Park and walk, or Fly and walk?

[Slim77]

I'm still 2 years out on my trip to Idaho, just getting my 46 yr old body ready for the toughest country of my life. I'm researching Mule deer, and e-scouting many units, trying to find what I think would give myself and my teenage son the best opportunity possible at a Mature Buck. I'm gonna make the 30 hr drive from KY, vs taking a plane, which from what I've seen on here is my best bet. I may be asking to much, but I don't want to run into a bunch of people, or see people driving their utv's everywhere, im not camping at a campground, or sleeping in my truck, etc, etc. We are prepared to put the work in, hike several miles off the beaten path, scout while we acclimate, and prepare for our hunt. I've noticed there are several airstrips in many areas, would I be better to hire someone to fly us in and out, or just park and hike in? I feel like I can get further from people being flown in, but that carries an added risk factor. What advice would you give me on the subject?
Thank You
JRE

 

[sebastian.cassell]

I am a Michigander and have hunted idaho twice in the last 3 years. I would recommend driving and hiking. Its just so much easier to bring home your trophy/meat, change areas if its a bust and makes for a pretty decent base camp. I have hunted elk and mule deer in 2022 and black bear this past spring 2024 and did not experience the hunting pressure as I did in colorado or wyoming. My 2 cents. Hunt your way in to spots off the road or trails and dont beat yourself up on trying to get way in deep. It can be intimidating but well worth the effort getting in shape for the hunt. I have had a lot of luck in the middle range of say 800 yards to 3 miles from a road/ trail. Good luck! Idaho is absolutely gorgeous

 

[Slim77]

I am a Michigander and have hunted idaho twice in the last 3 years. I would recommend driving and hiking. Its just so much easier to bring home your trophy/meat, change areas if its a bust and makes for a pretty decent base camp. I have hunted elk and mule deer in 2022 and black bear this past spring 2024 and did not experience the hunting pressure as I did in colorado or wyoming. My 2 cents. Hunt your way in to spots off the road or trails and dont beat yourself up on trying to get way in deep. It can be intimidating but well worth the effort getting in shape for the hunt. I have had a lot of luck in the middle range of say 800 yards to 3 miles from a road/ trail. Good luck! Idaho is absolutely gorgeous

Thank you.

 

[huntnful]

If you’re new to mule deer, or especially ID, I’d recommend somewhere else for a planned mule deer hunt. It’s very difficult to get two tags in the same area in ID with how their current system works. And their deer hunting is no joke, VERY difficult. Times that difficulty by 10X for a mature buck. Their general units are general for a reason. It’s freakin tough hunting.

Just speaking from experience, I’d be looking into a unit that takes 0-1 point in some other states that have a point system to ensure that you and your son actually have a hunt together.

 

[Slim77]

If you’re new to mule deer, or especially ID, I’d recommend somewhere else for a planned mule deer hunt. It’s very difficult to get two tags in the same area in ID with how their current system works. And their deer hunting is no joke, VERY difficult. Times that difficulty by 10X for a mature buck. Their general units are general for a reason. It’s freakin tough hunting.

Just speaking from experience, I’d be looking into a unit that takes 0-1 point in some other states that have a point system to ensure that you and your son actually have a hunt together.

Can't we apply as a group? Or is that for controlled only?

 

[Customweld]

It’s going to be hard to get away from people in any otc in Idaho. The Central Idaho units with airstrips are the same. You can spend the money to have an air service drop you off, but there are a lot of guys that have that same thing in mind. Getting away from the air strips is a challenge all its own.

 

[Slim77]

Can't we apply as a group? Or is that for controlled only?

I intend to be challenged, but I refuse to shoot a scrub, just to say I killed a Mule Deer. I do have limited knowledge of one unit in Idaho, and it has a decent population of deer, but its full of Grizzly, and I just don't want to deal with that with him along for the hunt. We do have preference points in another state, but not enough yet. I love the Idaho landscape, I dont mind the ruggedness.

 

[huntnful]

Can't we apply as a group? Or is that for controlled only?

Controlled only for a party App

 

[Slim77]

Controlled only for a party App

Gotcha. Where would you recommend, if not Idaho?

 

[huntnful]

Gotcha. Where would you recommend, if not Idaho?

If you’re legit wanting to plan for a hunt in 2 years (2026?) I would build a point next year in either CO or UT, and draw any generic rifle hunt you can draw with those points in 2026.

You can certainly try for ID, but the general draw system for non residents is a nightmare. Especially if wanting to hunt as a party

 

[Slim77]

If you’re legit wanting to plan for a hunt in 2 years (2026?) I would build a point next year in either CO or UT, and draw any generic rifle hunt you can draw with those points in 2026.

You can certainly try for ID, but the general draw system for non residents is a nightmare. Especially if wanting to hunt as a party

Thank you for the advice!

 

[huntnful]

Thank you for the advice!

You bet!

 

[Marble]

If you are brand new to all of this, I would suggest a trial run, with gear, minus guns. You could even go to another western state to see what you are getting into.

There is a lot to learn hunting the western mountains. It usually takes several seasons to get comfortable and get your "system" dialed in.

Just going on some back packing trips over the summer would help.

I would love to be flown in somewhere. If the opportunity was there, I would take advantage of it.

When I've hunted idaho in the past, I only ran in to people on the trails. In the woods, maybe a mile off trail and with some elevation, I see boot prints, but no other people. And I was in a unit with a lot of people.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[Slim77]

It’s going to be hard to get away from people in any otc in Idaho. The Central Idaho units with airstrips are the same. You can spend the money to have an air service drop you off, but there are a lot of guys that have that same thing in mind. Getting away from the air strips is a challenge all

If you are brand new to all of this, I would suggest a trial run, with gear, minus guns. You could even go to another western state to see what you are getting into.

There is a lot to learn hunting the western mountains. It usually takes several seasons to get comfortable and get your "system" dialed in.

Just going on some back packing trips over the summer would help.

I would love to be flown in somewhere. If the opportunity was there, I would take advantage of it.

When I've hunted idaho in the past, I only ran in to people on the trails. In the woods, maybe a mile off trail and with some elevation, I see boot prints, but no other people. And I was in a unit with a lot of people.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

Thank you for the advice!

 

[mattdepiano]

I would say the decision to drive there in the first place is probably correct. I have driven out for all of my hunts and they have been in the 24-37 hour range from the east coast. It's a long drive, but if you fly in are lucky enough to shoot some thing, I have some friends with horror stories of getting the meat back. One friend lost the meat from his and his wife's buck trying to freeze and ship it and another ended up shooting an elk on the second or third day of his trip, and luckily had a friend that could freeze it for them but since they flew out there and they needed a way to drive it back. He ended up buying a new car that he's somewhat needed but somewhat didn't for his family at the time and drove back across the country.

As far as getting dropped or walking in, I hunted north Idaho, two years ago for elk. Like I said, we drove from here and hiked all around our unit. It seems like we could get into pretty good action within a few miles of the access road. Earlier in the trip we made it about 7 or 8 miles from the access road on a loop looking for fresh sign and ended up running into a guide and a client camped out up there that got packed in on horses a few days earlier. The guys that know the area well and have the resources seem to be able to get anywhere they need to. It would be a bummer to get dropped in by plane just to run into more experienced hunters competing over the same animals back there just in my opinion.

Goodluck on your hunt!

 

[Slim77]

I would say the decision to drive there in the first place is probably correct. I have driven out for all of my hunts and they have been in the 24-37 hour range from the east coast. It's a long drive, but if you fly in are lucky enough to shoot some thing, I have some friends with horror stories of getting the meat back. One friend lost the meat from his and his wife's buck trying to freeze and ship it and another ended up shooting an elk on the second or third day of his trip, and luckily had a friend that could freeze it for them but since they flew out there and they needed a way to drive it back. He ended up buying a new car that he's somewhat needed but somewhat didn't for his family at the time and drove back across the country.

As far as getting dropped or walking in, I hunted north Idaho, two years ago for elk. Like I said, we drove from here and hiked all around our unit. It seems like we could get into pretty good action within a few miles of the access road. Earlier in the trip we made it about 7 or 8 miles from the access road on a loop looking for fresh sign and ended up running into a guide and a client camped out up there that got packed in on horses a few days earlier. The guys that know the area well and have the resources seem to be able to get anywhere they need to. It would be a bummer to get dropped in by plane just to run into more experienced hunters competing over the same animals back there just in my opinion.

Goodluck on your hunt!

Solid Advice!
Thank You

 

[pilgrim7]

My first time hunting Idaho (and the West) was a central Idaho unit that had several airstrips. We hiked in several miles to camp. The the only hunters we saw rode by on horse back, and gave us funny looks when we told them which drainage we were heading for. They were going about 5 miles past us, and told us to expect lots of wolves and few elk where we were going.

They were correct. We pitched camp about 4 miles from the truck, and hiked out from there each day with light packs. At our furthest we were about 12 miles from the trailhead. 7 days and a big snowstorm later and we had seen 1 moose, 2 mule deer doe, and zero elk. Wolves howling around camp every night.

We hiked out and headed to lower elevation to truck camp for the rest of the hunt. We found a campground along a state highway at the bottom of a canyon. We climbed 1300 feet in about half a mile and could still see the truck. Low and behold we were in elk immediately.

That crappy climb did more to weed out hunting competition than 5 miles on a trail. Do not expect to outhike the horses, and being farther back in is no guarantee of success. Good luck and hopefully you get to try some off trail hiking in the Rockies before your trip!