IDAHO UNIT 40 Early Season Archery Mule Deer

[208backcountry]

Grew up, just a few miles away from this unit and have always heard of huge bucks coming out of it on the late hunt. I have never spent a ton of time specifically looking for deer in the unit because I always assumed that I would never have the opportunity to hunt it.

However, I pulled the early archery tag this year! I'm super stoked and am going to start scouting extensively ASAP. Any friendly roksliders who have had the tag in the past or have seen some big bucks on their summer range out there willing to PM me some areas to check out will be greatly appreciated! Anything to help direct my search for bucks would be greatly appreciated, as I'm flying fairly blind.

Thanks.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

I don't know a lot about 40 either but I saw them hunting big bucks in the high country of unit 40 on a tv show a couple of years ago. It looked like they were getting into lots of bucks. I think juniper and south mountain areas are the place to start but like I said what do I know.


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[sagebuster]

Hey, Backcountry,

Get yourself a map of the Grandview area that includes all of the backroads off of highway 78. There are 20 miles of ranches along 78 before you get to Grandview proper. Most of the bigger bucks summer along the outskirts of those ranches, coming down from on high in the evenings to feed and water in the beet fields along the highway. I have seen groups of up to a dozen bucks in the fields within a stones throw of the highway. Your job, now that you have that coveted unit 40 early archery tag, is to spot those bucks and pattern them. It will require some off-roading and possibly some permission to hunt on private land. Just depends. Good luck.

 

[bigdesert10]

Hey guys, just a friendly request - try to keep specific locations and information like this in private messages if you can. Putting it on an open thread like this has potential to really blow up an area. I don't hunt this unit personally, but I'm sure plenty of guys that do regularly don't appreciate having some of their spots exposed online for hundreds or thousands to see. Other than that, best of luck this year!

 

[Bobbyboe]

I agree with the above post. Better to PM with info like that. I've never been to Idaho, but a post like that makes me want to!

Thant said, you can still edit or delete that post.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

Well considering it is essentially a once in a lifetime type draw I don't think a lot of harm can be done by sharing locations with a lucky hunter


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[sagebuster]

50 tags for the early season archery only in unit 40. Thousands put in for those tags...it's the hunt of a lifetime for any archer. The general season is two-point bucks only and the November controlled trophy hunt will find those velvet bucks off the farms and into the higher country. All I did was mention to one lucky tag holder and possibly 49 others that they can find the big boys in the beet fields along the highway most early mornings and late evenings. You can't hunt them there, but its a good place to start. You have to carefully pattern those bucks and ambush them somewhere between where they lay up for the day and migrate back and forth to the fields. Takes some time and effort. Why PM that information for one guy to hoard? I shared it with 50 once in a lifetime tag holders. I gave no actual locations...only to roam a 20 mile stretch of highway and take it from there. I bet half of those 50 won't be industrious enough to use that information wisely. As for thousands of guys cringing because I pointed out what anybody cruising down the highway on an August morning can plainly see...no way. As I said, those deer hang on those beet fields through late August, then they are gone. You want to be successful on big mule deer, first you have to find them. Then you have to think out of the box. I found them by happenstance...or serendipity. Good luck to 50 tag holders. It won't be easy.

 

[mntnguide]

50 tags for the early season archery only in unit 40. Thousands put in for those tags...it's the hunt of a lifetime. The general season is two-point bucks only and the November controlled trophy hunt will find those velvet bucks off the farms and into the higher country. All I did was mention to one lucky tag holder and possibly 49 others that they can find the big boys in the beet fields along the highway most early mornings and late evenings. You can't hunt them there, you have to pattern those bucks and ambush them somewhere between where they lay up for the day and migrate back and forth. Takes some time and effort. Why PM that information for one guy to hoard? I shared it with 50 lucky hunters. I bet half of them won't be industrious enough to use that information wisely. As for thousands of guys cringing because I pointed out what anybody cruising down the highway on an August morning can plainly see...no way. As I said, those deer hang on those beet fields through late August, then they are gone. You want to be successful on big mule deer, first you have to find them. Then you have to think out of the box. I found them by happenstance...or serendipity. Good luck to 50 tag holders. It won't be easy.

Thousands put in?... you may want to go check the draw odds and see you are very far off your guess. It's a good tag if you have knowledge but it isn't that hard to draw for a reason as well

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[bigdesert10]

Thousands put in?... you may want to go check the draw odds and see you are very far off your guess. It's a good tag if you have knowledge but it isn't that hard to draw for a reason as well

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mntnguide is right. But too much info on threads like this will make it into a once in a lifetime tag, which would suck for the guys who live nearby and draw that hunt every few years.

 

[sagebuster]

mntnguide is right...I was thinking of the November rut hunt and not the early season archery hunt when I threw out that "thousands" number. More like 1 in 5 draw that archery tag, and I can see your reasoning behind keeping that kind of information, general as it was, to myself. Soon it may be thousands. Or maybe not. The number of hunters putting in for that hunt has held pretty steady since it went from 25 to 50 tags about 4 years ago. Still, its a tough hunt...and a lot of work. I don't think it hurt to give a fellow Idahoan an edge, especially a DIY'er.

 

[Bobbyboe]

Sage, I agree, it's great giving out tips. I have both givin and received the same types of tips on hunting areas. I was simply saying that it is better to send a private message than post the info publicly. Either way, I hope the guys has a great hunt.

 

[freebird]

Congrats on the tag. I drew the unit 40 late deer tag. Don't know the area, so I have a lot of work to do between now and November. Good luck

 

[idahohikker]

South Mountain is well known for a reason. Enough country to spread out and find one during the early season.

 

[sneaky]

Posting it in an open thread just means it shows up in web search results, and could lead to a huge increase in applicants, or idiotic poachers to narrow down their search. It's best left to PM such details. My .02

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[realunlucky]

I'm putting in next year thanks

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