Idaho Unit Mulies

[twsnow18]

IME, is tough on years like this. I would imagine most bucks are gonna be up high until conditions change. At least the decent bucks. The deer will migrate the last couple days of Oct. Bucks don't stay at 10,000' when the hoes are all down at 4500', regardless of the weather. Most years when we have a storm or 2 during Oct, we'll see 100 +/- deer a day around the reservoirs the last 4-5 days of October. But if it stays warm like this, the deer will be distributed from Lucky Peak almost all the way to Atlanta. And I'll only see 20-25 deer a day in the low/mid country. You can't be late to your glassing spot in the mornings, you might only have 30 minutes of deer movement.

 

[whoami-72]

My wife and I just hunted this unit. Just a heads up on hunting pressure, if you look at fish and games statistics about the number of hunters in there it has gotten ridiculous. There is ~3x as many hunters now as there was pre Covid. It’s gotten stupidly ridiculous and is a slaughter unit instead of a hunt. I was out there pre season and able to easily find deer. 3rd day of season and they were all hiding. Gun shots everywhere on the first two mornings. In fact, over the last 2 days we heard as many shots as I heard in the first 30 minutes of opening morning. With how many people are up there and hunting you’re gonna have to just hope you’re lucky or really really really know the area and where the people are pushing the animals.

Archery season is better but not by much. Less road hunters and more dedicated hunters in archery. Still tons of people.

 

[Biologist_JMF]

Hey guys,
I’m an Idaho native looking into unit for mule deer this year. I have a few spots in mind already, but I was hoping to gather some more intel…

- for September (archery deer) how much pressure does that particular unit see from Elk hunters? I know the Smoky Bennett is fairly popular…

- likewise what kind of pressure during October for the deer season? Lots of road hunters? Lots of guys packing in?

- Have you ever run into sheep herders in the area? If so, any particular drainages they were hanging out in?

I hunt lots of other areas in Idaho and would be happy to swap notes for any of you. Feel free to PM me or post in comments. Thanks!

unit might be more hunted than unit . Tons of people in the lower elevations and plenty of country. I have taken my dad a couple of times to this unit and done okay. Most people will shoot any legal buck. There are a lot of closed gates that require dirt bikes or walking. Each set of gates might have different rules. This unit also gets the most calls for wardens. I would avoid the congested and overhunted areas outside the major hubs

 

[honestcomrade]

I hunted the last couple seasons in the same few drainages. Early-mid October. Between 5000-6500' elevation there were deer. I didn't see any bucks that were still walking. Every hunter who was successful in the general (about 8 I saw and talked to this year) used dirt bike or e-bike to get to the bottoms of the ridges from camp. It's pretty steep country. None of the bucks were very big. Plenty of does around and moving at different times of the day. I wouldn't say there was a huge amount of pressure even though I didn't get more than 5 miles + 2000' from camp. It really seems like a unit you'd be best off with wheels.

 

[EricBender208]

Hey guys,
I’m an Idaho native looking into unit for mule deer this year. I have a few spots in mind already, but I was hoping to gather some more intel…

- for September (archery deer) how much pressure does that particular unit see from Elk hunters? I know the Smoky Bennett is fairly popular…

- likewise what kind of pressure during October for the deer season? Lots of road hunters? Lots of guys packing in?

- Have you ever run into sheep herders in the area? If so, any particular drainages they were hanging out in?

I hunt lots of other areas in Idaho and would be happy to swap notes for any of you. Feel free to PM me or post in comments. Thanks!

Buck I killed in . 7 years back on an opening weekend

 

[Schoolhousegrizz]

Buck I killed in . 7 years back on an opening weekend

Nice buck!

 

[Z-low]

Nice buck!