Whitetail harvest was still below mule deer (23,679), but whitetail huntersâ success rates were nine points higher than mule deer hunters. Be the first to hear about our latest news and events. Managers also want to remind folks of reduced youth antlerless opportunity in the region. Despite general hunts that include antlerless elk with any weapon, the zone is still over its objectives for elk. The next closest was neighboring Unit 43, where hunters harvested 1,179 mule deer. Mule Deer: Deer hunting should be about the same as it was last year. Deer: The Weiser/McCall area has had two hard winters in the last 5 years, which set back mule deer herds. The 2019 elk harvest came in at 945 animals, with a 19 percent success rate. Deer and elk hunters should see plenty of game in Idaho during fall hunts as mild winters have helped rebound mule deer herds hit hard in recent years, and Idaho’s elk herds continue to soar and harvests have come roaring back over the last six years. The Idaho Hunt Planner provides all information the hunter needs for a successful Idaho hunt: regulations, seasons, drawing odds, harvest statistics, and hunt boundaries in one location. Fish and Gameâs generous allocation of over-the-counter, general hunt tags, and a broad range of antlered hunting opportunity, particularly for archery hunters, is appealing to resident and nonresident hunters. If youâve ever tried to wrestle a whole […], If an elk hears you sneaking through the woods, you might be ok. Biologists continue to monitor cow and calf elk via radio collars to see how well the animals are surviving, or whatâs killing them. Managers are hoping this year for a little bit of early snow that starts moving elk around. The Idaho Hunt Planner provides all information the hunter needs for a successful Idaho hunt: regulations, seasons, drawing odds, harvest statistics, and hunt boundaries in one location. Hopefully it will cool and hunters will have some better conditions to hunt elk in. The Idaho Hunt Planner provides all information the hunter needs for a successful Idaho hunt: regulations, seasons, drawing odds, harvest statistics, and hunt boundaries in one location. Thereâs a bit of irony when it comes to Idahoâs whitetail hunting. Together, agriculture and food processing generate 28% of Idaho’s total economic output in sales and 13% of GDP. Elk: The Boise River Zone has seen consistently high winter calf and cow survival rates during the past six years. The elk harvest in 2019 was down from the prior year by about 8 percent, but it was still good for fourteenth highest of all time, and fifth highest in the past decade. It’s the fourth-straight year that has occurred, and itâs happened earlier each year. The number of animals available for hunters, as well as success rates, will vary significantly throughout mule deer country. Elk: Lots of elk in the Weiser River Zone continues to be a good problem to have, but still a problem. The Idaho Hunt Planner provides all information the hunter needs for a successful Idaho … The McCall Zone also has lots of elk and lots of public lands to pursue them, but road access is limited in much of the zone and hunters have to pursue them in steep, brushy backcountry that may put them to the test. âOne of the challenges we face in managing elk populations is getting enough hunters to hunt hard for and harvest antlerless elk in areas where we are working to bring elk herds back to the population objectives in the statewide elk plan,â Ward said. 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When you look back since 2004 when Idaho’s deer harvest statistics were segregated between whitetails and mule deer, whitetails were a smaller portion of the statewide deer harvest … Whitetail hunters in the Panhandle have a long hunting season, generous either-sex hunting opportunities and a good chance to encounter mature bucks. As a result they are doing well across the region as evidenced by recent aerial surveys conducted the past few years. During the last season setting cycle in 2019, wildlife managers responded by offering increased elk hunting opportunity in these areas, including general, either-sex hunts; over-the-counter cow tags; and generous antlerless controlled hunt tags. The state has nearly 25,000 farms and ranches which produce more than 185 different commodities . Mule deer account for most of the deer in the area, but about 40 percent of the deer in Unit 23 are whitetails, and whitetail herds remain stable in that unit. During 2019-20 winter, Fish and Game managers monitored 704 radio collared elk in various parts of the state. The three-year stretch of winters spanning from 2016-2019 was tough on many of Idahoâs mule deer herds, largely due to poor-to-average fawn survival â including the second-lowest on record in 2016-17 â and harvest numbers have reflected that trend. Because resident general deer tags are sold throughout the hunting season and unlimited for residents, itâs hard to project how many of resident hunters will be in the field come fall. Unit 39 has been a very productive mule deer unit, and has been for a long time, but biologists are starting to see fawn production go down, and the herd composition in December and fawn weights in the winter are starting to decline — all of which is used to measure the carrying capacity of our deer and elk herds. Deer: Whitetail hunters should be see the usual healthy herds of whitetails in Panhandle. When you look back since 2004 when Idahoâs deer harvest statistics were segregated between whitetails and mule deer, whitetails were a smaller portion of the statewide deer harvest with mule deer being the majority of deer taken by hunters. We did not have weather last year that was conducive to harvesting cow elk. Hot, dry weather can result in game using green agriculture fields or high elevations and timbered areas. Rainy conditions can result in more availability of quality native forage and natural water sources, which in turn can lead to big game being more widely dispersed on the landscape. Adult cow survival was 97 percent and calf survival was 73 percent â up from 66 percent in the 2018-19 winter. Although the fawn survival in Unit 39 specifically was below average in 2019, it was higher-than-average for the greater population that the unit is a part of, which biologists refer to as the Smoky-Boise Data Analysis Unit, or DAU. Based on that, hunters can expect to find plenty of white-tailed deer in the Clearwater Region and hunting very similar to recent years. Isnât that a good thing? In 2000 hunter numbers were not collected. âI think all indications are that this should be another very good elk season,â Ward said. There are no upcoming events at this time. However, if the speed at which nonresident general deer tags sold out this year (two months sooner than they did in 2019) is any indication, deer hunter numbers could also be up this year after dropping a bit from 2018 to 2019. The Idaho Hunt Planner provides all information the hunter needs for a successful Idaho hunt: regulations, seasons, drawing odds, harvest statistics, and hunt boundaries in one location. It should be noted that fawn survival was not consistent throughout the state, so some areas were closer to average, and a few fell below. âThe distribution of elk has definitely changed since the 80s and 90s, when there was that first pulse of high elk numbers and the Lolo Zone was leading the way. Overall deer numbers have been increasing in Unit 39 for the last several years. Doing some scouting of potential hunting areas may give hunters an idea of animal distribution and behavior. The Idaho Hunt Planner provides all information the hunter needs for a successful Idaho hunt: regulations, seasons, drawing odds, harvest statistics, and hunt boundaries in one location. Fawn production and winter survival have been good the last two years, and the region has not had population setbacks in the recent years. That includes eliminating youth antlerless opportunity in Unit 66 and 69, and limiting the youth antlerless mule deer season across the rest of the region to the first week of the any-weapon season. The Salmon Region offers a little bit of everything for general season elk hunting, ranging from areas with ample over-the-counter antlerless or either-sex opportunities, to areas allowing the harvest of brow-tined bulls only. The Idaho Hunt Planner provides all information the hunter needs for a successful Idaho hunt: regulations, seasons, drawing odds, harvest statistics, and hunt boundaries in one location. Idaho ranks in the top ten in the nation in 30 of those commodities Idaho is the third-largest agricultural state in the West and second in net farm income. Mule Deer: The region is at objectives, but there was pretty good fawn survival last winter, and there are probably going to be a lot of yearlings in the deer herds this year. Elk: The elk populations in the region continue to be really strong, so itâs set up for some pretty good hunting again this season. âThroughout southern Idaho this winter, we had above average winter fawn survival, which bodes well for the upcoming mule deer season.â. That would be good for the health of the herd. Here are regional outlooks compiled by regional wildlife managers and biologists in each Fish and Game region. Not exactly because some of those elk still cause damage to agriculture operations, so Fish and Game is offering generous antlerless hunting opportunities. Theyâve started a multi-year study so they can learn more about whitetail populations and become better at managing them to ensure healthy populations and meet huntersâ expectations. Since 2015, winter conditions in Southeast Idaho have been extremely variable with severe conditions (2016-17, 2018-19), average (2017-18) and mild (2015-16 and 2019-20). The Idaho Hunt Planner provides all information the hunter needs for a successful Idaho hunt: regulations, seasons, drawing odds, harvest statistics, and hunt boundaries in one location. Biologists have seen an increase in large wildfires in portions of the Clearwater, which historically has benefited elk herds, so theyâre hopeful they could see improved forage for elk and a corresponding increase in elk herds. Hunters should also note Potlatch Deltic requires special permits for camping and ATV use on its lands. Unit 1, which encompasses the northern part of the state, was the top whitetail producer in 2019, and remains a perennial top deer producer that shows no signs of letting up. While many of the mule deer herds around the state are in better shape this year than they were in 2019, Ward pointed out that hunter congestion could prove to be more prevalent this year, particularly in areas that are more popular with mule deer hunters. Things hunters should be aware of for the fall: Weather conditions during the hunting season can sometimes affect big game behavior and distribution– and thus, hunter success. Adult winter survival has been consistently high. These variations in winter conditions have resulted in negligible changes to deer populations since the severe winter of 2016-17. But there will need to be a string of a few winters with above-average fawn survival to really start pushing us back to those upper levels of mule deer harvest that occurred prior to 2017. The Idaho Hunt Planner provides all information the hunter needs for a successful Idaho hunt: regulations, seasons, drawing odds, harvest statistics, and hunt boundaries in one location. Idaho elk hunters enjoyed another year of excellent hunting in 2019, harvesting 20,532 animals statewide. Biologists expect the elk hunting Sawtooth Zone to be good in 2020, but weather is going to drive a lot of that. Elk: For elk, we are above objectives across the board, and wildlife managers are continuing to try to reduce overall elk numbers in the region by providing over-the-counter antlerless elk opportunity. However, biologists are trying to learn more about Idahoâs whitetail populations and what drives them, as well as what might limit them. The leading cause of mortality for elk calves was mountain lions, and for cow elk it was a tie between hunter harvest and mountain lions. The lone exceptions were units 21 and 21A, where we saw a little more winter fawn mortality in each of the last two years than the rest of the Salmon Region. The Idaho Hunt Planner provides all information the hunter needs for a successful Idaho hunt: regulations, seasons, drawing odds, harvest statistics, and hunt boundaries in one location. They point out that weather during hunting season can account for a 10 to 20 percent swing in harvest, and thereâs been no unusually harsh winters in the Panhandle and Clearwater regions that might have curbed the state’s largest whitetail populations. Check out our brochure for more information. Below is a news release from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The Palouse, Dworshak and Hells Canyon elk zones continue to produce good elk hunting in the region, and the Elk City Zone is seeing increased harvest in unit 14, but decreases in units 15 and 16, which is attracting more hunters into Unit 14. Idaho ranks in the top ten in the nation in 30 of those commodities Idaho is the third-largest agricultural state in … There’s a pretty good age class of bucks incoming, but still missing some of those 3- to 4-year-old bucks from the 2016-17 winter, but for the most part, bucks are going to be pretty widely distributed across various age classes this fall. In 2019, Idaho hunters harvested 23,679 mule deer, 3,294 fewer than 2018, which is a decrease of about 12 percent. First, Idahoâs whitetails are abundant and resilient, which means thereâs a steady population of animals available to hunt. The zone had very high success rates in 2018 and dipped in 2019, but thereâs nothing to indicate elk numbers declined. Elk harvest is largely going to be dictated by weather, especially the cow harvest. What hunters should be aware of for the fall: Hunters in the Clearwater are reminded that 567,000 acres of Potlatch Deltic timberlands are open to the public due to Fish and Gameâs Large Tracts access program, which pays private landowners to provide public access for hunting, fishing, trapping and other outdoor recreation. The Idaho Hunt Planner provides all information the hunter needs for a successful Idaho … Look for thermal cover â avoiding the heat kind of thermal cover â and spring seeps, meadows, etc. 1068), and hunters should not hesitate to harvest a doe. Deer survival was good with no sign of excessive winter kill and no signs of fatal disease outbreaks, such as EHD or blue tongue, occurring so far during summer. The Pioneer Fire is just getting to the place now where it just cranking out deer and elk food, so itâs worth mentioning that elk and deer are continuing to move back into the area and hunting should continue to improve this year, particularly in areas near the edge of the burn where good cover remains. If thereâs a lot of people, the deer and elk arenât going to be near the roads anyway. Harvest statistics based on mandatory harvest reports, big game mortality reports and check station records. While whitetails arenât broadly distributed throughout the region, there is an elevated numbers of whitetails in pockets of the Teton Valley, specifically in units 62, 62A, 65. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation maintains that state agencies should manage wolves just […]. Hunters took 21,540 whitetails in 2019 and had a 38 percent success rate. With a little help from the weather and plenty of hunters in the woods, thereâs no reason the 2020 whitetails harvest canât bounce right back to around the 10-year average of 24,568 white-tailed deer. It was the lowest total since 2011, and about 15 percent lower than the 10-year average harvest of 27,964 animals. Elk: By and large, the elk forecast is really good. That typically makes elk populations easier for biologists to manage through hunting. If we get some weather, weâre probably going to have pretty good harvest rates on cow elk; if not, it will be pretty similar to last year, which was a little bit frustrating. The Bear River Elk Zone was last flown in 2017, and was up by about 40 percent from the last survey in 2010. Hunt details by game unit, harvest statistics, detailed maps of each unit, and hunt areas showing ownership and access can be found using Fish and Game’s Hunt Planner, or hunters can also contact regional Idaho Fish and Game offices. From fries to cheese to wine, Idaho is producing quality products to feed the world and fuel our state. Agriculture remains a fundamentally important part of Idaho’s economy, communities and way of life. Winter fawn survival over the past winter was about 61 percent, which indicates a stable, not increasing population. Too many elk? Hunters can also use preseason scouting to check road and trail accessibility and conditions as well as make landowner contacts if they are planning to hunt on or near private property. So while the elk are there, that doesnât mean theyâre easy to hunt. Idaho agriculture is diverse, abundant and rooted in our history. Thatâs not the case anymore, but now our elk populations in the front country â particularly in Southern Idaho â are doing fantastic.â. When will the 2013 mule deer harvest statistics be available for southeast Idaho? With elk survival and production both ranging from moderate to high, hunters will have plenty of elk to pursue in the Panhandle Region in 2020 and should have a good-to-excellent hunting there. This is primarily to alleviate some of the primary property issues seen in the region. Itâs been so good for so long that good has become average. But over the years, that proportion has shifted and whitetails now represent nearly half of the statewide deer harvest, despite 90 percent of whitetail harvest coming out of just two regions: the Panhandle and Clearwater. So far, thereâs no sign of an EHD or blue tongue outbreak, which are two diseases that can hit in late summer and kill lots of whitetails right before hunting season. 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