North Idaho unit 1

[Shooter4]

Any tips on where to start looking for whitetail in this unit around priest lake area? It would be appreciated

[boneaddict]

They literally circle the lake and region around it.   You just have to find a spot where you can see them

[lewy]

Used to hunt 1 a ton but it has gotten to be so thick with the lack of logging. One thing ill say is that you can find whitetails at higher elevations than you'd think

[Jimmy33]

They are everywhere in there. Pick a spot and start hunting.


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[snake]

They are everywhere up there. There aint a bad spot to hunt.  But as already said, your problem will be seeing one, or at least getting a shot at one due to the thick cover.  Your best chance will be sitting and waiting for one to come to you.  If you do a lot of walking, you'll bump a lot of deer and most likely won't get a shot.

[Shooter4]

They literally circle the lake and region around it.   You just have to find a spot where you can see them

we’ll I wouldn’t say everywhere I’ve got a cabin up there and struggle there’s lots of side by sides and activity I have never bought a tag till this year so I don’t know what to expect maybe in October/November when the summer activities are over they come out to clear cuts more often.

[greenhead_killer]

Wait until a little snow flies, then get out and scout. Second week to fourth week of nov can produce good results. Find some sign and get on it.

[Jimmy33]

We have never not filled a tag up there in 20 plus years of hunting. As long as you arent picky


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[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Start scouting now though, before season. Get up super early and catch deer going to water and food. Same deer will be there In November. Also I’ve had success hitting the same clear cuts year after year, if there’s good food the deer and elk will be around. Up higher you can still find Muleys but tougher to find for sure, esp mature bucks. Near the lake is more whitey country. Good luck! Unit 1 is so popular I couldn’t get a tag in there this year so I settled for unit 2! Ha!

[Jimmy33]

Start scouting now though, before season. Get up super early and catch deer going to water and food. Same deer will be there In November. Also I’ve had success hitting the same clear cuts year after year, if there’s good food the deer and elk will be around. Up higher you can still find Muleys but tougher to find for sure, esp mature bucks. Near the lake is more whitey country. Good luck! Unit 1 is so popular I couldn’t get a tag in there this year so I settled for unit 2! Ha!

Unit 2 is a great unit also


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[Shooter4]

We have never not filled a tag up there in 20 plus years of hunting. As long as you arent picky


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picky as I’m taking spikes or is there at least some quality

[Jimmy33]

We have never not filled a tag up there in 20 plus years of hunting. As long as you arent picky


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picky as I’m taking spikes or is there at least some quality

There are definitely good bucks up there but im talking about just plain snd simply filling your freezer at some point.


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[Naches Sportsman]

Know where you are when you’re hunting up there. Some weird easement stuff in Unit 1 related to timber ground being sold in the past. Some roads off the highways going through private that you think might be possible access to state and usfs aren’t actually public.

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Start scouting now though, before season. Get up super early and catch deer going to water and food. Same deer will be there In November. Also I’ve had success hitting the same clear cuts year after year, if there’s good food the deer and elk will be around. Up higher you can still find Muleys but tougher to find for sure, esp mature bucks. Near the lake is more whitey country. Good luck! Unit 1 is so popular I couldn’t get a tag in there this year so I settled for unit 2! Ha!

Unit 2 is a great unit also


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I’m sure it is, it’s just that grandmas cabin on the lake is nice to come back to in the evening and stoke a fire. But I’ll get after it in Unit 2 and see if I can’t turn up some bucks.
Back to unit 1, IMO if you can hunt for several days mid to late November, and have some patience, you can kill a decent buck, maybe even a trophy. If you just wanna fill the freezer and don’t have tons of time that can be done too. I’ve always hunted south of the lake and east shore areas. Lots of great access. Try to put boots on the ground now and find the beds and feeding areas.

[boneaddict]

picky as I’m taking spikes or is there at least some quality

There are some giant bucks up there.  Before the invent of the trail camera many of them were never “seen” by man, except for maybe a week or two in November.

[Jimmy33]

Unit 1, especially the farther north you go above the lake, is truly a cool and frustrating place to hunt whitetails. As mentioned earlier, ive hunted in for a long time and I have seen some nice bucks up there. It is truly a mountain whitetail hunt. You can get lucky hunting that country but time will be needed to be successful. Most people that I have met do not like hunting it because of the terrain/foliage combination. It is, in a lot of places, thick goat country. The only thing I can tell you is that those whitetail, especially the big ones, spend 95% of their life life living on a small ridge in the middle of no where.  It is a special place. You can find solitude, and a great buck, but also, no matter how long you’ve hunted it, you can go days without seeing a deer. The Salmo in Washington is no different. If you are looking to hunt areas that have more accessible deer, some of the units farther south will have the “Spokane County” whitetail look most people want. More pines and less tamaracks. Good luck on your hunt!


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[Shooter4]

Unit 1, especially the farther north you go above the lake, is truly a cool and frustrating place to hunt whitetails. As mentioned earlier, ive hunted in for a long time and I have seen some nice bucks up there. It is truly a mountain whitetail hunt. You can get lucky hunting that country but time will be needed to be successful. Most people that I have met do not like hunting it because of the terrain/foliage combination. It is, in a lot of places, thick goat country. The only thing I can tell you is that those whitetail, especially the big ones, spend 95% of their life life living on a small ridge in the middle of no where.  It is a special place. You can find solitude, and a great buck, but also, no matter how long you’ve hunted it, you can go days without seeing a deer. The Salmo in Washington is no different. If you are looking to hunt areas that have more accessible deer, some of the units farther south will have the “Spokane County” whitetail look most people want. More pines and less tamaracks. Good luck on your hunt!


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good info unfortunately I have had 3 cams stolen up there so a little skeptical about setting those

[kodiak06]

I think everyone's calling it thick country because they are used to spot and stalk and have never hunted WT in the more prominent WT states. It's just timber hunting like most every other whitetail states. They will prefer some areas more than others but, that's all species. Whitetails like to travel the beaten path unlike these dang blacktail that just go. I recently spent a week scouting up there. Escouting was fun but, the areas I liked most online are now bottom of my hunt list areas. Plenty of deer but, for the non-res fee I'm not meat hunting. Next year I think I'll do Wa and Id at the same time hunting near the state lines.

[dromero]

Find/access roads now, then plan on those roads having snow. Not un usual to get 6-12" of snow depending on elevation and weather systems. If the road is rough pre snow could be trickier in November. Also plan on hunting pressure from other hunters come late season.

[Rob]

When do folks see the Rut in Northern ID usually hit?  Nov 15-30?

[boneaddict]

starts about the 12th, peak action about the 19th, action can dwindle well into December

[Kascade_Killer]

starts about the 12th, peak action about the 19th, action can dwindle well into December

Without fail just across the border in WA a light switch gets turned on 11/12. They’ll be sniffin the couple days prior and full on chasing 12-24th. Important to catch them while still chasing when they get locked up on a group of does that are hot they hunker down for a few days.

Every spot is all little different but the 12th is a good rule of thumb. You’ll find if you hunt the same spots year after year the does in that area go into heat at almost exactly the same day every year. It’s almost weird how routine it is…

[Rob]

Great, thanks!

[pd]

Many knowledgeable (and local) guys have already commented.

WT used to be part of the target hunt during the B tag rifle main season.  Anymore, it seems like this is a Thanksgiving morning hunt if there is a good amount of snow.  On the roads... 

As others have said, the actual rut might be a bit earlier than this, but bucks will be down low, moving, and visible.  You might consider focusing on that season, if you don't have any other plans.

[Jimmy33]

When do folks see the Rut in Northern ID usually hit?  Nov 15-30?

I always plan on being over there starting around the 14th and hunting for about the next week.


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[Rob]

This is all helpful for me.  Whitetail are new for me.  All my deer experience is with desert mulies.

This will be my first year hunting Idaho.  Moved here last year and was not able to get out due to some family medical issues.

[dromero]

Also grunt tube and rattling antlers are a plus. IMO. I've had quite a few bucks sneak in on rattling antlers.

[TeacherMan]

starts about the 12th, peak action about the 19th, action can dwindle well into December

100% spot on 🤙🏻

[boneaddict]

By the way, if you shoot an animal, keep your eyes open, there are plentiful enough grizz in the area to be aware.   

[fishngamereaper]

By the way, if you shoot an animal, keep your eyes open, there are plentiful enough grizz in the area to be aware.

And cats.
Had cat tracks following ours several times in the snow...seems they associate hunter's with easy access to meat.

[highcountry_hunter]

By the way, if you shoot an animal, keep your eyes open, there are plentiful enough grizz in the area to be aware.

For sure. This spring a hunter from the Midwest was on a spring bear hunt and shot and killed a grizzler bear just north of priest lake. Mistook it for a black bear and self reported


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[10thmountainarcher]

https://igbconline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Selkirk_Grizzly_Bear_Annual_Report_2020.pdf

There are a ton of Grizzlies in the area!

[leonpeon2]

Not to hijack this thread.
I’m headed to unit 1 around the 9th of November. Is it true you can’t bring back any of the bones unless cooked? I usually cut it all up once home 

Also thank for all the useful information I’ve been reading threw all the comments and taking notes for myself. 

Always got an Idaho wolf tag , never know!

[CarbonHunter]

Not to hijack this thread.
I’m headed to unit 1 around the 9th of November. Is it true you can’t bring back any of the bones unless cooked? I usually cut it all up once home 

Also thank for all the useful information I’ve been reading threw all the comments and taking notes for myself. 

Always got an Idaho wolf tag , never know!

I’m not even sure if you can bring cooked bones back. Everything must be deboned before bringing it into Washington regardless of state or province for deer and elk.

[GASoline71]

Not to hijack this thread.
I’m headed to unit 1 around the 9th of November. Is it true you can’t bring back any of the bones unless cooked? I usually cut it all up once home 

Also thank for all the useful information I’ve been reading threw all the comments and taking notes for myself. 

Always got an Idaho wolf tag , never know!

Deer, Elk, Moose and Caribou have to be boned out.

Listed on page 67 of the regs under CWD import restrictions.

Gary