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Archives for January 2015

Mule deer hunting in Idaho

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The key to mule deer hunting in Idaho is of course field glassing.  Success or failure will greatly depend on how proficient you are at looking long distances and being able to resolve what you are looking at.

 

There is no magic potion or set of instructions to help teach glassing.  It basically just take many hundreds of hours with your eyes glued to your binoculars or spotting scope and learning what mule deer look like at great distances.  The only thing I can really tell you is you’re going to have to learn how to be meticulous.  For most people glassing for hours on end seems monotonous, but let me reassure you that there is no substitution for success.

 

When you think of the time, effort and money you’ll put into  mule deer hunting in Idaho, it makes no sense to go cheap on optics.  You’re going to have to spend a minimum of 500 dollars on binoculars and 900 on a spotting scope if not more.  Personally I think leupold does a respectable job and of course Swarovski, Zeiss and Leica are excellent but you’re going to have to pony up some dough.  Regardless, you’re going to have some spend some money on optics to get proficient at mule deer hunting in Idaho.

On my next post I’ll try to give a few pointers that I’ve found helpful when it comes to mule deer glassing techniques.

Hunting cougar with archery in Idaho

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Hunting cougar with archery in Idaho is an excellent option.  Most shots are 30 yards or less and a good medium weight arrow tipped with a 100 grain broadhead is sufficient.

 

Taking a mountain lion with a bow is not as slam dunk though, as it does present it’s share of challenges.  Bows are typically cumbersome and on a long chase through the rugged Idaho mountains, they can become heavy and get hung up in the brush frequently.  Also I’ve seen many times where ice and snow gathers on arrows during the trek and this can create some accuracy issues.

That being said, a pope and young  cougar is fairly average in Idaho as most mature toms will reach the minimum requirements easily.  Remember that Idaho does not allow mechanical broads so plan accordingly.

Private ranch elk hunts in Idaho

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During a four wheeler ride through the ranch today we came on this nice set of elk sheds in the creek.

 

We will be offering a select handful of archery hunts for elk on our private ranch here in Idaho and a few rifle hunts as well.  Archery season runs the length of September and of course is better in the rut.  Rifle season starts the 10th of October, with the first week being the best.

 

Combination hunts for elk and whitetail deer or mule deer will be available so be sure to ask for availability and pricing.

Private Ranch Mule Deer Hunting and Whitetail Deer Hunting in Idaho

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With the addition of our new private ranch here in Idaho, we’ll be keeping track of the mule deer and whitetail deer hunting as the year progresses.  Archery season runs through September and rifle season starts October the 10th.

 

We’ll keep tabs on the mule deer and whitetail deer as the summer progresses and post some pictures here and there.  We’ll also keep everyone up to speed on the ranch improvements such as road building and fencing as the year progresses.

 

We’re obviously very excited with the new addition of the ranch and look forward to keeping everyone up to speed!

Archery hunting trophy mule deer in Idaho

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Hunting trophy mule deer with archery equipment is as much a test of patience and persistence as it is an art form.

In this particular region of Idaho, most big bucks can be found making it to and from bedding and feeding areas in early September.  The most preferred feeding areas being alfalfa fields or wheat fields etc on a private ranch…

The key isn’t as much finding big mule deer bucks this time of year, but being patient and waiting for the perfect opportunity to put your bow to work.  Even old moss backed bucks tend to stick to a pattern this time of year, but you don’t want to make an ill advised stalk and disrupt his pattern.  Most likely you will have one shot at making a stalk work so choose wisely.

Ground blinds can also be used to archery hunt mule deer in Idaho.  This requires many weeks of scouting and patterning deer and then placing your blind along a trail or section of fence where a trophy buck frequently  walks.  Keep in mind it takes weeks for deer to become familiar with ground blinds so you’ll have to set up well before hunting season starts.
A good outfitter or guide is invaluable in situations like this.  It’s their job to watch and pattern the big bucks many months in advance so when you arrive at the ranch all the guess work is done for you.

Idaho Black Bear Hunt

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Idaho has an excellent reputation for black bear hunting and rightfully so.  Bear numbers meet or exceed target expectations in several key areas of the state, most notably anywhere near the Bitterroot Mountains.

Another positive factor is the high percentage of color phase black bear.  These bears live in diverse terrain ranging from heavily wooded forest to sparsely covered south facing hillsides.  Typically bears that live in on the edge of these two different habitats have the greatest opportunity at being a different color phase than black.  It’s basically a natural selection thing.  More open territory equals lighter colored bears that are harder to see than black ones.  It then creates hundreds of years of genetic bloodlines that produce colored bears of all sorts.

The three most effective ways to hunt bear in Idaho is over bait, with hounds, or spot and stalk.  Typically the spring and early fall season are more laid back with excellent weather and plenty of bear activity.  The evening is typically more active, so ask your outfitter or guide about the possibilities of turkey hunting or fishing while you’re on your Idaho black bear hunt.

Personally I prefer to hunt bears with a 30 caliber rifle.  The 300 wsm is a favorite of mine, but any weapon in this class with high velocity and bullet weight capabilities of over 150 grains will do the trick.  Black bear are tough and it would be a shame to save up and plan for a hunt that didn’t turn out because you are underpowered.  Archery hunting is also an option, but again give yourself the best opportunity to take a bear by using heavier broadheads with large cutting diameter.  Please take note that mechanical broadheads are not yet legal in Idaho so plan accordingly.

Obsessing about Idaho Predators?

Mountain Lion, Bear, or Wolf?

Lets talk about predator hunts.