The Future of Idaho

[downthepipe]

They don't care about the success rates or the decline in muley numbers. They only care about selling more non resident tags and $$$.

So you think the fish and game staff who on average probably make about $27 an hour are conspiring in some group? Or this is the Commissioners? Or the director? WHO IS “THEY” and why do you think “THEY” are trying to profit? You do realize staff raises are approved by the legislature right? Not tags.

 

[Huntnnw]

I’ve had a lifetime fishing and hunting license here in Idaho since I was 2 years old.

This season on an archery hunt I was with my cousin. We took his truck which has Washington plates. I was riding my girlfriend’s dirtbike that has an Oregon plate on it. Everyone assumed we were both non residents. Out of 5 different groups we talked to, 4 of the groups were non resident, and one group were from Idaho. The 4 groups of non residents were awesome, polite, and helpful. The one group from Idaho were ass holes.

That being said, I think there’s a stigma that non residents are getting so many of our tags and don’t deserve them. They only account for 10% of our non res tags now. But they account for a hell of a lot of our IDFG tag sale dollars.

I think lower harvest rates are due to two main reasons… less overall animals in Idaho, (for various reasons) and the fact that people are being idealized by YouTube hunters and thinking it’s easy.

Ken

10% is only the controlled hunt. The same deer and elk quota been there 40 years and hasnt changed. Whats changed in last 30 years is 990,000 people have moved to ID

 

[IdahoBeav]

For information only:

The human resident population in Idaho has increased by about 370k since 2012 and by about 310k since 2016. The mule deer kills for 2022 were 23,588.

 

[MuleyFever]

They don't care about the success rates or the decline in muley numbers. They only care about selling more non resident tags and $$$.

Please correct me if I am wrong but I thought non resident tag numbers were capped. If non resident tag numbers are capped how exactly are they selling more tags to non residents?

 

[IdahoBeav]

Please correct me if I am wrong but I thought non resident tag numbers were capped. If non resident tag numbers are capped how exactly are they selling more tags to non residents?

You are 100% correct, but the truth and facts are not enough to keep disgruntled residents from blaming nonres and IDFG.

 

[WRO]

Avimor has entered the chat

Mayfield would like a seat at the table.

 

[WRO]

I’d like to see more bunch grass planted too…but that’s not typically what happens after a fire. Fire burns everything, then cheatgrass grows back in the wake of the fire.

This all results in less deer…imho…due to less winter graze, and less hiding cover in the case of lost sagebrush.

I once worked for IDFG and my son is about to start his Masters in Rangeland mgmt at UI…but I’m admittedly not a mule deer biologist.

Your guess is as good as mine, and maybe even better. Sounds like your suggestion is to limit resident opportunities. I’d rather address habitat improvement first…but feel free to not buy a tag next year if you want to kick that movement off!

They have a few in the Owyhees.

I buy a deer tag every year then don't fill it because I usually don't find the age class buck I am looking for.

The winter range that disappeared isn't going to come back unless you bulldoze the McMansions.

 

[idahodave]

"Few" being the operative word.

 

[TheTone]

Avimor has entered the chat

I’ve seen a number of pictures from a retired fish and game employee where they were collaring deer where avimor is. Safe to say that area is wrecked for hunting and wildlife. Thanks again real estate agents and land developers!

 

[ODB]

Mayfield would like a seat at the table.

Welcome…can I get you started with an appetizer?

 

[ODB]

I’ve seen a number of pictures from a retired fish and game employee where they were collaring deer where avimor is. Safe to safe that area is wrecked for hunting and wildlife. Thanks again real estate agents and land developers!

Yup. We went for a walk to check things out and there is a sign on the trail gate saying not to walk the trail between 12/1 and 3/31 due to it being winter range….I’m sure glad they are protecting that narrow walking trail…imagine if they disrupted the whole area by building thousands of houses…

 

[ianpadron]

You sound like every other resident of every sate, blame non residents but ignore the giant gorilla in the room of unlimited resident otc options with a resident population that’s doubled in the last 2 decades.

Idaho needs to shorten seasons, cap tags similarly to elk for deer, etc.


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Bingo!

 

[IdahoBeav]

I’ve seen a number of pictures from a retired fish and game employee where they were collaring deer where avimor is. Safe to say that area is wrecked for hunting and wildlife. Thanks again real estate agents and land developers!

There is still a pretty good size chunk of BLM just to the east of Avimor. Private property rights are very important, and over 60% of Idaho is public land. We must consider that most of the population in this country does not hunt.

 

[TheTone]

There is still a pretty good size chunk of BLM just to the east of Avimor. Private property rights are very important, and over 60% of Idaho is public land. We must consider that most of the population in this country does not hunt.

Agreed but I still think the pressure from development is a the biggest crush we have and will continue to have on our wildlife. The worst hypocrite I have seen is a southern idaho guy that has absolutely blown out a few areas, never misses a beat to take shots at other people for helping ruin hunting and then on one of his accounts posts his land development business where he loves shows videos dozing out wildlife habitat for more home sites

 

[InkedElkSlayer]

Numbers of people actually hunting, plus everyone riding ATVs/UTVs/motorcycles, camping, fishing, etc. has increased since The Corona. There is simply more people in the woods both hunting and recreating.

Non Res numbers have basically not changed for decades. What HAS changed was for numerous years in the early 2000s, IDFG couldn’t give all the Non Res tags away. There were numerous units (Lolo, Selway, etc) that barely had any residents hunting them as well. The Res population has gone up a bunch and now the Non Res tags sell out. Obviously, the vast majority of those Non Res folks waited in line, spent the $, so they go. So overall… there are a lot more hunters than in 2007.

There is one other factor that accounts for why people think “Non Res” hunter numbers are higher. Me, my wife and both boys are in this crowd. I lived in Idaho as a kid, did another 8 years 2004-2011, and both boys were born in Idaho. We are Lifetime holders. We personally don’t hunt any of the general units… but we could. We can buy a tag anytime we want once they open the Res purchasing. Idaho has had the Lifetime for a long, long time. Those of us that have moved on simply add up.

My wife and oldest drew a good mule deer unit this past fall. Everyone we ran into wanted to know how a Non Res gal was able to draw!

 

[Mike 338]

I hunted 39 this year. Packed in with mules. There were a few tracks but never saw a deer. Seems to be the trend more or less in the last decade. It wasn't anything like that in years prior. Maybe they've gone nocturnal or maybe I'm just not up to it anymore. Still... you leave in the dark and get back in the dark, you think I'd have seen something, even by accident.

 

[WRO]

I hunted 39 this year. Packed in with mules. There were a few tracks but never saw a deer. Seems to be the trend more or less in the last decade. It wasn't anything like that in years prior. Maybe they've gone nocturnal or maybe I'm just not up to it anymore. Still... you leave in the dark and get back in the dark, you think I'd have seen something, even by accident.

Unit 39 is the poster child for mismanagement imho..

It could be good, but IDFG is hell bent on killing every deer in the unit. 15k plus hunters, seasons august though end of November.


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[littlebigtine]

Unit 39 is the poster child for mismanagement imho..

It could be good, but IDFG is hell bent on killing every deer in the unit. 15k plus hunters, seasons august though end of November.


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When I read this comment and the one before it sounds like you expect the biggest unit in the state to have a mule deer buck on every mountain top from boise to the salmon river divide. Anyone who spends time in the unit know that it has the largest mule deer herd(albeit lots of does) in the state with one of the longest migrations. That migration begins right about the beginning of the general rifle season. I imagine a lot of people drive out to summer range on Oct 10 just to stare at mountain sides completely devoid of deer and then turn around to drive back from where they came complaining for 3 hours until they hit the highway about how IDFG blew it….

But it is rumor to have one of the worst buck to doe ratios in the state so . Your prolly correct

 

[Andrew12gauge]

When I read this comment and the one before it sounds like you expect the biggest unit in the state to have a mule deer buck on every mountain top from boise to the salmon river divide. Anyone who spends time in the unit know that it has the largest mule deer herd(albeit lots of does) in the state with one of the longest migrations. That migration begins right about the beginning of the general rifle season. I imagine a lot of people drive out to summer range on Oct 10 just to stare at mountain sides completely devoid of deer and then turn around to drive back from where they came complaining for 3 hours until they hit the highway about how IDFG blew it….

But it is rumor to have one of the worst buck to doe ratios in the state so . Your prolly correct

It may have a long migration, but most of the deer are where they will be by the end of late archery and bucks should be breeding does, yet I can go out and find 2-300 does per day in the last week of late archery and I’m usually lucky to find 2-3 bucks amongst those does, none of which are of the age that they should be doing the breeding.


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[WRO]

When I read this comment and the one before it sounds like you expect the biggest unit in the state to have a mule deer buck on every mountain top from boise to the salmon river divide. Anyone who spends time in the unit know that it has the largest mule deer herd(albeit lots of does) in the state with one of the longest migrations. That migration begins right about the beginning of the general rifle season. I imagine a lot of people drive out to summer range on Oct 10 just to stare at mountain sides completely devoid of deer and then turn around to drive back from where they came complaining for 3 hours until they hit the highway about how IDFG blew it….

But it is rumor to have one of the worst buck to doe ratios in the state so . Your prolly correct

I spend a fair bit of time in the unit and the buck-to-doe ratio is horrible, not much of which is on the roads. The typical crayon eater resident's response is to just kill more does which is not the answer.

It has one of the longest general seasons, getting it packed the last week when most other units are closed. Then general archery late and early, + the early rifle tag. I have had buddies who have hunted that early tag for the last 2 decades well off the beaten path when they draw it. It has gone significantly downhill in both the quality and numbers of deer.

Between draw and OTC hunters it's pushing 15K hunters for 60K hunting days.