Hi I’m new to the forums so sorry if this has already been asked. This was my first year of hunting in unit 39 and 43 and it didn’t turn out so well but was still fun. I have no clue where I should be looking for mule deer during the month of October. I went to blacks creek with no luck and then went up to trinity mountain and seen some does but no bucks. I was at about 6,000 feet elevation at trinity mountain with some light snow where I seen the does. Assuming it was too late because of the last week of October and there was mild snow I went down south again back to blacks creek. Should I have stayed up there? I want to understand more about how the mule deer behave during this time and if I should have gone higher or went lower like I did. Thank you.
South West Idaho Mule Deer Hunt
- Thread starter ColtonJDF
- Start date
In early/mid October look for steep country with heavier cover than what you would in say August/September. Once it gets to be later in the month it's not a bad idea to look for does, especially if the weather changes.
unit 39 and 43 get hammered in the general.
the deer generally start moving out of the high country around mid october depending on weather conditions .
if you can time that magic week when the weather gets em moving 39 can be a fantastik hunt.
when they start moving out . just hunt the ridges above the main drainages .( south , middle and north forks of boise)
early season you will find them . anywhere from the lower foothills to the higher mtns. 4000 - 9500 .
during this time I would recommend getting high at daylight and dusk and glassing where many don't want to go. during the hot hours when deer aren't moving much, still hunt the deep dark timber . or just keep glassing and hope one of the thousands of hunters will push em around.
I have on several occasions over the years watched a hunter walk down a ridge on one side of a treeline while deer (often bucks ) went right up the other side with the hunter never even knowing he was within 50 yards of deer . lol. love seeing those things ,maybe even more then actually killing a deer!
I have hunted those units for many years and there are big deer to be had in those units but your going to work for em.
2x2,3x3 and even small 4x4 bucks are fairly common. bigger ones not so much. but they are around for those who earn it.
don't even know if they still have the november archery hunt in 39 or not ?? if so the foothill ridges from blacks creek clear to mtn home can be awesome. much is public but be aware of the private lands borders.
the deer generally start moving out of the high country around mid october depending on weather conditions .
if you can time that magic week when the weather gets em moving 39 can be a fantastik hunt.
when they start moving out . just hunt the ridges above the main drainages .( south , middle and north forks of boise)
early season you will find them . anywhere from the lower foothills to the higher mtns. 4000 - 9500 .
during this time I would recommend getting high at daylight and dusk and glassing where many don't want to go. during the hot hours when deer aren't moving much, still hunt the deep dark timber . or just keep glassing and hope one of the thousands of hunters will push em around.
I have on several occasions over the years watched a hunter walk down a ridge on one side of a treeline while deer (often bucks ) went right up the other side with the hunter never even knowing he was within 50 yards of deer . lol. love seeing those things ,maybe even more then actually killing a deer!
I have hunted those units for many years and there are big deer to be had in those units but your going to work for em.
2x2,3x3 and even small 4x4 bucks are fairly common. bigger ones not so much. but they are around for those who earn it.
don't even know if they still have the november archery hunt in 39 or not ?? if so the foothill ridges from blacks creek clear to mtn home can be awesome. much is public but be aware of the private lands borders.
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day we quit learning is the day we mights well give up the ghost.
IF you kill a monster there next year ,I expect pics!
IF you kill a monster there next year ,I expect pics!
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