New Idaho deer rules - how did it turn out?

[JeffRaines]

I know this season was the first where NRs had to buy a tag for the unit they planned on hunting in.

So... how did the change turn out? Was there less pressure than before? More? The same?

edit: I did a quick look before making this thread to see if one already existed. If there is one, feel free to link it and I'll delete it - no need for multiples on this topic. Just curious how it turned out!

 

[KID]

I'll come back to this post after the week of Thanksgiving. I whitetail hunt units 8a and 10a. The state gave out close to 1,000 nonres tags for these 2 bordering units and residents and non residents wait until middle November to start hitting the whitetails hard. I don't expect much of a change but it might help other units. These 2 units turn into an absolute carnival. I'll let you know.....

 

[Mtnboy]

I'm curious about this as well.

I'm hoping it equals less hunters in Unit 39, that herd gets absolutely pounded the last week of the season, especially on years like this with October snow.

*Yes, I recognize that Unit has immense pressure from residents as well but any reduction in hunter numbers there should be good for the herd*

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

I'll come back to this post after the week of Thanksgiving. I whitetail hunt units 8a and 10a. The state gave out close to 1,000 nonres tags for these 2 bordering units and residents and non residents wait until middle November to start hitting the whitetails hard. I don't expect much of a change but it might help other units. These 2 units turn into an absolute carnival. I'll let you know.....

10a is one of my favorite units, but not during rifle. That place is crawling with orange! I wonder if the new regs will change that.

Sadly, I was not able to bow hunt it this year. They closed that unit since it was on fire.

 

[mtnbiker208]

deer season is just getting started, way to early to tell. ask in december.

 

[Mtnboy]

deer season is just getting started, way to early to tell. ask in december.

Not really, most of the state is just about done Deer hunting. Hell, some Units closed last Sunday.

 

[bluetick78]

I've been wondering the same thing. I was admittedly apprehensive about the rule change, thinking it might drive more nonres hunters to pick an area and camp on it the entire season. I'm sure that scenario played out in some popular places, but it was very calm where I hunt. I saw a camp from California, and a camp from Texas. Both of those camps dissapeared within 24 hours of the first snowstorm. In '20 there was at least 15 camps of nonres hunters in the same area.

 

[Bowhunting WI]

I can't speak for deer season, but here are my observations from archery elk season:

- We arrived in ID September 1, packed up & left September 18th. We hunted an OTC unit.
- We ran into one other NR group (2 guys in a truck at the trailhead).
- Every other truck/SxS/quad we saw or talked to had ID plates, so I'd assume they were residents.

This was our 6th year hunting this unit and each year it has gotten more and more busy, meaning more and more hunters.... until this year.

Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon, it was still a zoo this year with guys on SxSs, quads or trucks driving everywhere (thankfully ID residents don't hike far from their SxS or truck ). As expected, Labor day weekend was absolutely nuts, we've never seen so many people on the mountain driving SxSs/quads/trucks.

Sunday afternoon through Friday afternoon it was a ghost town, with most days us not seeing or hearing any other hunters. It was AWESOME!

-BHWI

 

[280Ackley]

Not really, most of the state is just about done Deer hunting. Hell, some Units closed last Sunday.

Not in the panhandle where it seems most all the overcrowding occurs. Most people up here don’t even start deer hunting until the fist week of November.

 

[mtnbiker208]

Not really, most of the state is just about done Deer hunting. Hell, some Units closed last Sunday.

you must be a southern boy! lol

 

[Mtnboy]

Not in the panhandle where it seems most all the overcrowding occurs. Most people up here don’t even start deer hunting until the fist week of November.

Well aware, grew up in the Panhandle and just finalized a house purchase to move back.

But that doesn't change the fact that most of the state South of Grangeville is Mule Deer hunting that takes place in October and has its own overcrowding problems.

you must be a southern boy! lol

See above. And even when I move back I won't hunt in North Idaho, spent enough years battling the brush.

 

[Touchdown88]

I hunted SE Idaho and the number of non-residents were way down compared to the past few years.

 

[JeffRaines]

I hunted SE Idaho and the number of non-residents were way down compared to the past few years.

how was the overall pressure though? Any better than usual?

 

[bluetick78]

To add to my post above, I was only referring to the general rifle deer season. Archery was still pretty crowded with nonres in the unit(s) I hunted. Several groups from Washington and Oregon that stayed the entire month, they told me they were collecting around $900 per week on extended unemployment from their respective states that allowed them to stay the whole season. I was under the impression that the Covid unemployment benefits were over, but I was wrong I guess.

 

[Willhoffman101]

Overall pressure was as bad or worse than last year. Number of non-res license plates I saw was down quite a bit from last year. I think there are lots of new Idaho residents or Idaho people new to hunting or moving around the state. I believe that is and has been the majority of the increase in pressure over the past few years. At least in my neck of the woods.

 

[JeffRaines]

Overall pressure was as bad or worse than last year. Number of non-res license plates I saw was down quite a bit from last year. I think there are lots of new Idaho residents or Idaho people new to hunting or moving around the state. I believe that is and has been the majority of the increase in pressure over the past few years. At least in my neck of the woods.

I figured in a lot of areas this would be the case. While any reduction in pressure is great, I think some folks were misguided on where a lot of the pressure was coming from

 

[Willhoffman101]

I figured in a lot of areas this would be the case. While any reduction in pressure is great, I think some folks were misguided on where a lot of the pressure was coming from

Agreed. It is easy to blame nonresident hunters but in general there’s just a ton more people out nowadays. That includes spring shed hunting and summer camping/recreating/scouting. Based on license plates I’m seeing non residents are definitely not the majority.

 

[mtnbiker208]

all the people that i am seeing in the woods are retired folks who moved to idaho.

 

[CApighunter]

Opening week we saw zero other NR hunters. As we were leaving the day before the elk opener I’d say more than half of the trucks we passed had out of state plates.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Hunted the 77/78 border. Had an elk tag for bear River and buddy had deer tag for 77. Only had 3 days to get it done. Lots of road hunters. Amazing amount of road hunters on atvs. Never seen anything like it.

Saw 25 deer the first night. Day two my buddy killed a decent 3x3 buck in 77.

Finally found some bulls on evening 3. I was on the opposite side of the drainage in 78. They were back in 77 at about 9,000 feet. Would have taken me about 2 hours hustling my ass off to get to them and it was 1.5 hours until dark. Had to pack it in and get back to work. That’s hunting sometimes.

Set up camp here



Found the elk from this ridge looking back south



Elk