North Idaho unit 1

[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.