Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Idaho Whitetail help/advice

I'm not asking for your honey hole, but I can really use some help. I can't get a whitetail buck. I've never got one. (I've got does before.) I live in southeast Idaho. There are whitetails here, but the three places I have the okay to hunt have LOTS of pressure. I haven't seen a buck since the first week of bow season. The bucks come out after legal hours. I have 21 days this year in. Including the last two years, I have 58 days of dedicated whitetail bow, ahotgun, and muzzleloader hunting in, and I've never even had an opportunity for a shot.
I've heard Northern Idaho has lots of whitetail. For those of you who have hunted it, is this your experience? Is it all private, can't-get-permission land like down here, or is there public land that I stand a chance on?
I called F & G. The woman I talked to in Lewiston said to east of town on HWY 12 and walk a forest service road. I called a sporting goods store. First guy said he was busy. Called a store in Kooskia. The woman said lots of deer, just go anywhere. I talked to a guy at the gun range who used to live in Bonner's Ferry. He said go anywhere. Does that sound right, or am I getting blown off?
I'm not just jumping in the car and going because I lost my driver's license three years ago. (No night vision, really bad periphereal, other eye problems.) For me to go up means my wife has to drive me up. I'd have to take the kids out of school. I'd have the extra expense of a hotel for them. They would not like the long drive or the waiting. I am desperate enough and frustrated enough, I'll do it if those of you who have done it think there are enough accesible deer to justify the expense and massive hassle. I can't afford a guided hunt, so that is out. If any of you guys up north need info/ help on an antelope (need to draw 51 or 58) draw elk in the same units, or an over-the-counter mule deer hunt for a mid-20'' buck, maybe we can work something out. (Not giuding, just taking my new friend out who helped me get a whitetail) If you would rather not respond on the forum. please click on my name to send me a note. Thanks for any help, I really want a whitetail buck. (Post Script, I have the statewide whitetail tag that lets me hunt later, not the general tag.)

I grew up in Sandpoint and went to school in Moscow and have only recently (as in this spring) moved out of the state. There really are a lot of whitetails pretty much anywhere north of Riggins. Luckily there is also a lot of public land. In the Orofino/Kooskia area you could try just about anywhere in the Clearwater NF or the Selway-Bitteroot. Either if these offer plenty of public access and plenty of deer. I cant speak for the Coeur d'alene area since I've never hunted it but if you're willing to drive to Sandpoint I could tell you plenty of places to hunt. Just like further south there is plenty of public land in the Selkirks and Cabinets. Another great place to think about is anywhere around Priest Lake.

If you're used to hunting open areas of southern ID then the thick forests of north ID may be a little foreign but believe me there are plenty of nice whitetails running around in that stuff. Move slow and quietly and you'll see deer. I could probably provide some more specific info if you want it. Hopefully others chime in and give you there opinions. This forum is a great place for info like this.

The Palouse around Moscow is good. I never could get the hang of big woods hunting. I always hunted the farmland near Deary. Just start knocking on doors, and someone will let you hunt. My best luck was to find a semi open area and push through it like you were pheasant hunting. Sometimes the bucks would stop just long enough to give you a shot, and other times they wouldn't.

There are lots of open canyons with thick bottoms between Lewiston and Orofino that carry bucks too. Hunt these the same way. If you are hunting in Nov and a doe comes running out be ready.

Thanks guys, that is the kind of information I am looking for. Sage, I noticed that was your first post. Welcome and thanks again. Dog Hunter, I noticed you're from Stevensville. My grandparents are on 1st Ave. I spent a few days at their place this summer visiting.
If I can't connect down here, I'm coming up either the first or second week of Nov. I'm thinking it's not going to happen down here. I was out this morning at one stand. I stayed in till 11:00. Nothing. I stopped to talk to the landowner and ask if they were still seeing them. Just a few does bumped while cutting wood.
Tonight I went to my best stand. I got there early to play it safe. An hour before dark three truck pull up to the far side of the field. (The landowners mechanic, who has permisssion. He brought friends.) These guys sat out in the open, talking loudly enough I could hear them from over three hundred yards. 15 minutes before dark two other trucks came in the other side of the field and parked where the deer come out. (The guys were trespassing.) Yeah, I just don't see it happening down here, but I'll keep trying. I think I'll head up to Kooskia if I don't get one here, that way I can do some steelhead and hunt. Thanks again.

There is also the option of hunting the Lemhi south of Salmon. There are lots of whitetails in the river bottom, but also lots of mulies. It is quite a bit closer to you too. Or just buy a MT tag and hunt from your grandparents place. The difference in fuel might pay for the out of state tag.