North Idaho whitetail hunt

[Shooter4]

Definitely one of the worst hunts I did all year will not be purchasing again 🤣

[HillHound]

Dang that stinks.
We went way north a few years ago and saw very little other than some moose and lots of wolf sign. Only buck we saw that year was a 2x1 we couldn’t bring ourselves to shoot. We were ran into a ditch by boarder patrol flying around a corner doing 50. They  must of been on to someone because they didn’t even slow down. That was the most excitement we had that year

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Definitely one of the worst hunts I did all year will not be purchasing again 🤣

Can you describe the specific details that sucked?

I hunted Unit 1 and had trouble turning up bucks

Many new hunters joyriding all day on machines seemed to keep animals pinned down all day, more nocturnal activity from what we noticed. High pressure hunting in areas that used to be all ours. Word is out.

[Shooter4]

Dang that stinks.
We went way north a few years ago and saw very little other than some moose and lots of wolf sign. Only buck we saw that year was a 2x1 we couldn’t bring ourselves to shoot. We were ran into a ditch by boarder patrol flying around a corner doing 50. They  must of been on to someone because they didn’t even slow down. That was the most excitement we had that year

Sounds like we were in the same area by a lake 🤣

[addicted1]

I was wondering if I was the only one having trouble up there. Seemed like a lot of road hunters and side-by-sides flying around some of the areas I was in. Definity didn't see many deer, heck I went days without seeing any (but, that probably had more to do with my hunting method). Couple of other hunters from Washington were staying next to me, never got to see how they faired before they took off.

[TeacherMan]

I live in Idaho and we had a rough time filling our doe tags in unit 1 last yr. We actually only filled 1 of the 2. I didn’t put in for the extra deer tags up there this yr. We hunted about 3 hrs north of our home territory. Only saw one buck in 3 days (he was a heavy 4 pt) and he was on private along with most the doe we did see.

[meatwhack]

Unit 1 can be rough.

[boneaddict]

I hate side by sides

[baldopepper]

I was starting to think I missed a reg change requiring you to have one to hunt.

[Shooter4]

Definitely one of the worst hunts I did all year will not be purchasing again 🤣

Can you describe the specific details that sucked?

I hunted Unit 1 and had trouble turning up bucks

Many new hunters joyriding all day on machines seemed to keep animals pinned down all day, more nocturnal activity from what we noticed. High pressure hunting in areas that used to be all ours. Word is out.

Lots of people even during the week also driving behind gates in 4 wheelers ect.. animals were locked down during the day all day

[Shooter4]

I was starting to think I missed a reg change requiring you to have one to hunt.

What do you mean by this

[Shooter4]

I would be curious to see what the non res to res ratio was up there maybe cut back on some more tags!

[addicted1]

I would be curious to see what the non res to res ratio was up there maybe cut back on some more tags!

I didn’t see anyone from out of state when I was hunting, judging by plates. I was looking at every vehicle to see, so definitely the time frame I was there I didn’t think a lot. When I stopped at the check station, warden mentioned I was only the second person from Washington that knew the requirements for transporting game into the state. So, I am guessing they didn’t see too many either.

[Jimmy33]

We have been hunting Unit 1 and 2 for a very long time. Deer densities are lower than the southern units for sure but the hunting can be very good. It is a different hunt though. Unit 1/2 are true mountain whitetail hunts. Most of the hunting occurs in the old growth and it starts with working scrape lines, benches, saddles, and ridges. There are several days you will not see a deer and some days in the snow you may not cut a track. But you learn to hunt bucks where they live and eventually your paths will cross. The people who are hunting the roads and using atvs usually will not be very successful, especially on bucks. I have always wanted to hunt some of the southern panhandle units but Im not sure I would enjoy it as much. I really love the solitude and  effort 1 and the far northeastern portion of Washington and NW Montana provide. Many people on this forum have heard me say “I just cant quit the panhandle.”  I love hunting up there.


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[Shooter4]

We have been hunting Unit 1 and 2 for a very long time. Deer densities are lower than the southern units for sure but the hunting can be very good. It is a different hunt though. Unit 1/2 are true mountain whitetail hunts. Most of the hunting occurs in the old growth and it starts with working scrape lines, benches, saddles, and ridges. There are several days you will not see a deer and some days in the snow you may not cut a track. But you learn to hunt bucks where they live and eventually your paths will cross. The people who are hunting the roads and using atvs usually will not be very successful, especially on bucks. I have always wanted to hunt some of the southern panhandle units but Im not sure I would enjoy it as much. I really love the solitude and  effort 1 and the far northeastern portion of Washington and NW Montana provide. Many people on this forum have heard me say “I just cant quit the panhandle.”  I love hunting up there.


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We’ll that’s makes one of us haha I grew up hunting blacktail and the terrain is very similar wet and steep

[Jimmy33]

We have been hunting Unit 1 and 2 for a very long time. Deer densities are lower than the southern units for sure but the hunting can be very good. It is a different hunt though. Unit 1/2 are true mountain whitetail hunts. Most of the hunting occurs in the old growth and it starts with working scrape lines, benches, saddles, and ridges. There are several days you will not see a deer and some days in the snow you may not cut a track. But you learn to hunt bucks where they live and eventually your paths will cross. The people who are hunting the roads and using atvs usually will not be very successful, especially on bucks. I have always wanted to hunt some of the southern panhandle units but Im not sure I would enjoy it as much. I really love the solitude and  effort 1 and the far northeastern portion of Washington and NW Montana provide. Many people on this forum have heard me say “I just cant quit the panhandle.”  I love hunting up there.


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We’ll that’s makes one of us haha I grew up hunting blacktail and the terrain is very similar wet and steep

I think a lot about hunting blacktail. I grew up hunting mulies and whitetail and have shot many of both. I think I would like hunting blacktail.


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[cem3434]

I was starting to think I missed a reg change requiring you to have one to hunt.

What do you mean by this

I think he means that you cannot go behind a gate without running into one as in it's a "must" for anyone hunting in North Idaho. I have been out in unit 6 since Wednesday and I have yet to see another person outside of our party that's not either road hunting from a truck or side by side.

[baldopepper]

I was starting to think I missed a reg change requiring you to have one to hunt.

What do you mean by this

Mostly just kidding, but seemed every backroad around my area was loaded with them and seemed about every other rig on the main road had one in a trailer or truck bed. I don't care if people use them responsibly, just surprised how many there were.

[10thmountainarcher]

We have been hunting Unit 1 and 2 for a very long time. Deer densities are lower than the southern units for sure but the hunting can be very good. It is a different hunt though. Unit 1/2 are true mountain whitetail hunts. Most of the hunting occurs in the old growth and it starts with working scrape lines, benches, saddles, and ridges. There are several days you will not see a deer and some days in the snow you may not cut a track. But you learn to hunt bucks where they live and eventually your paths will cross. The people who are hunting the roads and using atvs usually will not be very successful, especially on bucks. I have always wanted to hunt some of the southern panhandle units but Im not sure I would enjoy it as much. I really love the solitude and  effort 1 and the far northeastern portion of Washington and NW Montana provide. Many people on this forum have heard me say “I just cant quit the panhandle.”  I love hunting up there.


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Bingo, seeing all the hunters has never bothered me. The majority of them will never be .5 mile from the roadway. It’s not a gimme, but I was able to harvest a deer my first day ever hunting it. I would assume this was the case due to over 25 years of experience hunting the NE corner of this state.