Winter Grounds

[BPKHunter]

Was up Van Duesen Rd above Emmett to try a little bird hunting sunday. There must have been 200-300 deer per square mile, below the snow line. It get's the same way out in the foothills/flats from Mountain Home this time of year. It's amazing how many animals come down out of the high country. Saw about 100 head of elk also, not as concentrated as usual, small groups here and there. Only had my 8x binos, so I could scour for big bucks but did see one 180 or so buck and a nice 6x6 bull. The most encouraging this is the amount of yearling deer/elk in the masses. I will try and take a camera next time. I hope the winter doesn't get too severe, it's been a big start so far. I didn't even bird hunt as I hate pushing the deer around so much in winter when they are that concentrated. The big sage looked pretty barren. I would hate to find a huge bone yard come April.

 

[matt4695]

I'm in the same boat, I went bird hunting a week ago north of Boise and bagged it because there was so much game. I stay on the main roads with my spotting scope. It's a great time to see all the bucks that made it through hunting season. I love it.

 

[Yoyak]

Hats off to you guys. I wish everyone had the same kinda respect for wintering game herds.

Just the other day I watched some chukar hunters push deer up into chest deep snow so they could look for chukars on the bare snow free face that the deer were bedded. No respect at all.

 

[runamuk]

Yesterday while Chukar hunting i seen no less than 20 shed hunters stomping around pushing Deer all over the place.
They would run one way then bump into more shed hunters turn run another direction and bump into more shed hunters, these Deer never stood a chance to settle down, just back and forth,pretty much on the run all day.
Talked to two different land owners in the area, they are pissed to say the least, these two land owners have a bunch of BLM land land locked and have left their gates wide open for all to access for decades, now brand new locks and no trespassing signs on all their gates.
One even told me he is meeting with that regions F&G commissioner
and is going to demand a season set for shed hunting..
In the last 8 years I have seen a huge increase in the amount of shed hunters, it appears that the compitetion is gettig so bad with all the newbies that nothing seems to matter, but getting that bone before the next guy does..

 

[springbear]

runamuk, I think you are correct. I have sure noticed it a lot more in the last few years.

It is almost as bad as hunting season as far as people running around.

I have no doubt that within the next few years something is going to happen, regulation wise.

 

[MuleyCrazed]

BPKHunter -

I was up Van Duesen Rd. the other weekend and plan on heading up there this weekend. I spend a lot of time in there hunting and shed hunting and have for 17 years! While I was up there I saw a few different chukar hunters walking up draws pushing deer around. That type of stuff irritates me to no end! There is no respect for the game herds. Bucks are already shedding because of the harsh winter and putting pressure on them doesn't help. The number of hunters and shed hunters up that direction, and all over the state, have increased exponetially in the last few years. And now the inconsiderate shed hunters and bird hunters are putting pressure on the herds on the winter range.

There will come a time that F&G will implement a shed hunting season just like Utah. It's not a matter of IF, but WHEN. And they will start shutting areas off during the winter season, just like the Boise front, to let the deer and elk winter. I'm not entirely opposed to that based on the number of inconsiderate degenerates that mess it all up for everyone else.

I spend a lot of time out filming and photographing on the winter range and it makes me angry to see guys pressuring the herds during this time of year. I like finding sheds just as much as the next guy, but you have to draw a line. Wait until the snow has melted and the deer and elk start moving out of the winter range. Bird hunters, find places where the deer and elk aren't congregated to hunt, even if that means less birds!

Sorry, just my two cents for what it's worth. That stuff just irritates me.

So good job BPKHunter for making the ethical choice! Too bad all "outdoorsmen" don't make the simple choices like that. Thanks!

MuleyCrazed
Idaho

 

[beavis14]

the season sounds great with one cavat i am sure the f&g will make us buy a " shed stamp " tag, licence what have you. i personaly don't get this whole shed thing what is the big deal? do people sell them ?

as far as the bird hunters disturbibg the wildlife thats on the f & g. they are the ones that extended the season. the guys are just extending there bird season. it should be closed the 31st like it was forever. snowmachines, bird watchers , bicyclers, dirt bike riders everyone harasses the wintering game. they should be limited on there access if the horn hunters and bird hunters are. my 2 cents.

 

[BPKHunter]

Nice to see the responses to this post. Glad to see others share my concern. It's crazy how dumb the deer get when they bunch like this though. Amazing how often, this time of year, driving down main road, not offroad at all, a fairly large group of deer 50 yds to the rt will feel the need to cross in front of me and run up the hill. Instead they could just move a little farther off to the rt or not move at all. While I don't like to push them, they just don't help themselves some times.

As much as I love to watch wildlife, I would not be against further limitations on wintering grounds. I just can't imaging surviving 24/7 in that weather.

PS The wolves are in the area I described. Saw both wolves and tracks. They where down wind of a small band of wild horses. Any reports of them killing wild horses? I guess if they kill moose they can kill a mustang. That is the one thing that will pit my wife against the wolves, if they start killing her beloved equines.