10 hours to shoot a two point.

 

[WVOregon]

Thank you, I will definitely try the second tag exchange, and will be applying for controlled as well. I am thinking I will likely still go no matter what, bird hunt across the river from that unit every year, and love the country. Definitely have learned my lesson with the first tag exchange process. Spent hours looking at other units that had left over tags, waiting in the que for a couple hours with a list of units I wanted to exchange to and one by one they got picked off. Eventually waffled too long on switching to a white tail tag in unit 3 which was not part of my initial plan and got booted off the site. Now kicking myself for not quickly pulling the trigger as it would have been nicer to not have the antler restriction. Appreciate the response.

 

[IdahoBeav]

Thank you, I will definitely try the second tag exchange, and will be applying for controlled as well. I am thinking I will likely still go no matter what, bird hunt across the river from that unit every year, and love the country. Definitely have learned my lesson with the first tag exchange process. Spent hours looking at other units that had left over tags, waiting in the que for a couple hours with a list of units I wanted to exchange to and one by one they got picked off. Eventually waffled too long on switching to a white tail tag in unit 3 which was not part of my initial plan and got booted off the site. Now kicking myself for not quickly pulling the trigger as it would have been nicer to not have the antler restriction. Appreciate the response.

If you don't get in by 10:05 or so, you're not going to get a decent tag. The online system is very late with the "live" sellout lists.

 

[WVOregon]

If you don't get in by 10:05 or so, you're not going to get a decent tag. The online system is very late with the "live" sellout lists.

That's the truth!

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

Turn the tag in by May 1 to get a 75% refund. Apply for controlled hunts, and try your luck at the remaining returned tag sales later in the year.

This is where I’m at with my tag, cant stomach missing the best part of blacktail season on the coast for the tag I got.

 

[WVOregon]

This is where I’m at with my tag, cant stomach missing the best part of blacktail season on the coast for the tag I got.

Did you also draw a 2 pt unit?

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

Did you also draw a 2 pt unit?

No

But it was a tag I knew at high odds of getting, and from what I’ve been watching those mountains have got a lot of snow. Not sure how that herd will do.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

No

But it was a tag I knew at high odds of getting, and from what I’ve been watching those mountains have got a lot of snow. Not sure how that herd will do.

There aren’t any mountains in Idaho with a lot of snow this year.


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[NWBLKTAIL]

There aren’t any mountains in Idaho with a lot of snow this year.


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I was lookin at the Big lost area on Snotel periodically and it seemed they were getting snow, but maybe I don't understand what I'm really looking at for numbers. wouldn't be the first time I was wrong.

I see the trend for the rest of the state is bleak and has been all winter.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

I was lookin at the Big lost area on Snotel periodically and it seemed they were getting snow, but maybe I don't understand what I'm really looking at for numbers. wouldn't be the first time I was wrong.

I see the trend for the rest of the state is bleak and has been all winter.

Maybe up where the snotel sites are at they may have gotten a bunch recently, all of our rain this past month might have been snow up high, but the deer aren’t gonna starve this year


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[Dioni A]

Maybe up where the snotel sites are at they may have gotten a bunch recently, all of our rain this past month might have been snow up high, but the deer aren’t gonna starve this year


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It's the wettest April we've ever had in Idaho. It's dumped multiple feet of snow in the high country. We're still way behind on snow pack but definitely in a better spot.

 

[mtnwrunner]

What he said. ^^^^^^^^^^^^

Randy