Northern Idaho Whitetails

[exppi]

After not much success and lots of crowds down south, I am looking at heading north with my deer tag. My 7 year old son is excited to be in the woods and I am contemplating taking him on an extended hunting/camping trip in a couple of weeks when the rut gets going. I am looking at hunting around Edina or Clarkia.

What does the camping situation look like in mid-November? I am also looking at google maps for terrain that has a mix of open areas for feeding and denser areas for bedding. Anything I should look for in the openings in particular?

My experience with whitetails was mountain valleys in Montana. I presume some of the same dynamics may be in play.

 

[FLAK]

A hunt I would love to do.
Maybe around Wallace.

 

[Crippledsledge64]

I'm considering the same after striking out in the SE, i'm expecting there to be some snow in November and its already in the low 30s-20s at night and am honestly considering truck camping versus taking the tent. That said it'll be my first time trying it so definitely not an expert. Best of luck to you and your boy.

 

[IDNate]

Not to burst anyone's bubble but don't expect to get away from crowds in North Idaho in November. Also, based on my experience over the last several years, whitetail numbers are way down up north. I checked IDFG numbers and here is the deer harvest from 2015 to 2019 for Units 1-7
2015 - 13,073
2016 - 11,419
2017 - 10,465
2018 - 9,760
2019 - 8,417

Lots of options for camping in that area depending on your comfort level with the weather. As for the weather, it could be anything. Not trying to talk you out of going but better go with the right expectations.

 

[Mossyhorns51]

Not to burst anyone's bubble but don't expect to get away from crowds in North Idaho in November. Also, based on my experience over the last several years, whitetail numbers are way down up north. I checked IDFG numbers and here is the deer harvest from 2015 to 2019 for Units 1-7
2015 - 13,073
2016 - 11,419
2017 - 10,465
2018 - 9,760
2019 - 8,417

Lots of options for camping in that area depending on your comfort level with the weather. As for the weather, it could be anything. Not trying to talk you out of going but better go with the right expectations.

Hunter numbers &. Harvest might be down but whitetail. Numbers in the northern panhandle are up

 

[nidaho]

Not sure where the numbers are up. Ever since they decided to get rid of all our does and start shooting bucks in October our deer herd has went to crap

 

[Wrench]

Numbers may be up a bit now, but both eastern Washington and North Idaho took a serious dump in numbers a few years ago and they are very slow to recover. I personally saw one deer while elk hunting for 15 days in north Idaho and my Washington elk area has historically been filthy with whitetail, but I see very few now.

 

[Crippledsledge64]

I called fish and game last week and they told me my general deer wasn't legal to use for whitetail only hunts in the north. Not sure if that was OP's plan, might what to give them a call. I'm now heading to the wilderness units for a few days in November to see if I can get some meat in the freezer.

 

[exppi]

Thanks all for the info. Still trying to determine what I may do. I am heading out elk hunting tomorrow for a week.

 

[exppi]

I called fish and game last week and they told me my general deer wasn't legal to use for whitetail only hunts in the north. Not sure if that was OP's plan, might what to give them a call. I'm now heading to the wilderness units for a few days in November to see if I can get some meat in the freezer.

It's on the general tag. Even F&G put out a news release about opportunities in November and December.

 

[Crippledsledge64]

Looks like this is what you're talking about. Not sure why F&G I talked to said I couldn't use my regular tag. Seems there's a couple units where you can't so maybe that's what he was thinking.

Deer hunting continues into November and December, even if you have regular deer tag

idfg.idaho.gov

 

[cssmith85]

Numbers may be up a bit now, but both eastern Washington and North Idaho took a serious dump in numbers a few years ago and they are very slow to recover. I personally saw one deer while elk hunting for 15 days in north Idaho and my Washington elk area has historically been filthy with whitetail, but I see very few now.

I tend to see doe constantly in Eastern WA, but very few (if any) legal buck. That could be also due to the fact that they turn into ghosts once the season opens.

 

[wind gypsy]

I tend to see doe constantly in Eastern WA, but very few (if any) legal buck. That could be also due to the fact that they turn into ghosts once the season opens.

If it's anything like NW MT, a lot of the 1.5 year old bucks turn into meat real quick.