Idaho Unit 11 Mule Deer - River Access

[Apples]

I might shoot that one on the first day!!

[andersonjk4]

Can anyone share what the road access is like up on top during the season?  The IDFG wildlife area map shows a few roads that are "open" to motorized travel, but the satellite images show quite a bit of two track type roads beyond the designated roads.  Is motorized travel (ATVs, Side by Sides, etc) beyond the designated roads pretty commonplace?  I hate it when I get back someplace a couple miles and end up getting passed by people on ATV's.   

[Apples]

With the exception of a few main roads, many are foot traffic only.

[huntnnw]

When I hunted the breaks side there was some gated roads and never saw signs of people going around them on atvs.

[andersonjk4]

Ok.  Thats good to know.  I know there are plenty of areas in both ID and WA that a lot of people see road closures and gates as suggestions, and not as rules.   

[bigbullshedhunter]

I'm on that section of river a couple times a week. Seen some good bucks in velvet during summer but now they've seen to move up the mountain. Alot of chukar hunters end up pressuring those animals this time of year.

[gutsnthegrass]

We've seen alot of bucks in the hay fields up on top this summer.  The only problem is that it is almost all private ground up where we are at.

[andersonjk4]

I'm on that section of river a couple times a week. Seen some good bucks in velvet during summer but now they've seen to move up the mountain. Alot of chukar hunters end up pressuring those animals this time of year.

Thanks for the info. Good to hear there are some bucks around. I’m excited to get down there and see what I can turn up.

[andersonjk4]

I am leaving tomorrow to spend the last 7 days of the season trying to find myself a mule deer buck.   

[meatwhack]

Did you make it off the river?

[andersonjk4]

Did you make it off the river?

I ended up camping and hunting from up on top, but ultimately hunted down low. I spent one morning up high then based on what I was seeing (very dry conditions and no animals) and talking with several people I decided to head down to the lower elevations. I did end up finding a few deer down lower.