Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Sports Afield-Hunt recommendations?????

Last week I commented to a coworker on how many out of state hunting rigs I noticed. Normally seen are Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, California and the like. This year they're also from Minnesota, Iowa, Kentucky, the Dakotas, and even Maryland. An inordinate number from very far away. I jokingly commented on the probability of some magazine writing an article about southeastern Idaho. Today that same coworker produced an article saying this area is the last best chance for mule deer hunters (not word for word but something flowery. You get the idea).

Fast forward three days after opening weekend. My work takes me out and about, and I've had a chance to talk to quite a few of these nonresident hunters as well as locals about how the hunt is going. They aren't having much success even getting around due to extreme weather, limited visibility, and crowds. The deer have long ago been warned and are sitting tight, rarely being seen when you can look. And the deer numbers truly aren't there. All despite the advice of the experts from a magazine. I truly feel for these guys.

This is not a rant about nonresidents hunting here. I hunt as a nonresident more often than not, from Alaska to Texas. I understand the importance of the influx of money they bring. I simply feel bad for the guys who have invested so much money to get here, buy an expensive license, and take time off work for this so called dream hunt. Most are guys just like me who aren't rich but are able to save a little for a hunt now and then. I'm hoping they're having a good time regardless. It's certainly not everything to harvest a trophy everytime but I wish things were better for them. It's quite different from the magazine forecast.

I wonder where these experts get their information?

on the CA. DFG website they have a "deer kill zone map"
that tells you how many deer were killed in what zone archery or rifle, of course the info is two seasons old but more realistic than a magazine article.

Outdoor writers that write "where to go" Should be banned form society. We have a local guy writes for a SW Idaho Newspaper that fits into that category. I will omit the details but he has ruined planned hunts for me and other infractions telling guys where/what in the paper. Opening day the hills were alive with guys where no one usually is, I know had read his recent column.

If I made a hunting decision based on a magazine article, I'd expect to kick my own ass.

They damn sure got it from somebody that doesn't know anything about Idaho's out-of-state license fees and success rates.

Well said.

There it is.

According to some fly shop clerks this past month, an Oregonian writer (Bill Monroe) wrote of getting about 90 hits from steelhead and landing 56 fish on an Oregon Deschutes trip. In the best of years, I've had about 35 or 6 hits and landed 28 fish on nine day trips. The guides and clerks were quite upset when the river was suddenly flooded with crowds of anglers with near all coming off with reports of no fish. Really made it tough on the guides when they could not generate even a tenth of that success on subsequent days. Virtually all agree his claims were bogus, but it sure drew the crowds.

Over the years I've seen several wilderness type settings completely ruined by published reports. We used to have small secret desert lake that provided great fish and near complete isolation even on holidays. After a couple of published reports, one could troop down and find 6 or 7 planes and a fleet of motor homes with screaming children and barking dogs. Haven't gone back in near 15 years. Never ever divulge your secret spots to those folks.