Bad day in Idaho panhandle

[280Ackley]

Let me start by saying I love Idaho and would never live anywhere else but maybe Alaska. That said I have never had a worse experience in the woods then I did yesterday. With both my boys being high school age and everything that goes with that, add onto that we have been fostering two wonderful little girls for almost 2 years now. It is very hard to get both of them in woods together these days. Well the stars aligned yesterday and they wanted to go elk/deer hunting. We headed up to the woods and got to a place I have hunted and killed deer and elk before. Everything was good for the first few hours and saw a few does. We were about a mile in and entered some dark timber. Being about lunch time I told them the elk would probably be bedded so we would still hunt and cow call slowly. About 300 yards in we here some big branches breaking. I set my boys up and quietly back up a bit. I start cow calling hoping to draw them in. After about 2 min we here someone from about 75 yards away yell “get the hell out of here and go home“. Me being me yell back “sorry didn’t realize you were the owner of public land!”. He tells me to F$@& off and then even louder then he was before stomps away.

After that we back out and go try to find a new place. We drove for over 2 hours and could find a place where there wasn’t 2-4 rigs. Every place we stopped to go hike into hunt where there wasn’t anyone there were 4 wheeler tracks around the gate. I knew it would be crazy but I have never seen it that bad before. Just a little disappointed I guess!!

 

[87TT]

You are nicer than me. Just saying.

 

[Rob5589]

Must be getting bad when Idahoans are yelling at one another to go home

 

[Huntinaz]

I’d have taken a slam before I left

 

[Broomd]

Sorry for your experience, that bites. Eventually it will come down to owning a bit of (wooded) acreage to find at least some solace and opportunity....and of course, more changes to regs like draw-only NR.

It's inevitable and some of us welcome at least part of that. Idaho can only take so much due to the gross mismanagement of so many other western states.

 

[Broomd]

Must be getting bad when Idahoans are yelling at one another to go home

Who said the others were from Idaho? You're assuming the obnoxious people in the woods were Idahoan, my bets on Kalifornians.

 

[Rob5589]

Who sid the others were from Idaho? You're assuming the obnoxious people in the woods were Idahoan, my bets on Kalifornians.

Probably was a Kalifornian. They think they own the whole world.

 

[280Ackley]

I am lucky enough to own 5 acres with access to a 20 acre hay field that my boys can hunt whitetails on. I agree Idaho needs to make some major changes to how they manage!

 

[spike camp]

I am lucky enough to own 5 acres with access to a 20 acre hay field that my boys can hunt whitetails on. I agree Idaho needs to make some major changes to how they manage!

ID should take management tips from CO

 

[jacknifejc]

Southeastern Idaho is so overran with nonresident hunters it’s unbelievable!

 

[Ucsdryder]

ID should take management tips from CO

What’s that? Let every Tom, dick, and Harry buy a tag? It’s time both of them made a change. Then otc into a “general tag” for NR. Limit tag, have a special drawing like Wyoming. Once the wolves decimate the herds and were no longer suckling off the non-res teet, maybe we can get it done.

 

[realunlucky]

Full of potatoes and whiners --- should be a the new Idaho license plates.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

 

[spike camp]

What’s that? Let every Tom, dick, and Harry buy a tag? It’s time both of them made a change. Then otc into a “general tag” for NR. Limit tag, have a special drawing like Wyoming. Once the wolves decimate the herds and were no longer suckling off the non-res teet, maybe we can get it done.

Obviously, the satirical nature of my post, wasn’t conveyed well.

 

[Werty]

Keep in mind, this year is an anomaly!

 

[Cwillimon]

I have no dog in the fight being from Kansas. But I believe New Mexico has a great system other than preference to the outfitted out of state hunters compared to diy type.

 

[Broomd]

Full of potatoes and whiners --- should be a the new Idaho license plates.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

Bwahaha...spoken lke a Utahn!
Gotta add NR's to that "Full of" short list...

 

[Mt Al]

This is exactly what happened to fishing around Bozeman and all over Montana after River Runs Through It. Had rivers, and sections of rivers, all to ourselves. Then fly fishing became fashionable. The fishing is still awesome, but you see piles of people fighting for distance between themselves, distance being a relative term.

Same with backcountry/back pack hunting. Seems to me 10 - 15 years ago it switched big time and it's very hard to get away from people, but you still can. OnX, sites like Rokslide, the new Meat Eater movie/Meat Eater the show, plus Randy Newburg, etc., put a very positive light on ethical hunting, access and equipment. IMHO, this will increase hunters and hunting on public land.

With more people come more arse-hole people, and more good people. I'm bummed about the change, but think it's overall good for hunting, firearms ownership and protection of public land.

This is the new reality and, personally, I'm adapting in different ways.

 

[airbuds]

Let me start by saying I love Idaho and would never live anywhere else but maybe Alaska. That said I have never had a worse experience in the woods then I did yesterday. With both my boys being high school age and everything that goes with that, add onto that we have been fostering two wonderful little girls for almost 2 years now. It is very hard to get both of them in woods together these days. Well the stars aligned yesterday and they wanted to go elk/deer hunting. We headed up to the woods and got to a place I have hunted and killed deer and elk before. Everything was good for the first few hours and saw a few does. We were about a mile in and entered some dark timber. Being about lunch time I told them the elk would probably be bedded so we would still hunt and cow call slowly. About 300 yards in we here some big branches breaking. I set my boys up and quietly back up a bit. I start cow calling hoping to draw them in. After about 2 min we here someone from about 75 yards away yell “get the hell out of here and go home“. Me being me yell back “sorry didn’t realize you were the owner of public land!”. He tells me to F$@& off and then even louder then he was before stomps away.

After that we back out and go try to find a new place. We drove for over 2 hours and could find a place where there wasn’t 2-4 rigs. Every place we stopped to go hike into hunt where there wasn’t anyone there were 4 wheeler tracks around the gate. I knew it would be crazy but I have never seen it that bad before. Just a little disappointed I guess!!

Sorry about your experience. I can't imagine how I'll react if it was me out there

 

[280Ackley]

If I was by myself it would have been a totally different response!!!

 

[String&stick]

. . . So everyone is aware that Idaho issues the same amount of NR tags every year right??? So we are arguing about the slight increase from the tags that didn't go to residents. . .

And beyond that, we are all aware that CAPS are being placed on units next year for NR???

What you are going to be arguing for in 2 years is putting quotas on residents!!! Because that is your #1 area of hunter growth!

Completely sympathetic to the OPs post and feel bad for him, but let's assume that it was just an A**hole and not speculate on R Vs NR. The woods are crowded EVERYWHERE this year. But I'm guessing and hoping for you residents next year the fee increase and caps will make you happy!