The Future of Idaho

[willfrye027]

I don't care about NR. No different than if hunt out of state I don't want their residents to care about me. Goes both ways. If NR are ones perceived issue then you need to find another excuse b/c there are a myriad of other reasons why one is unsuccessful, harvest numbers have dropped, and declining mule deer populations.

Increased hunter numbers is certainly a factor and I understand why people gravitate towards that statistic. It's the one variable any state's Fish/Game department can potentially intervene and control. Simple logic, reduce the amount of hunters in a given space/GMU and one would expect herd numbers to rebound as well as trophy potential. It's detrimentally more complex than that.

Changing carrying capacity of the land, habitat loss from human encroachment, large expanses of urban development, energy development, roads, predators, etc. Mule deer are getting hit from every possible angle when you really look at it in detail. These are a few of the real issues but definitely not all of them. Humans, in particular urban and energy expansion, have a detrimental effect on game herds. I read somewhere, for every acre lost to human development (residential, roads, wells, etc), mule deer lose 5 acres of available forage. Why? They will avoid those developed areas even if there is good feed. I'll to try and find the source.

How much habit loss have these animals endured in the last 20-30 years? I don't know the numbers but it's probably significant. Introducing a new variable, wolves, is a head scratcher for sure. 20-40 deer per year per wolf. The numbers vary based on the source but that's a lot of deer. Not all of those deer are unhealthy lets be honest.

There is no one smoking gun. Some variables have a much greater impact than others. But these deer have A LOT of variables which contribute to their decline. Unfortunately!

I live in ID and this place has BLOWN up. I can only image how much habit these animals have lost in the past 15 years. Not to mention the human presence in the woods and back country.

Hunter numbers are essentially the same over recent history. Check the numbers. Hunting bucks does not affect the herd numbers. Habitat is an issue, weather and it’s affect on habitat is probably the biggest.

Idaho is in a down cycle and cutting tags ain’t gonna cut it.

 

[MTtrout]

I hunt idaho as a NR. I feel bad for hunting out of state at times but the opportunity in other states seems to be better than my state (UT).

I don’t get this. I lived in UT for six years and killed more elk, ducks, grouse, chukars than any other state I’ve lived in for the same timeframe. While I was there I would hear the same cry from locals that ID was where they hunt while waiting for the glory tag of UT. I don’t feel bad for you. Local stigma maybe?

 

[realunlucky]

I don’t get this. I lived in UT for six years and killed more elk, ducks, grouse, chukars than any other state I’ve lived in for the same timeframe. While I was there I would hear the same cry from locals that ID was where they hunt while waiting for the glory tag of UT. I don’t feel bad for you. Local stigma maybe?

Come on back we still sell elk duck and chukar tags over the counter. Send me your honey holes in Montana and I'll keep them warm for you while your one upping the stupid locals in Utah.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[MTtrout]

Come on back we still sell elk duck and chukar tags over the counter. Send me your honey holes in Montana and I'll keep them warm for you while your one upping the stupid locals in Utah.

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Not sure I understand your language of the “stupid” locals in UT? I was simply saying that UT has a lot more to offer than one would think. I’m sure you know that

Why do you want my honey holes?

 

[Mule3006Elk]

Hunter numbers are essentially the same over recent history. Check the numbers. Hunting bucks does not affect the herd numbers. Habitat is an issue, weather and it’s affect on habitat is probably the biggest.

Idaho is in a down cycle and cutting tags ain’t gonna cut it.

I disagree in part. When I look at IDFG stats for the GMUs that I hunt there is a definite increase. 400 more hunters in that unit when compared to 12 years prior. One of our bigger units, 39, there are 1300 more hunters compared to 12 years prior. Same can be said for many other units. It would be naive to think increased hunters don't have an impact on the herd numbers especially when there are lots of doe hunts mixed in there. BUT that was not my point nor my argument. That is why I concluded that paragraph by saying it's detrimentally more complex than that. Those who hang their hat on that argument (hunter numbers) are not understanding the whole picture. Habitat, carrying capacity, urban development, etc., are the bigger variables for which we agree. I agree cutting tags is not the solution.

AND..nice buck in your profile pic!

 

[Bwhntr]

I don’t get this. I lived in UT for six years and killed more elk, ducks, grouse, chukars than any other state I’ve lived in for the same timeframe. While I was there I would hear the same cry from locals that ID was where they hunt while waiting for the glory tag of UT. I don’t feel bad for you. Local stigma maybe?

I’m not asking you to feel bad for me. Nor did I imply anyone should feel bad for me. Not sure where you are getting that from.

I hunt and kill plenty in Utah. But do I believe the opportunity at similar class game is the same? No. Just my opinion.

But Utah may have some big grouse, ducks and chuckars compared to other states. Idk haven’t hunted those. I’m talking deer and elk specifically.

I hunt every year here in state. I don’t wait for big tags. So yes having hunted deer and elk every year here and deer and elk almost every year in other states, I have quite a bit of personal experience to draw an opinion on.

 

[Brian77]

It is sad to see the general trend's in deer numbers going lower. As a boy, I used to go to see George Klucky hunting films sponsors by the local fire dept. Shown in February each year at the local High school. those videos still burn in my mind....

I always believed naively that things would stay the same. Caribou on the Ungava Peninsula, The Leaf River herd, giant Elk and deer on the Gila, Pheasants hunting in PA to the tune of 1 million killed a year, and tremendous elk herd sizes in the Yellowstone basin.... just to name a few.... But since the early 2000's the trends and disheartening numbers seem to have escalated?