Help an Idaho newbie

[BULLBLASTER]

Tough love here but I wouldn't recommend somebody who hasn't killed a big game animal do this.

I'd reccomend a deer tag. Either plan mule deer in October or whitetail in November. Looking for the best OTC deer and elk unit will get you neither.

Thank you for your input, but I am a new hunter (perhaps always will be "new"?) with no friends or family who hunt, so I am having to make my own way here. Half of these forums say "Get the hell out of Washington and hunt out of state if you want a better hunt experience/odds" so, here I am trying to figure it out.

I was talking about Idaho

I understood what you meant, I was just saying that everytime I talk about the hard time I am having in WA half these forums tell me to stop hunting WA and to go elsewhere. So, here I am.

I’ll second the Jon on starting with deer. Lots of opportunity and long seasons for deer. It’ll get your feet wet so to speak.

[Jonathan_S]

There is tons of pretty informative references on here, on Rokslide, monstermuleys, longe range hunting etc. for planning a two weeks deer hunt.

If you're good at googling and compiling information, you can put a solid game plan together.

[Jonathan_S]

https://idfg.idaho.gov/question/can-i-harvest-deer-and-put-my-non-resident-elk-tag-it

[Antlershed]

Deer or Elk ? Bow or Rifle ?

Both deer and elk (I believe theres season overlap) with a focus on elk, and rifle.

Yes, lots of areas have partial season overlap. 10 days is a fairly tight window to tag out on both, but it’s definitely possible.

Thank you! I could probably push out to 14 days. What would be good dates to aim for? Opener? I am trying to drag my buddies along and I want to give them dates to work with =)

IMO, based on what I learned last year, there are advantages and disadvantages either way you go (beginning vs end of season).

As far as having both a deer and an Elk tag, I guess it depends on if you’re ok with eating one of them if it doesn’t pan out. If someone puts an elk down, you also have to consider how much hunting time will be lost packing meat out. 

[meatwhack]

If the cost of both tags isn’t financially overwhelming then buy both. If it’s something you’re going to have to save a few years for than one tag may be a better option.

[Jburke]

We typically spend 9 days total with a day on each end for setup/tear down.  IF I could swing a full two week trip I
d probably buy the deer tag also, but with 7 days I'd much rather spend the time hunting elk.  I can always go to town and buy a deer tag later if we tag out early enough assuming there are still tags available.

[idaho guy]

You aren’t allowed to shoot a deer with your elk tag. You can shoot a bear or cougar or wolf but NOT a deer.

To shoot a deer you will need a deer tag.

  that could be a really expensive deer using your elk tag

[idaho guy]

Tough love here but I wouldn't recommend somebody who hasn't killed a big game animal do this.

I'd reccomend a deer tag. Either plan mule deer in October or whitetail in November. Looking for the best OTC deer and elk unit will get you neither.

Thank you for your input, but I am a new hunter (perhaps always will be "new"?) with no friends or family who hunt, so I am having to make my own way here. Half of these forums say "Get the hell out of Washington and hunt out of state if you want a better hunt experience/odds" so, here I am trying to figure it out.

I was talking about Idaho

I understood what you meant, I was just saying that everytime I talk about the hard time I am having in WA half these forums tell me to stop hunting WA and to go elsewhere. So, here I am.

I’ll second the Jon on starting with deer. Lots of opportunity and long seasons for deer. It’ll get your feet wet so to speak.

Third vote for just the deer tag. More likely to have success and easier to deal with after you’re successful!For a newer hunter that is great advice

[Jonathan_S]

You aren’t allowed to shoot a deer with your elk tag. You can shoot a bear or cougar or wolf but NOT a deer.

To shoot a deer you will need a deer tag.

  that could be a really expensive deer using your elk tag

Yeah lol only be several thousand   

[huntnnw]

Id also just concentrate on 1 specie. You will learn a lot about the area you choose this year and help better give you a better feel about the following year if you choose to hunt the same spot and if it will be worth having 2 tags in your pocket.

[lord grizzly]

Guess I’ll give you the advice no one else will. Your post indicate your a new hunter and it sounds like available time may be an issue. That being the case driving a state away once a year is not your avenue to success. The internet has done a great job of making people believe all you need to do is drop a bunch of money on name brand “ backcountry” gear, drive to Idaho, hike 2 miles from the road ( if I had a nickel I swear) and kill a monster bull to post on instagram. It’s not the case bud.

Find an area you can spend a bunch of time in. If that’s a 1 or 2 hour drive you’ll go there a bunch more. Go every weekend. Learn the mountains, learn the drainages and trails. Learn the best way to get from one ridge to the next if you glass up a buck so your not blowing everything out of the country trying to find a ash to him. Lean how to hunt. Scout up some animals in the summer and kill them I the fall. Then expand

Or just listen to the internet and spend minimum 2 grand on clothes before you buy your out of state tag. We do appreciate the donation. I’ll

[huntnnw]

id tell anyone to hunt out of state if they haven't to open their eyes to whats out there...this state is by far the worst of any state Ive hunted out west. The only thing great in this state is bears and I cant even say whitetails anymore.

[Antlershed]

id tell anyone to hunt out of state if they haven't to open their eyes to whats out there...this state is by far the worst of any state Ive hunted out west. The only thing great in this state is bears and I cant even say whitetails anymore.

I went out of state last year for the first time. Contrary to what lord grizzly might make you think, all the Idaho residents I encountered were actually very friendly. 

[Magnum_Willys]

Year one is your scouting year.  Year two is your "almost year".  Year three is your "dang so close, shoulda-coulda" year.   Year four is your "darn wolves and newbies moving in year".  Year five - find new area and start over.   

[ljsommer]

You know what I'd really like, honestly? Big open spaces where I can see more than 10 feet (Western Washington hunting is such a joy...) and I can get into some country where there are fewer hunters and I have some confidence that animals exist. My hunting experience in Western Washington has been frustrating to say the least, and if my continued hunting experience looked like the last two years I likely wouldn't make it past year 5.