Help an Idaho newbie

[Naches Sportsman]

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.

Go take a weekend road trip to Eastern Wa and take a coyote gun and some whiskey (for the farmers) with you and knock on some doors. You'd get permission this time of year to shoot coyotes and possibly deer hunt in the fall and it's cheaper to hunt in your home state.

TBH, the north half of Idaho forests are pretty darn thick too.

[ljsommer]

I also have a decent off-road truck (2017 tacoma off-road with some good tires) and I was thinking of finding some fire-roads that are just too gnarly for the regular Joe to drive up, just to help get me to places that are further out. I know a couple roads in Issaquah that match this description and there's bound to be tons more.

[bornhunter]

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.

Go take a weekend road trip to Eastern Wa and take a coyote gun and some whiskey (for the farmers) with you and knock on some doors. You'd get permission this time of year to shoot coyotes and possibly deer hunt in the fall and it's cheaper to hunt in your home state.

TBH, the north half of Idaho forests are pretty darn thick too.

Good advice. I knocked a couple of doors on property that was so heavily posted tou would think the owner had stock in no trespassing signs. When the guy heard I was after coyotes, I ended up in his truck with him and he took me around to five different pieces of ground and told me to get as many as I could. Careful with offering booze now days though. Some over there may think you may be on the hootch while you are hunting.

[theleo]

I also have a decent off-road truck (2017 tacoma off-road with some good tires) and I was thinking of finding some fire-roads that are just too gnarly for the regular Joe to drive up, just to help get me to places that are further out. I know a couple roads in Issaquah that match this description and there's bound to be tons more.

#1) If you can drive there, others can to. Don't plan on driving to a secluded spot.

#2) The gnarly roads are the un-maintained, tire eating, BLM roads.   

[Jonathan_S]

The gnarly roads are easy peasy for the ATV/UTV crowd (Idaho) and they can go anywhere with any semblance of a road.

[ljsommer]

Oh, ok, well darn. So is the overall consensus here that going to ID is a great idea, but don't try for elk?

[idahohuntr]

Oh, ok, well darn. So is the overall consensus here that going to ID is a great idea, but don't try for elk?

That would probably be the best way to start.  Success rates are way higher and you can select units with long seasons to avoid crowds that take some of the fun out of hunting.  Choose an area that has OTC elk opportunity and it can serve as some scouting for a future potential elk hunt. If you decide to focus on deer, I would narrow it down a little further and decide if you want to focus on whitetails or muleys.  Central and Northern Idaho are the bulk of whitetails and the southern half of Idaho is mostly mule deer.  Lots of areas they overlap too - and a general deer tag, depending on unit and date, you can shoot either with the same tag.  Relative to Washington, I think you will find Idaho a very enjoyable place to hunt.

[theleo]

Oh, ok, well darn. So is the overall consensus here that going to ID is a great idea, but don't try for elk?

I'd say that for a new hunter it's better to get your feet wet with harvesting a deer first before tackling elk hunting, regardless of what state you do it in. As to Idaho being the state to go hunting, just about anywhere short of California and Oregon offers better rifle opportunities than Washington.

[Mr Mykiss]

If $416 is a risk than don't buy an elk tag.
I'm a gambler so I'll bet on anything...I say buy both tags if you can.
Not sure who you are or your current life situation but if by chance you're a single dude with time and money to burn I'd buy a deer/elk/wolf tag for about a grand, google scout 11 places to possibly camp/hunt/backpack into, spend 10 days driving/hiking/camping around in Idaho and call it an adventure that you will treasure the rest of your life with no regrets.

[grade-creek-rd]

I agree with Mr. Mykiss...and even if you just opt for a deer tag, most units are open at the same time during the general season (be sure to check though) and spend the entire week or so out "scouting" while hunting...a few units even offer "either sex" hunts and maybe make that for the final few days so you have a better chance at filling the tag. This way you will get to explore Idaho and figure out which areas you like best and get a great hunt out of it...maybe save the elk tag money for gas and groceries on this one and make it a road trip. Sure you won't be in the "backcountry" but Idaho offers some great hunts at high elevations as well as rolling hills. Then you will have a much better idea on where you really want to concentrate for future trips.

Grade

[huntnnw]

there are no shortages of roads and atv trails in ID and everyone has a quad in the back of the truck

[blackveltbowhunter]

   

   sommer, the best advice I can give is do what makes YOU happy. If an adventure out of state, with the thought of a more arid country in the big West sounds more enjoyable to you than tromping around in the rain soaked forest then do it!!

   Now for the cautions, I agree with Lord Grizzly ( not an Idaho resident here  ) I truly believe time in the woods will pay off greater rewards long term, and generally speaking closer is better for that. A private timber pass might be money better spent if just trying to get into the woods and maybe have better chance of getting into animals. Again it all depends.

    OTC Idaho is no joke, ( I only have real world experience in archery seasons ) you will still likely encounter hunter pressure, rugged country, and 4 point bucks and 6 point bulls are not everywhere. It will take time, research, boot leather and some luck to get into a honey hole.  I have known hunters who thought it was the ticket and were very disappointed ( and significant others ) after fronting the additional cost of the out of state experience. If those are irrelevant factors for you awesome, see above and do what makes you happy.

  Personally I would get all the tags if there's even a chance of getting into both critters at the same time.

  Also its been mentioned much of central to northern Idaho is heavily forested and very similar to hunting west side timber CO, if that not your gig then look outside that for your experience. IMO

   If simply getting some game under your belt is the goal, I would look into options to the east , antlerless opportunities in Washington or possibly Idaho or even at spending some money on a guided trip. Yes the cost might be higher, but if done correctly at the very least you will come away with an education.

[johnsc6]

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

This is the most truthful advice you were given advice .....

[idaho guy]

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

This is the most truthful advice you were given advice .....

This is good advice. Its the reason I cant get on the bandwagon of applying in a bunch of western states. Even if the hunting is way better I am giving up a lot of local knowledge of the woods that I spend and have spent tons of time in. Travel time is a big factor for me also. Knowledge of your hunting area is huge that's why I have only hunted Montana and Idaho. (except Ak for things like caribou that don't live here!) If you want to come to Idaho go for it! Sometimes just the adventure of checking out new places is worth it but its not necessarily the short route to success. Sometimes I will go hunt completely new areas to me just to check them out sometimes its a bust and sometimes a big success. Time to learn the area is the big factor.  And luck    

[bobcat]

It can be good advice to hunt close to home and learn your area thoroughly. The problem with that theory in Washington is that much of the land that used to be open to hunting, is not anymore, or is only open on a limited basis to those who buy an access permit. The majority of the area I used to hunt here in southwest Washington I can no longer hunt.

So the attraction to driving to other states to hunt, at least for me, is the vast amount of public lands. And the fact that due to all the public land, hunters are much more spread out than they are in Washington. It's just a much more enjoyable experience, whether you harvest an animal or not. Yes, I could drive to eastern Washington to hunt, and I do sometimes, and where I go is a 7 hour drive. But I can go to Wyoming or Montana in 14 hours. It's twice as far but well worth it, in my opinion.