08-25-2015, 05:51 PM
I just received this via email. I don't know how many of you get this, so I thought I'd post it here.
2015 Idaho Deer and Elk Outlook
Idaho big game hunters could have a hunting season to brag about this fall, as four consecutive mild winters have boosted deer and elk populations.
Mule Deer - Deer hunters could see the best hunting in more than 20 years. Fish and Game’s annual winter monitoring showed the highest winter mule deer survival since its intensive monitoring program began 15 years ago. Each winter, Fish and Game staff traps and radio collars adult mule deer and fawns in 14 locations across the state and monitors their survival through winter. Fawn survival over winter was nearly 80 percent, topping the previous high in the 2004-05 winter.
White-tailed Deer - White-tailed deer, which dominate Northern and Central Idaho, are doing excellent. Fish and Game does not monitor white-tails in the same ways it does mule deer. One way Fish and Game monitors whitetail populations is through hunting statistics. Whitetail harvests have grown five out the last six years and are currently above long-term averages. If trends continue this year, hunters could top the all-time whitetail harvest of 29,800 set in 1996.
Elk - Elk populations are managed differently than deer populations. Elk are fewer in numbers, and populations trends tend to be more gradual compared with deer. But in recent years, success rates and harvests gradually increased as hunters started seeing more elk. It’s likely a combination of mild winters and intensive predator management. While statewide elk hunting is improving, it’s not happening in all areas that elk inhabit.
Visit the Fish and Game website for 2015 hunting season details.
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2015 Idaho Deer and Elk Outlook
Idaho big game hunters could have a hunting season to brag about this fall, as four consecutive mild winters have boosted deer and elk populations.
Mule Deer - Deer hunters could see the best hunting in more than 20 years. Fish and Game’s annual winter monitoring showed the highest winter mule deer survival since its intensive monitoring program began 15 years ago. Each winter, Fish and Game staff traps and radio collars adult mule deer and fawns in 14 locations across the state and monitors their survival through winter. Fawn survival over winter was nearly 80 percent, topping the previous high in the 2004-05 winter.
White-tailed Deer - White-tailed deer, which dominate Northern and Central Idaho, are doing excellent. Fish and Game does not monitor white-tails in the same ways it does mule deer. One way Fish and Game monitors whitetail populations is through hunting statistics. Whitetail harvests have grown five out the last six years and are currently above long-term averages. If trends continue this year, hunters could top the all-time whitetail harvest of 29,800 set in 1996.
Elk - Elk populations are managed differently than deer populations. Elk are fewer in numbers, and populations trends tend to be more gradual compared with deer. But in recent years, success rates and harvests gradually increased as hunters started seeing more elk. It’s likely a combination of mild winters and intensive predator management. While statewide elk hunting is improving, it’s not happening in all areas that elk inhabit.
Visit the Fish and Game website for 2015 hunting season details.
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