Idaho Backcountry Rifle Mule Deer

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Jun 4, 2017
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I’m trying to figure out my 2018 hunting plans. I’m thinking rifle hunting for mule deer in Idaho. The only areas I’m interested in are ones that I can backpack in miles from any roads, so I’m thinking Wilderness areas. I don’t have any points. Is it feasible to walk into the Frank Church (I don’t want to do a fly in) and have a chance at a legal buck in a 7 day hunt? I don’t care about trophy score.


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sneaky

"DADDY"
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Depends on timing you want to go. If Magruder rd is open that gives you way more options for jump off points

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Joe Schmo

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If you NEED to backpack in miles from any roads you can do that in quite a few units. Since you mentioned that you don’t have any points I suggest you search the 1.4 trillion threads that are started every year on “I’m going to hunt Idaho this year”, you’ll learn a ton!! Can you shoot a buck in 7 days...you’re darned tootin you can!!
 
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There's a lot of areas with plenty of backpacking opportunity and better deer densities. I wouldn't recommend the wilderness areas.
 
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Oct 23, 2017
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Idaho
I've been researching this same thing. I've been comparing wilderness and non wilderness areas. I'll only have 3 days max to do a hunt due to being busy, but the key is finding good deer numbers and not many people. Seems pretty easy to me.

I've found some places I want to check out in years to come for wilderness hunts.
 

JPHuntingAUS

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Maybe we need a new category for threads "so I watched Steve rinella pack hunt into idaho".

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530Chukar

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Jun 27, 2016
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Yes the frank church can be walked into. There are many trails all around it. I would suggest the Late controlled hunt. Nov. 1- 18th this year so you'd be hunting them during the rut. The weather is the only thing you'd have to worry about at that time. Start your hiking now.
 
OP
J
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Jun 4, 2017
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I was thinking earlier the better, because weather would be better, but I’m not dead set on going in October. By the way if Meat Eater had a show about this, I’ve never seen it. I don’t watch hunting TV.


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OP
J
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427
Thanks for the comments. I’m from the Midwest, so I won’t be doing any scouting. The reason I want a place without roads is because I’ve planned trips to areas in the past where I’d get there and there’s nothing but people and all the animals are gone. I understand that locals can find areas close to roads that hold animals, but for an out of stater, I feel it’s a safer bet to find an area you can only walk to. I also like the adventure type of trips because it is a vacation for me.


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Joined
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WV
I was thinking earlier the better, because weather would be better, but I’m not dead set on going in October. By the way if Meat Eater had a show about this, I’ve never seen it. I don’t watch hunting TV.


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Watch it and you’ll want to go even more lol. He kills a giant!


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Joined
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Driving into the Frank isn't really possible in early November most of the time because you have to cross high passes. The roads are very rocky and rough too. Plan on mid October or earlier, unless you're very careful to get out if weather starts.

The Salmon, Lemhi, Pioneer, and McCall zones all would give you plenty of room to get off the beaten track without as rough of country. The Frank is pretty crazy but there are due-hards who love it.
 
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Utah
I would look into the interactive Idaho Trails map that can be found on a bunch of different websites. It allows you to filter motorized restricted areas. I hunted a few different road-less areas last year and killed a 4 point about 2 miles from the road. I did not hunt any wilderness. I saw some people but not enough to matter. Realize that any OTC hunt you have a very very high chance of having company even miles from the road.
 

tttoadman

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OR Hunter back in Oregon
Driving into the Frank isn't really possible in early November most of the time because you have to cross high passes. The roads are very rocky and rough too. Plan on mid October or earlier, unless you're very careful to get out if weather starts.

The Salmon, Lemhi, Pioneer, and McCall zones all would give you plenty of room to get off the beaten track without as rough of country. The Frank is pretty crazy but there are due-hards who love it.

I had to go through 8" of snow the last week of sept in 2013 to get out of the south end of the Frank. I can see where a guy could get in trouble up there with a few days of snow.
 
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Yeah, so any suggestion that he hunt in early November has to clarify that it's fly in.

Tttoadman, have you moved on to greener pastures in Idaho hunting areas?
 

Brianb3

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Nov 20, 2014
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It’s big country. Ive only spent time on big creek packed in and flown in. IMO there’s a lot better areas for Mule deer but if you go head high. Most the buck we saw were on the peaks. That country can humble you.


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Regul8r1

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Nov 18, 2013
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Id
It just depends on the year. I have not hunted 27 in a long time, but I remember driving artillery dome road in 1999, in the dark around November 10th. I did chain up, but had no issues. Woke up early the next morning and had a spike bull down by noon. There were lots of elk that day.
 

FreeRange

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Aug 11, 2014
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N. ID
If you’re considering October there are far better units to hunt than 27 or anywhere in the Frank/Selway complex. Most would agree the single biggest advantage of those hunts is getting to get after those deer during the rut not the deer density or quality necessarily. Every general unit in Idaho is open in October and even the most hunted unit in the state has plenty of areas to pack in further than you want to on foot. I’ve hunted the selway and also a number of other general mule deer units in Idaho, all with plenty of backcountry, all with plenty of deer. Don’t limit yourself to the frank is all i’m saying, there is plenty of wilderness to be found in Idaho with and without federal designation.
 
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