Frank Church

[Brady1991]

Hey guys, anyone hunt the Frank for deer in 2019? I hunted it 3 years ago and the deer population seemed to be down to me from previous years I’ve hunted it. You think this is due to predators..... hard winters?? What’s your thoughts.


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[PARA1977]

I hunted 19 this year over in the Selway just across
From the Frank and deer numbers seemed up to me saw a total of 5 decent bucks lots of does. I will try it again next year.

 

[Or.hunter]

I’m interested in this thread, I’ve hunted parts of Idaho but always wanted to hunt in the church. Can’t wait to hear people’s thoughts.


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[idahohikker]

We talk about the Church more than any other area on here due to nonresident interest in wilderness. There’s lots of wilderness in Idaho that isn’t federally designated, btw.

The Frank has a low deer population right now due to recent bad winters and unrestricted nonresident rut hunting (until a couple years ago); obviously predators are a factor as well in eating into what the population could be. The rocky Frank is not a nutrition rich area anyway so the higher end of the population swings based on winters is more like an average population for Idaho. Between rough winters on less than ideal winter range, rocky habitat, and heavy predation the Frank is not an easy place to live as a mule deer. This is based on published reports, talking to the covering bios, and my observations. You’ll see a concentration if you get to hunt the migration areas in November.

Many guys hunt deer there in September or early October. This makes sense because access any later gets dicey by vehicle. I’d say the average guy I’ve talked to (and I’ve talked to at least 15 who’ve told me about their hunt) sees 3-5 deer in five days. This is due to population and huge country that they scatter into until migrating.

It’s trophy country. Most residents today recommend enjoying with a fly rod or a predator hunt as there are lots of bears and wolves and lions.

 

[Brady1991]

When I was hunting it we accessed it by plane and we would see 10-12 bucks a day. I just heard that the past couple winters have really done a number on the deer population.


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[PARA1977]

We talk about the Church more than any other area on here due to nonresident interest in wilderness. There’s lots of wilderness in Idaho that isn’t federally designated, btw.

The Frank has a low deer population right now due to recent bad winters and unrestricted nonresident rut hunting (until a couple years ago). It’s not a nutrition rich area anyway so the higher end of the population swings based on winters is more like an average population for Idaho. You’ll see more if you get to hunt the migration areas in November.

Many guys hunt them in September or early October. This makes sense because access any later gets dicey by vehicle. I’d say the average guy I’ve talked to (and I’ve talked to at least 15 who’ve told me about their hunt) sees 3-5 deer in five days. This is due to population and huge country that they scatter into until migrating.

It’s trophy country. Most residents today recommend enjoying with a fly rod or a predator hunt as there are lots of bears and wolves and lions.

Do the ever increasing number of white tails have anything to do with it I couldn’t believe how many we saw in the Selway,

 

[idahohikker]

Do the ever increasing number of white tails have anything to do with it I couldn’t believe how many we saw in the Selway,

In the Selway they often are in different habitats. There could be some effect on the Salmon River Breaks habitat where there are both around Whitewater/Mackay Bar. I kind of doubt there is any area that is at carrying capacity for the habitat so I ultimately don’t believe the whitetail are harming.

Fish and Game probably wouldn’t be able to say any more because they haven’t really been able to research effectively IMO the issue of deer and elk and whitetail vs. mule deer competition effects. They include is at a research topic on management reports and it doesn’t get done. Probably a hard item to research.

 

[Brady1991]

We talk about the Church more than any other area on here due to nonresident interest in wilderness. There’s lots of wilderness in Idaho that isn’t federally designated, btw.

The Frank has a low deer population right now due to recent bad winters and unrestricted nonresident rut hunting (until a couple years ago); obviously predators are a factor as well in eating into what the population could be. The rocky Frank is not a nutrition rich area anyway so the higher end of the population swings based on winters is more like an average population for Idaho. Between rough winters on less than ideal winter range, rocky habitat, and heavy predation the Frank is not an easy place to live as a mule deer. This is based on published reports, talking to the covering bios, and my observations. You’ll see a concentration if you get to hunt the migration areas in November.

Many guys hunt deer there in September or early October. This makes sense because access any later gets dicey by vehicle. I’d say the average guy I’ve talked to (and I’ve talked to at least 15 who’ve told me about their hunt) sees 3-5 deer in five days. This is due to population and huge country that they scatter into until migrating.

It’s trophy country. Most residents today recommend enjoying with a fly rod or a predator hunt as there are lots of bears and wolves and lions.

Thanks! I appreciate all the info!


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[Or.hunter]

Do the ever increasing number of white tails have anything to do with it I couldn’t believe how many we saw in the Selway,

Thanks!


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[Or.hunter]

We talk about the Church more than any other area on here due to nonresident interest in wilderness. There’s lots of wilderness in Idaho that isn’t federally designated, btw.

The Frank has a low deer population right now due to recent bad winters and unrestricted nonresident rut hunting (until a couple years ago); obviously predators are a factor as well in eating into what the population could be. The rocky Frank is not a nutrition rich area anyway so the higher end of the population swings based on winters is more like an average population for Idaho. Between rough winters on less than ideal winter range, rocky habitat, and heavy predation the Frank is not an easy place to live as a mule deer. This is based on published reports, talking to the covering bios, and my observations. You’ll see a concentration if you get to hunt the migration areas in November.

Many guys hunt deer there in September or early October. This makes sense because access any later gets dicey by vehicle. I’d say the average guy I’ve talked to (and I’ve talked to at least 15 who’ve told me about their hunt) sees 3-5 deer in five days. This is due to population and huge country that they scatter into until migrating.

It’s trophy country. Most residents today recommend enjoying with a fly rod or a predator hunt as there are lots of bears and wolves and lions.

I meant for this info idahohikker.


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[JThompson]

In the Selway they often are in different habitats. There could be some effect on the Salmon River Breaks habitat where there are both around Whitewater/Mackay Bar. I kind of doubt there is any area that is at carrying capacity for the habitat so I ultimately don’t believe the whitetail are harming.

Fish and Game probably wouldn’t be able to say any more because they haven’t really been able to research effectively IMO the issue of deer and elk and whitetail vs. mule deer competition effects. They include is at a research topic on management reports and it doesn’t get done. Probably a hard item to research.

To add to what you have said. After working in the Frank Church for that last 3 years I have noticed switch of population numbers between whitetail and mule deer, especially in the higher elevations. but I think that the whitetail have fared better during the winter compared to the mule deer and form what I have seen a big percentage of the whitetail does have twins and the mulies have a fawn or no fawns.

 

[bgbuck153]

We hunted the church this year for 10 days. We killed our elk the first 2 days then hunted deer after that. We seen 1 racked buck which was a dorky forky. The biologist said that the majority of the big bucks won’t come into our area until October once the snow starts moving them into they’re migration routes. I swore I wasn’t even going to buy the tag but one just never knows when Mr. Right would appear. We hunted the area In 2016 and definitely seen more bucks. The visually reals big bucks I just wish I could hunt it late season.

 

[PARA1977]

To add to what you have said. After working in the Frank Church for that last 3 years I have noticed switch of population numbers between whitetail and mule deer, especially in the higher elevations. but I think that the whitetail have fared better during the winter compared to the mule deer and form what I have seen a big percentage of the whitetail does have twins and the mulies have a fawn or no fawns.

Also the Whitetails do not migrate so faced with the
belief that the mortality rate is higher for them I can imagine them taking over more and more areas will continue to grow, again I’m no biologist but with years of hunting in those areas I do see far more WTails then ever before and it is concerning at least
To me.

 

[jymarine24]

To add to what you have said. After working in the Frank Church for that last 3 years I have noticed switch of population numbers between whitetail and mule deer, especially in the higher elevations. but I think that the whitetail have fared better during the winter compared to the mule deer and form what I have seen a big percentage of the whitetail does have twins and the mulies have a fawn or no fawns.

It’s amazing at how quickly whitetail can go into a new area and populate it.

 

[jymarine24]

Do the ever increasing number of white tails have anything to do with it I couldn’t believe how many we saw in the Selway,

Selway is good for the cover loving whitetails. Decent habits around the creek and rivers with amazingly thick cover.

 

[Bossmann14]

I hunted the church this past yea mid nov. I flew into the backcountry and hunted for 6 days. Didn’t see a single buck or doe. I am going this year but to a different spot.

 

[idguide]

I have hunted the church the past 4 years. Super tough winter really did a number on the population back in 16-17 n hast bounced back.