Idaho harvest summary is published

[kselkhunter]

Didn't see it posted, so figured I'd post it.
https://idfg.idaho.gov/press/harvest-hunter-numbers-down-deer-and-elk-2019

Interesting numbers.  Looks like the deer decline is due to the couple of harsh winters.  But elk seems to be holding well. 

[Stein]

I wish it went back further than 10 years, 20 at least would be nice to put some of the challenges in perspective as we could see what the impact over time is.

[Bango skank]

I wish it went back further than 10 years, 20 at least would be nice to put some of the challenges in perspective as we could see what the impact over time is.

Especially since its been 25 years now since the feds released wolves in idaho.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

I wish it went back further than 10 years, 20 at least would be nice to put some of the challenges in perspective as we could see what the impact over time is.

Especially since its been 25 years now since the feds released wolves in idaho.

No, you'd have to go back even farther to the 60s and 70s so you could observe a total herd collapse before there were any wolves to blame.  Somewhere there is a chart from those days. It's been a while since I've seen it, but I'll try to find it.

[elkboy]

I don't think this winter was too hard on the deer.  Should be good overwintering survival.  My local whitetails barely even showed any rib this winter. 

[bearpaw]

I wish it went back further than 10 years, 20 at least would be nice to put some of the challenges in perspective as we could see what the impact over time is.

You can see back to 2000 by going to the harvest page: https://idfg.idaho.gov/ifwis/huntplanner/stats/

[Sitka_Blacktail]

I wish it went back further than 10 years, 20 at least would be nice to put some of the challenges in perspective as we could see what the impact over time is.

Stein, I was a little concerned until I read this report closer.  At first look 2019 was below the 10 year average for whitetails. Then I read this. 

"The harvest in 2019 fell below the 10-year average of 24,568, but keep in mind, this was a record-setting 10-year stretch for whitetail hunters in Idaho. The all-time harvest record of 30,342 was set in 2015, and eight of the top 10 harvest years for whitetails occurred over the past 10 years. That includes 2019, which narrowly made the top-10 and was the tenth-best season in Idaho history."

So even though 2019 was below the 10 year average for whitetails it was the #10 all time year in the history of Idaho for whitetail harvest. And that includes all the years before wolf re-introduction.  This hardly seems like something we should view as gloom and doom.  And then this.....

"Declines in the antlerless harvest made up about two-thirds of the drop in the overall harvest: Hunters took 2,400 fewer antlerless whitetails in 2019"   

All in all I don't see what the fuss is about other than some people are upset they aren't killing as many trophy bucks as they'd like.

As  for elk, it looks like more of the same.

"For the sixth straight year, Idaho elk hunters harvested more than 20,000 elk, good for the second best stretch in the state’s history. Going back to 1935, only a nine-year run that started in 1988 – the first year that hunters harvested more than 20,000 elk in the state – and ran through the mid-1990s ranks higher."

And mule deer? They are down for sure, but it looks from the report like a couple of bad winters are responsible for that.

All in all I'd say the managers are on top of things and despite 2019 being down a little, There is no reason to panic.

As I mentioned above in another post, I have seen an old chart somewhere on line that shows I'daho's harvest starting back in the 30s or so up to the present. If I can find it again I'll post it.  What I do remember from it is, The early years, harvest was relatively low then it built until the early 70's when a couple bad winters wiped herds out and the harvests plunged. They eventually started growing again.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

OK this isn't the chart I was talking about, but it goes back to 1978.  This report is from 2002. Scroll down to page 5 and you'll see the graph of whitetail deer harvests from 1978-2000.  !978 harvest appears to be about 7,000 whitetails and that is up from the early 70s.

https://collaboration.idfg.idaho.gov/WildlifeTechnicalReports/WT%20Deer%20PR01.pdf

What is really interesting is to read the overviews and historical perspectives and habitat and biological issues. It gives you a better idea of what a biologist has to consider to do their job well.  It also shows the importance of different habitats and how a bad winter or two can really change the landscape. Informative reading if you have the time.

   

[follow maggie]

Does anyone know if Idaho publishes the numbers for each individual unit or tag? I'm trying to find the number for where I hunted elk last year. Gohunt comes to 2018 and I can't find any at all on the Idaho fish & game site.

[ballpark]

https://idfg.idaho.gov/ifwis/huntplanner/stats/?season=general&game=deer&yr=2019

2019 harvest quota not out yet.  Don't know if this is what you are looking for.

[follow maggie]

https://idfg.idaho.gov/ifwis/huntplanner/stats/?season=general&game=deer&yr=2019

2019 harvest quota not out yet.  Don't know if this is what you are looking for.

Thank you. I think that'll get me there when they're done with them.