Idaho. "State of deer & elk"

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Welcome to Idaho Fish and Game’s 'State of Deer and Elk'

The State of Deer and Elk is an opportunity for hunters to learn how biologists gather data about these important and iconic animals and use that information to manage healthy, sustainable populations that provide excellent hunting opportunity.

idfg.idaho.gov

 

[Irrelevant]

Saw that but didn't do a deep dive. Much value @Hilljackoutlaw ?

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Saw that but didn't do a deep dive. Much value @Hilljackoutlaw ?

I think as they start to set the regs moving forward it could have some value, right now there is not much there. If anything I think it will at least make ya feel like you can be part of the process.

 

[fowladdict]

I may not be popular for this, but I hope they make residents start picking a unit and a weapon for the general deer tag.

 

[TheTone]

I’m hopeful to see what this becomes. Getting more public involvement and maybe helping people actually understand the process and data would be good. It’s truly embarrassing how few people show up at meetings.

 

[Elktrack]

I may not be popular for this, but I hope they make residents start picking a unit and a weapon for the general deer tag.

Curious why you think this?
What improvement would it create?

 

[BackofBeyond]

Curious why you think this?
What improvement would it create?

Maybe the fact that we can basically hunt deer from 8/15 through the end of November if your willing to travel just a bit.

I’m all for opportunity, but the deer herd (especially the muleys) could use a little relief.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

I’m hopeful to see what this becomes. Getting more public involvement and maybe helping people actually understand the process and data would be good. It’s truly embarrassing how few people show up at meetings.

It's also embarrassing to hear what comes out of the mouths of some that do show up because of how uninformed they are. I swear it hurts the hunters more with how stupid some of the comments are. My favorites always start out like this "my grandpa says when he was my age...." or "when I was a kid...."

 

[TheTone]

It's also embarrassing to hear what comes out of the mouths of some that do show up because of how uninformed they are. I swear it hurts the hunters more with how stupid some of the comments are. My favorites always start out like this "my grandpa says when he was my age...." or "when I was a kid...."

I cringe at the comments on IDFG Facebook posts

 

[Elktrack]

Maybe the fact that we can basically hunt deer from 8/15 through the end of November if your willing to travel just a bit.

I’m all for opportunity, but the deer herd (especially the muleys) could use a little relief.

I see your point there.
It’s a complicated deal. Kinda bit of a slippery slope too. Once we adopt a policy like that it’d never go back. We’ve already got the option for general or whitetail only tags and I think that’s helpful. There’s also a lot of controlled hunts that you can’t hunt in general season. I guess I’m fearful that we’d lose opportunity and start getting squeezed into certain areas and shorter seasons like WA did. They used to have similar seasons as Idaho.

 

[brymoore]

I see your point there.
It’s a complicated deal. Kinda bit of a slippery slope too. Once we adopt a policy like that it’d never go back. We’ve already got the option for general or whitetail only tags and I think that’s helpful. There’s also a lot of controlled hunts that you can’t hunt in general season. I guess I’m fearful that we’d lose opportunity and start getting squeezed into certain areas and shorter seasons like WA did. They used to have similar seasons as Idaho.

Idaho already does it for Elk. As it’s created now, the mob of deer hunters move from unit to unit as archery turns into rifle, different rifle zones close at different dates causing the late October units to get large mobs and finally the mob moves to late archery units.

If hunters close weapon and area (similar to elk), hunting pressure would moderate some.

 

[Elktrack]

Idaho already does it for Elk. As it’s created now, the mob of deer hunters move from unit to unit as archery turns into rifle, different rifle zones close at different dates causing the late October units to get large mobs and finally the mob moves to late archery units.

If hunters close weapon and area (similar to elk), hunting pressure would moderate some

Yes, but the elk is also not a specific unit and weapon. Some are pretty specific. Within my elk zone we’ve got several units and can hunt Sept to Dec with different weapons.
I’m not arguing, just interesting to hear other points of view. I also know that my neck of the woods is a different situation than 8 hours south of here.

 

[fowladdict]

I see your point there.
It’s a complicated deal. Kinda bit of a slippery slope too. Once we adopt a policy like that it’d never go back. We’ve already got the option for general or whitetail only tags and I think that’s helpful. There’s also a lot of controlled hunts that you can’t hunt in general season. I guess I’m fearful that we’d lose opportunity and start getting squeezed into certain areas and shorter seasons like WA did. They used to have similar seasons as Idaho.

@Backofbeyond and @brymoore pretty much summarized how I feel, but I will go a little further.
1. It would decrease the overall daily pressure on the deer during season. There may be a few exceptions. Using 39 as an example, there is a possibility of an increase of rifle hunters in this unit if they had to select a unit and weapon.
2. It would be beneficial for the deer herds long term.
3. It would increase the quality of the hunt in most units.
4. Some hunts would likely be leaps and bounds better than some of the draw hunts.
5. It would be beneficial for the deer herds!

Edit: forgot to add that the number of residents has drastically increased and likely will continue to do so. I believe general hunts will likely decrease in hunt quality if the population trend continues and nothing is changed.

 

[Elktrack]

Good points.
I guess I haven’t experienced the same issues you guys are describing in my part of the state. (Panhandle)

I’m all for better herds and good management. Just untrusting of any situation that limits opportunity.
I wanna have my cake and eat it too I guess.

 

[fowladdict]

Good points.
I guess I haven’t experienced the same issues you guys are describing in my part of the state. (Panhandle)

I’m all for better herds and good management. Just untrusting of any situation that limits opportunity.
I wanna have my cake and eat it too I guess.

I'm Curious based on what you said above, what would change for you in the panhandle? Do you hunt multiple units for deer every year? Multiple weapons?

 

[Elktrack]

I don’t think there’s any need to change the current status in the Panhandle. Like I said, don’t have the issues that were described elsewhere.

Yes, I hunt a few different units. Typically just rifle and muzzleloader.
Some years I’m tagged out early and only hunt one unit.

 

[Elkmagnet]

Welcome to Idaho Fish and Game’s 'State of Deer and Elk'

The State of Deer and Elk is an opportunity for hunters to learn how biologists gather data about these important and iconic animals and use that information to manage healthy, sustainable populations that provide excellent hunting opportunity.

idfg.idaho.gov

I think I know how the season are set. Feel fee to critique my opinion.
Elk biologists monitor heard composition, habitat conditions and hunter desires. Decided on recommendations to the commission. Publish surveys for public comments.
Present recommendations/surveys to commission.
Commission proceeds to set seasons using "social science" aka landowner/rancher tolerance.

Deer - Flood gates set to open.

 

[brymoore]

There are several ways to create a new system and it could block several units together to allow archery and rifle within the block. Im sure there are other ideas.

If I can handle elk blocks, I can handle deer blocks.

While I don’t necessarily support how NRs were treated recently with unit percentages, I have seen a significant decrease in NRs at trailheads last year. Changing deer tags from general to unit specific will reduce deer hunters, for the most part.

 

[TheTone]

I think the stats have shown that most people only deer hunt one or two units a year and about 5 days no matter what the season length actual is. I don’t think you can predict how changes in season length or distribution would effect things.

I really think the elk zone I hunt the most would have less hunters if the zone system didn’t exist. Elk numbers are super low and I think most people that hunt it do so just because it’s close and the zone system makes them hunt here if they want to hunt near home

 

[Elktrack]

I’ve witnessed hunts that are unit specific and for a short period (10 days). While it could be argued that the long term pressure on the animals is less than a long season, it was an absolute nightmare of a hunt. Basically everyone was forced into the unit at same time and it was a madhouse. Felt more like a competition than hunting.

Contrast to what I experience here with longer season is more prolonged pressure but not near as intense. It’s not a scorched earth type of operation like the short blitz season.

Some guys are out opening day and others wait until the rut or snow or whatever their thing is. Having the ability to spread it out seems good.

I dunno the perfect policy.