SE Idaho Deer Population

[Catdaddy69]

Planning a Controlled Archery hunt in the SE portion of Idaho. Curious on deer numbers and what to expect? Thanks

 

[Sully_44]

SE Idaho, W Wyoming, and N Utah is where that 22-23 winter hammered our animals (especially deer). The numbers are way down compared to 4 years ago, but as long as you’re not expecting to find basins full of bucks and willing to put in a lot of effort, you could dig up a good deer that made it through.

 

[WRO]

Poor numbers, still a few good bucks around but there’s a whole age class missing.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Find areas with significant ag fields at the base of the drainages and plan accordingly. You don’t need to go very high up to find good deer herds.

 

[Catdaddy69]

Ok thanks guys. I am going to make a couple scouting trips this summer. I knew the population was down but harvest success is still pretty impressive.

 

[flyfisher117]

We counted 50-60 pickups drive by us opening morning rifle thus year. Thankfully we had the ridge to ourselves.

Deer are around, definitely need to scout it's very easy not to see bucks but end up seeing does and fawns. I'm good at finding does ans fawns lol

 

[daiello91]

A buddy and I hunted SE Idaho this past year and it was terrible. We covered a ton a ground on foot and with our binos. We saw one small buck and about 20 does in a full week of hunting. I wouldn't return for at least 3-4 years of mild winters based on what I saw.

 

[Catdaddy69]

A buddy and I hunted SE Idaho this past year and it was terrible. We covered a ton a ground on foot and with our binos. We saw one small buck and about 20 does in a full week of hunting. I wouldn't return for at least 3-4 years of mild winters based on what I saw.

Rifle hunt?

 

[daiello91]

Rifle hunt?

Yes.

 

[Andyram_18]

SE Idaho is down. Having said that, you will still find bucks; but theres a lot missing. I didnt want to believe it and spent some time there last year with a real positive attitude. End of the day it is just down. Go hunt hard and have a good time. Dont be too picky.

 

[jbren47]

I archery hunted a controlled SE Idaho unit last Sept. Focused on the higher elevation areas of the unit and covered a lot of ground, trying to get away from atv/dirtbike traffic.

Deer densities were very low. Turned up a decent 3x3 and an few other smaller bucks. From what I saw, most of the deer were closer to the ag land at lower elevations.

Awesome country! Enjoyed the hunt, just wish we came across more deer.

Crossed paths with this guy hiking back to camp one day.

 

[Catdaddy69]

I archery hunted a controlled SE Idaho unit last Sept. Focused on the higher elevation areas of the unit and covered a lot of ground, trying to get away from atv/dirtbike traffic.

Deer densities were very low. Turned up a decent 3x3 and an few other smaller bucks. From what I saw, most of the deer were closer to the ag land at lower elevations.

Awesome country! Enjoyed the hunt, just wish we came across more deer.

Crossed paths with this guy hiking back to camp one day.

Oh man, that isn't very cool. That sucks there was a lack of deer.

 

[Jaden Bales]

This is one man's first experience, and it was a short one, but I was down there in the SE late archery season and I saw 17 bucks and over 80 does in 3 days. None in that next caliber, but a four nice four-points (like 3.5-4.5 year old type deer).

I got absolutely skunked the first morning, and I was thinking it was going to be a horrible hunt with the winter, then I found a pocket with a few deer middle of the day, and realized a set of like 3-4 drainages held a good number and stuck around those drainages until a big multi-day storm sent me home. I was impressed with deer numbers compared to other places I've hunted.

Always gotta grade on a curve - probably way down from what it once was, but the zone I was in felt solid compared to other states I've hunted in the past.