Hunter’sAlmanac North Central Idaho
OCTOBER 2016
Clearwater Region
PHOTO COURTESY ROBERT MILLAGE, KAMIAH ID
Remote possibilities Few places on the planet are much more than a day’s travel away from Earth’s biggest cities, but the remote parts of North Central Idaho are far off the beaten paths that criss-cross the contiguous United States. That makes this area a boon to anyone who wants to get away from the cities for a spell. An Englishman could jump on a flight out of Heathrow but would find it difficult to land much more than 24 hours away from a major city. Even a rock star with airfare to spare — say, Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger — would need about as much time to get from London to Lewiston by jet plane as it’d take him to tour Hells Canyon Dam by jet boat. And that’s the point: covering great distance at high speed separates a person from the modern world far less than a walk in the woods. • Though deeper woods than those of the Nez PerceClearwater National Forests can hardly be found in the Lower 48, easy access is a large part of the Clearwater Region’s appeal. Two local game units — 8A and 10A — reliably feature among the state’s most hunting ground. The largest whitetail deer harvest in Idaho history went off last year. Despite a run of forest fires that cast shadows over the region that lingered longer even than the smoke, both
of these units — which neighbor Dworshak Reservoir — ranked once again in the state’s top 10 by total harvest. Unit 12 — which centers on the Lochsa River and U.S. Highway 12 — posted the state’s highest deer hunting success rate (52 percent), while 8, 10A, 11A, 15, 16, 17 and 18 all ranked in the top 10 by success rate. With nearly 7,000 deer hunters tagging nearly 3,600 deer, 10A ranked third in the state
by overall count. Unit 8A deer hunters — more than 5,300 of them — tagged more than 2,000 deer. • We left Mick Jagger on a boat farther to the south, in Snake River country above the Salmon River confluence. That area is as remote as can be found. Unit 13 is a mostly-private riddle of canyons southwest of Cottonwood and due west of White Bird. The Forest Service manages land
on both sides of the Unit 18 boundary at Pittsburg Landing; farther south, the ground is mostly public and includes nearly 58,000 acres of wilderness. The archery hunter who draws a Unit 18 elk tag has a chance to tag one very large bull. The Lolo Zone (Units 10 and 12) and the Selway Zone (Units 16A, 17, 19 and 20) used to be known for their elk hunting. Idaho Fish and Game and partners are planning habitat restoration fires. IDFG’s wolf control operations continue. Despite the troubles, IDFG is forecasting a banner year for elk hunters around the state, and has announced a 25,000 elk season — a rarity the past four decades — may be possible. All who seek deep wilderness hunti n g maylook no farther than t h e southeast corner of t h e Clearwater Region, w h e r e much of the Selway Zone has been hunted sparsely, if at all, in recent years. Those looking to go nonmotorized closer to town can look to the Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area, south of Lewiston.
Inside: A unit-by-unit look at the Clearwater Region Money$aver • The Shopper • IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS
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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTER’S ALMANAC | FALL 2016
Unit 8A, Unit 10A
Two top units poised for productive seasons The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is anticipating a superb elk season — not everywhere in the state, but in areas where herds are strong. The agency sees potential for 25,000 to be tagged across Idaho this year. That’d be a 25 percent pop even compared to the beginning of the boom that followed a stagnant run seen prior to 2013. If such a large elk hunt materializes, it would be the fourth time in four decades. The Clearwater Region usually sees a healthy share of the statewide harvest, with Units 8A and 10A leading the region and consistently ranking among the state’s best. IDFG’s figures show more than 12,000 deer hunters and 5,800 elk hunters bought tags for big game hunts in these two units last year. Unit 10A ranked as one of the topfive general season deer hunting units in the state by both success rate (51 percent) and by total harvest (3,586), and across Dent Bridge — pictured at right — the 8A general season deer hunters also tagged a top-five total (2,044). Dent Bridge marks a point about halfway up Dworshak Reservoir, and also marks one boundary between units similar for having much public land and much Potlatch Corporation land. (Potlatch sells permits for recreational use including hunting. See:
RECREATION.POTLATCHCORP.COM/ID.)
The strong, consistent opportunity in these two units comes with some of the state’s highest hunter counts. Key factors point toward 2015 being another banner year. The 2014 mild winter had elk and deer populations flourishing and 2015 saw above average fawn survival statewide. Last October, half the state was in severe to extreme drought, and much of Idaho — including the whole Clearwater Region — remains abnormally dry, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Even so, the drought is no longer severe and autumn has come with average rain.
North Central Idaho’s premier publication of Hunter’s Almanac is offered to the hunters and sportsmen of North Central Idaho. We hope you find it informative, useful and entertaining. SARAH S. KLEMENT, PUBLISHER DAVID P. RAUZI, EDITOR
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By the numbers: 8A 2015 General/Any Weapon Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470,000 Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40.17 Deer hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,919 Deer harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,007 Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,746 Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306 Deer hunters per square mile . . . . 6.7
By the numbers: 10A 2015 General/Any Weapon Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 754,000 Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50.75 Deer hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,603 Deer harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,521 Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,173 Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439 Deer hunters per square mile . . . . 5.6
Ask permission to hunt private land With many of Idaho's hunting seasons set to begin soon, Idaho Fish and Game urges hunters to be conscious of their actions and act responsibly when hunting private land. “We are fortunate that the majority of hunters are respectful and considerate to landowners,” said Sal Palazzolo, private lands coordinator for Idaho Fish and Game. “But each year, we deal with problems related to irresponsible behavior of a few.” Access to private land can be a challenge for Idaho hunters. Yet each year, landowners restrict access to
their property because of conflicts with hunters. Trespassing, property damage, and discharging firearms close to livestock or buildings being three main reasons. Surveys say 88 percent of landowners allow hunting on their property if hunters ask permission first. How hunters behave will determine if they are allowed back. For step-by-step guidance on steps to take before, during and after the hunt, see IDFG.IDAHO.GOV/PRESS/RESPECT- AND - COURTESY- ARE - ESSENTIAL WHEN-HUNTING-PRIVATE-LAND.
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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTER’S ALMANAC | FALL 2016
Unit 8, Unit 11, Unit 11A
Craig Mountain the gem in Lewiston’s yard Deer tag sales are on an uptick dating back to 2011, and since 2012, the number of hunters interested in three units — 8, 11, and 11A — has grown significantly. That translates to hundreds more deer being legally harvested, but the surge has been more than matched by the burgeoning whitetail population. The prevalence of whitetail deer in these well-traveled agricultural zones contributes to one long-standing statistic many Idahoans have run into before: motorists by accident claim more deer than hunters do by aim. For hunters, radio collar tracking of mule deer fawn survival shows a dip from the 2014-2015 high (when 83 percent survived statewide) as well as the 78 percent survival number seen in 2013-2014. The 20152016 drop to 64 percent held slightly above the 10-year average. Apart from McCroskey State Park north of Potlatch, Units 8 and 11A feature little state or federal land, but those in the know — or who know how to ask — find hunting opportunities on private land year after year. For those who want to hunt in state-run public woods, Unit 11 features one of the Gem State’s true gems: the Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area, where interior roads are reserved for non-motorized uses, such as horseback riding and mountain biking. Craig Mountain WMA is accessed from Lewiston via Waha Road, south of the junction where Tammany Creek Road joins Webb Road.
Earlier this month, the department issued a reminder that on lands such as the Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area, travel restrictions are “in place to benefit wildlife and your hunting and recreating experience.” IDFG also noted prohibitions against leaving a camp, vehicle or trailer unattended for more than 48 hours; and against camping or parking a vehicle or trailer for more than 10 consecutive days in any 30-day period, unless otherwise posted.
By the numbers: 8 2015 General/Any Weapon Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488,000 Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.85 Deer hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,174 Deer harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,527 Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 790 Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 Deer hunters per square mile . . . . 4.2
PHOTO BY BILL DONALDSON
Hunters had the highest recorded harvest of white-tailed deer last year, as the statewide total of 30,568 exceeded previous high, set in 1999, by 2.6 percent.
By the numbers: 11 2015 General/Any Weapon Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484,000 Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.55 Deer hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,351 Deer harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 951 Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * Deer hunters per square mile . . . . 3.1 * Controlled hunts only.
By the numbers: 11A 2015 General/Any Weapon Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530,000 Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.77 Deer hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,533 Deer harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,259 Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Deer hunters per square mile . . . . 3.1
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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTER’S ALMANAC | FALL 2016
Unit 10, Unit 12
Lolo Zone elk hunting continues to dwindle Units 10 and 12 are roughly equal in size, and are separated by the Lolo Motorway — a remote, rough, narrow road constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s along a route that roughly parallels the track Lewis and Clark took from the continental divide to the Weippe Prairie in 1805. Unit 12 encompasses the Lochsa River drainage above its confluence with the Selway River at Lowell, while Unit 10 encircles the headwaters of the North Fork Clearwater River, including the north shore of Dworshak Reservoir below Smith Butte at the border of Shoshone and Clearwater counties. Backcountry elk hunters and outfitters have long complained that the establishment of permanent wolf packs has ruined one of Idaho’s premier attractions, because elk that once numbered 15,000 now number 1,500. One bright spot was seen during last year’s record whitetail deer hunt: Unit 12 topped the state in success rate at 52 percent. Still, the two Lolo Zone units have ranked in the bottom third by harvest totals even during the sustained surge in deer hunting interest that is visible in much of the rest of the state. Idaho wolves were delisted from
bring prescribed fire to 100,000 acres on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests during a span of several years. In recent years, RMEF “helped fund 47 prescribed-fire projects on the [Nez Perce-Clearwater] forest that treated about 200,000 acres,” according to Fish and Game. Then there’s the need for predator control. In March, IDFG’s annual wolf monitoring report identified six “documented packs” in the Lolo Zone, down from 15 documented the year prior. One pack and six other documented groups were “no longer extant” by the end of the year. A total of 42 wolves were documented as killed in the Lolo Zone, of which 19 were taken through government control action and 23 were tagged by wolf hunters last year. IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS FILE PHOTO IDFG continues to hold wolf trapThough a shadow of its former self, wildlife managers are acting on the idea that the Lolo Zone’s potential can be unlocked per certification courses, with seats with a combination of wolf control and prescribed fire. open Oct. 1 in Idaho Falls, Oct. 7 and Endangered Species Act protection in Fish and Game published an elk manRejuvenating effects of 2015’s Oct. 8 in Coeur d’Alene and Nov. 5 in 2011, and deer hunting interest in agement plan that noted elk hunter wildfires remain to be seen, but the McCall. Courses were already held in Unit 10 and Unit 12 both saw a pop participation had dwindled from an 2014 plan described potential upsides Grangeville and in Lewiston this fall. in 2012 — and little growth since. annual average of 1,400 or more dur- of disruptions, such as wildfires and The number of elk tags being ing the mid-2000s. logging. By the numbers: 10 bought in the area is within five perThe 2014 elk management plan In practical terms, IDFG has set a 2015 General/Any Weapon cent of the 2011 count, and roughly prescribes “liberal predator harvest goal to maintain 20-30 percent of the Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 755,000 80 to 100 wapiti have been legally through hunting and trapping sea- elk summer range in the Lolo Zone as Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99.6 harvested each year during the same sons, and control actions in addition “early successional habitat,” and to in- Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515 timeframe. to improvements in elk habitat at a crease the amount of early succes- Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 In 2014, the Idaho Department of landscape level” in the Lolo Zone. sional habitat on breaklands, in order Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375 Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 to provide more forage. The plan calls for a “combination Deer hunters per square mile . . . . 0.4 of variable retention regeneration By the numbers: 12 harvests, commercial, and precom2015 General/Any Weapon mercial thinning” and for such timber Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 753,000 cuts to be strategically placed to allow Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94.75 for “landscape-level prescribed and Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 natural fire.” Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 IDFG recently announced coopera- Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 tion with the Forest Service and the Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will Deer hunters per square mile . . . . 0.3
Have questions?
Call the office Contact the Idaho Department of Fish and Game Clearwater Region Office in Lewiston at 799-5010. Contact the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests Supervisor's Office in Kamiah at 935-2513. Contact the Grangeville Office at 983-1950. Contact the Salmon River Ranger District at the Slate Creek Ranger Station at 839-2211. Contact the Red River Ranger District at the Elk City Ranger Station at 842-2245. Contact the Lochsa/Powell Ranger District in Kooskia at 926-4274. Contact the Moose Creek Ranger District at Fenn Ranger Station at 926-4258. Contact the Lolo Pass Visitor Center at 942-3113. Contact the North Fork Ranger District in Orofino at 476-4541. Contact the Palouse Ranger District in Potlatch at 875-1131. Contact the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area office in Riggins at 628-3916. Contact the Bureau of Land Management’s Cottonwood Field Office at 962-3245. Contact the Idaho Department of Lands’ Maggie Creek Office in Kamiah at 935-2141.
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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTER’S ALMANAC | FALL 2016
If it goes off statewide, 25K elk season could be fourth of the last 40 years
Big game hunting prospects appear strong BY ROGER PHILLIPS IDAHO FISH AND GAME Idaho’s fall hunting season is likely to be outstanding. Coming on the heels of an all-time record whitetailed deer harvest in 2015 and the highest harvests in more than a decade for mule deer and elk, hunting this fall should be similar to last year. Let’s take a quick look at the 2015 hunt. Deer hunters had a 43-percent success rate in general season hunts and a 61 percent success rate in controlled hunts. They took 68,768 deer, which included a record 30,568 whitetails that topped the previous record of 29,800 whitetails set in 1999. It was also the largest deer harvest since 1991, and 36 percent above the 10-year average harvest. Elk hunters weren’t far behind. They harvested 24,543 elk in 2015, which easily topped the 2014 harvest of 20,700 which was considered a pretty good year. It was also 35 percent above the 10-year average, and the largest elk harvest since 1996. General-season elk hunters had a 22 percent success rate, and hunters with controlled tags more than doubled that with 46 percent success. Combined, the average success rate was 27 percent for elk hunting. With a little luck, elk hunters this year could top 25,000 elk during fall hunts,which has only happened three times in the last 40 years. And that new whitetail record may be short-lived. The 2016 harvest could “easily match” last year’s, according to Fish and Game’s big game manager Jon Rachael.
Winter Survival A variety of factors affect the big game harvest. Winter survival – particularly fawns and calves – is an indicator of the upcoming hunting season. So do summer forage, fall weather that affects hunting conditions and predation. A harsh winter can severely impact big game herds. Deer are most vulnerable, especially fawns, and last year’s fawns become this year’s young bucks that make up a large portion of the fall harvest. In most parts of the state, Idaho had a normal winter, but snow came earlier than in recent years, and there was a cold snap in late December and early January that brought sub-zero temperatures to parts of the state. That likely contributed to lower winter survival than the previous two winters, which were unusually mild. Fish and Game captures and puts radio collars on mule deer fawns each
winter, then tracks how many survive through mid spring. Statewide survival of radio-collared fawns was 64 percent, which is down from a recordhigh 83-percent survival in the 201415 winter, and 78 percent the prior winter. However, last winter’s fawn survival still tracked above the 10-year average of 58 percent. In addition to fawns, F&G also radio collared 472 adult does, tracked them throughout winter and early spring, and 93 percent of them survived, compared with 95 percent the previous two winters.
More harvest, more hunters, great opportunity Deer and elk harvests were both higher in 2015, and there were also more hunters. Deer tag sales jumped by 5,978 tags between 2014 and 2015, and elk tag sales increased by 4,297. However, success rates for deer and elk hunters both improved in 2015 over the previous year. Idaho hunters get lots of generalseason hunts, a rarity in Western hunting these days, so hunters can buy a license and deer and elk tag and go. Not only that, general season hunters do very well. They took 83 percent of the deer and 59 percent of the elk harvested in 2015. That’s not to say hunters who drew coveted controlled-hunt tags were not successful. Elk hunters who participated in controlled hunts were more than twice as likely to harvest as those with general-hunt tags (46 percent vs. 22 percent), and 61 percent of deer hunters with controlled-hunt tags harvested a deer vs. 43 percent for general seasons.
Deer Deer harvests have made a significant jump in the last two years, thanks in part to consecutive mild winters that resulted in more deer available for the 2015 and 2014 hunting seasons, and more hunters. Deer tag sales also jumped by 5,978 tags between 2014 and 2015, which shows interest in deer hunting corresponded. Fish and Game nearly sold out its nonresident deer-tag quota in 2015, which includes both nonresident and second tag sales (residents and nonresidents can buy unsold nonresident deer tags as second deer tags at the nonresident price). With the bulk of big game tags being sold in the fall, it’s hard to tell how many will be sold this year, but midway through summer, tag sales were up compared with the same
time last year. Not only were deer harvests up, but there was a good proportion of mature bucks with 44 percent of the bucks harvested during general seasons being four-points or larger (Western count). Idaho’s deer hunters have two good options this year. Abundant whitetail populations in the central and northern parts of the state provide lots of either-sex hunting, long hunting seasons, and an opportunity for a mature whitetail buck. Despite a record harvest of whitetails in 2015, mule deer were still a higher proportion of the deer harvest (55 percent vs. 45 percent). But whitetail hunters have higher success rates than mule deer hunters, thanks in part to long seasons for whitetail hunting that extend into the November rut and generous opportunities for either-sex hunting. The top 10 hunting units based on success rates were largely found in the Panhandle and Clearwater regions, which are predominantly whitetail country. There’s also no reason why hunters couldn’t top last year’s record whitetail harvest because populations remain strong in those core areas. “Everything looks good, and I wouldn’t be surprised,” said Dave Koehler, regional wildlife biologist for the Clearwater Region. “Our whitetail
harvest has been on a steady, upward trajectory for a long time.” He said a mild winter was followed by a cool, wet spring that has kept forage green into summer and provided excellent growing conditions for deer. He also noted the growth of whitetail herds has attracted attention from more hunters and more hunting effort could mean a larger harvest this year. Mule deer hunters should see hunting comparable to last year. The wild card for mule deer hunters is usually fall weather since most of the hunting seasons take place in October, especially general, any-weapon seasons that account for most of the harvest. Warm, dry October weather can make hunting challenging, which often reduces the harvest. Conversely, wet weather and early-season snow storms mean better hunting conditions, and storms can also drive deer out of the high country and into more accessible areas, which usually increases the harvest.
Elk Despite a record whitetail season, improved elk hunting in Idaho may be the biggest news. Elk hunting fell on hard times from 2008 through 2013 when annual harvests ranged between 15,155 and 17,470 elk, which were the lowest
numbers since the mid 1980s . But elk hunting came roaring back in 2014 when the harvest topped 20,000 for the first time in seven years, and 2015 easily topped that with 24,543 elk taken. Idaho’s elk harvest could top 25,000 this year, which has only happened three times in the last 40 years. Elk tag sales have shown steep growth in the last four years, jumping from 71,634 in 2012 to 86,175 in 2015, and resident and nonresident tag sales are strong this year. The reason for all this is simple: There are more elk. “Elk are not doing as well as we would like everywhere, but in most of the state, numbers are stable or have been increasing over the last few years,” Rachael said. Hunters are seeing more elk, and there also are more complaints from farmer and ranchers who are dealing with large herds of elk on their agriculture lands. “It’s no surprise that harvest went up last year,” Rachael said. “We issued more elk tags in areas where landowners have been experiencing conflicts with their crops and rangeland to to provide relief from those depredations.” Most of those are antlerless (cow) tags, which have a much higher success rate than general season tags.
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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTER’S ALMANAC | FALL 2016
Unit 13, Unit 18
Hells Canyon’s reputation for big elk protected well Few of Idaho’s game units have a legal description as simple as Unit 13’s: “that portion of Idaho County bounded by the Snake River on the west, the Salmon River on the east and north and the White Bird-Pittsburg Landing Road on the south.” The words belie the tough geography contained within it. The Unit 13 mule deer controlled hunt has consistently posted some of the most favorable odds of any tag drawing in the state — considering just 220 hunters who applied for the 200 available tags listed it as their first choice — and the reason is limited access. The unit is three-fourths private, but also features predominantly rugged canyon-lands that spill off the Joseph Plains to the Snake and Salmon rivers. Much of the public land in the unit
is scattered, and the largest tract is a Forest Service segment in the steep bottom below Wildhorse Butte and Haystack Mountain. In 2015, 90 of the 181 Unit 13 mule deer hunters who reported a result said they filled their tag. The topographic map of Unit 18 is vaguely similar, but from most of the Clearwater Region, the distinctive features physically can’t be overlooked. The Seven Devils tower over the unit in a way unlike any of Unit 13’s features, and make the public land west of Riggins some of the steepest anywhere. Apart from the ruggedness, nearly three-fourths of Unit 18 is managed by the Forest Service, making it by far the most public unit of the Hells Canyon elk zone, which also includes units 11 and 13. The zone is one of just two in the
Clearwater Region that meets Idaho Department of Fish and Game elk management objectives. No general elk season is offered, and the controlled drawing odds tilt long. For a shot at one of 75 Unit 18 archery tags, 233 listed it their first choice this year. For a shot at one of 225 Unit 18 rifle tags, 640 listed it first choice.
By the numbers: 13 2015 General/Any Weapon Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223,000 Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27.86 Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 562 Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * Deer hunters per square mile . . . . 1.6 * Controlled hunts only.
By the numbers: 18 2015 General/Any Weapon Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180,000 Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76.92 Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 946 Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436 Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * Deer hunters per square mile . . . . 3.4 * Controlled hunts only.
CREATIVE COMMONS
Due to its unique geography, Hells Canyon presents a unique challenge and a unique opportunity for any visitor, including hunters.
Land of the mountain lions When the chance to take a wolf, legally, came along in 2009, more than 30,000 hunters bought wolf tags. But during recent years, wolf tags have sold far more slowly than those for the customary big game predators: bears and mountain lions. Idaho County has long dominated the record books for mountain lions in this state. In the years since 1961, when Gene Alford scored the state’s Boone and Crockett record cat at 15 11/16 somewhere in the Selway drainage, a big cat from no other county has
topped the list. Hunters have exceeded that mark three times within the county proper, most recently when Rod Bradley took one at 15 14/16 in 2007. By then, however, it had been 19 years since Alford reclaimed the record from Matthew Motil. Motil made it 15 12/16 in 1987, but the next year, Alford put an enormous 16 3/16 —the only sixteener on Idaho’s books — to his name. Both of the state’s biggest black bears came out of the Clearwater Region.
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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTER’S ALMANAC | FALL 2016
Ethical hunting
It’s not just right — it’s the law Every year, the same headlines ripple across Idaho: “reward offered,” “charges filed,” “man arrested,” “pleads guilty” ... and on and on, because no matter how many times the wildlife authorities say it, some people refuse to listen. For those who may not be aware, the “sportsman’s code of ethics” is not a law, but is a set of guiding principles that most outdoorsmen live by: respecting private property, practicing safety and conserving game animals as valuable resources to be enjoyed by present and future generations. Poaching violates both the spirit and the letter of Idaho’s wildlife laws. Many violators are unlikely to follow the law no matter how stiff the penalties. After all, some people have convinced themselves that the state’s law does not apply to them, or just that they can get away with breaking it. But some may be simply unaware of how harshly Idaho treats those who break wildlife laws. For a wide variety of illegal hunting practices, penalties range from $300 to $1,000. But when trophy animals are taken illegally, the maximum climbs to a $10,000 fine, six months of jail time and, possibly, rev-
unearthing 65 violations including 23 felonies and 29 misdemeanors against four men. Several others were granted immunity in exchange for their testimony against the four main defendants. Charges included hunting without a license, taking big game with the aid of artificial light, unlawful possession of deer parts, taking deer during closed season, waste and cattle rustling. Through plea agreements with the Washington County Prosecutor’s office, the four defendants agreed to pay $24,450 in fines and penalties. The penalties included restitution for IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS FILE PHOTO the livestock losses; the men forfeited Poaching a bighorn sheep in Salmon River country last November landed a their hunting licenses.
Nampa man in jail this summer, as well as a $10,000 penalty.
ocation of hunting privileges for up to 10 years. In separate incidents in 2009, two men who illegally killed deer were stripped of their hunting privileges by Idaho judges. One pled guilty to spotlighting five deer after legal hunting hours and was fined more than $12,000 on top of forfeiting his license. Another was ordered to pay $3,000 in fines after he and his wife
pled guilty of taking big game with a firearm during muzzleloader season. These cases were reported nationally, including by the Los Angeles Times, because the bans these scofflaws received were enforceable in most states under the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. In 2014, a citizen’s anonymous tip named a Weiser man in the poaching of numerous deer and several domestic cattle. An investigation followed,
These license suspensions extended to all other Wildlife Violator Compact states. The defendants were each given 24 months of probation, during which any violation could lead to 180 days in jail for their poaching crimes. Idaho joined the Wildlife Violator Compact in 1991; the list is now 39 states long, according to the IDFG’s Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact webpage. Poaching can also be reported to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game Clearwater Region office in Lewiston at (208) 799-5010 or via the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at (800) 632-5999. Callers can remain anonymous and will be eligible for a reward.
Sportsman’s Code of Ethics • I will consider myself an invited guest of the landowner, seeking his permission, and so conducting myself that I may be welcome in the future. • I will obey the rules of safe gun handling and will courteously but firmly insist that others who hunt with me do the same. • I will obey all game laws and
regulations, and will insist that my companions do likewise. • I will do my best to acquire marksmanship and hunting skills, to insure clean, sportsmanlike kills. • I will support conservation efforts, which can assure good hunting for the future generations, and pass along the attitudes and skills essential to a true outdoor sportsman.
HOME OF THE SUDDEN SERVICE TEAM GRANGEVILLE:
OROFINO:
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411 E. MAIN (208) 983-1650
302 JOHNSON AVE. (208) 476-5589
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TWO LEWISTON STORES: 1408 MAIN ST. (208) 743-1594
251 THAIN RD. (208) 746-
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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTER’S ALMANAC | FALL 2016
Unit 14, Unit 15, Unit 16
Hunting a lifestyle for living in wildlands
PHOTO BY BILL DONALDSON
A continuing run of consecutive mild winters, record mule deer fawn survival in 2014-15 and above-average fawn survival last winter mean hunters should see a strong opportunity this fall.
The hills south and east of Grangeville have long been home not only to elk and deer, but to hardy people who know how to live off the land. If the marks made during the mining booms in Florence and Elk City have faded, the modern settlement of wildlands makes similar grooves. The legacy of pack horses specialized for hauling freight has given way to modern roads. These bear little resemblance to the mental picture that comes with the word “suburban,” but many are of a residential character. This is the WUI, the wildland urban interface, Units 14, 15 and 16 feature some of the state’s highest deer hunting success rates, not only because the proportion of deer to people runs in hunters’ favor, but because these units are home to many accomplished hunters who “live in the woods” in the most literal sense that old expression can be understood in modern times. Prospects for the 2015 deer season are as strong across these units as in any across Idaho — and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s outlook projects a strong follow to last year’s record harvest. A disease issue that hit the area hard last fall — blue tongue — is borne by insects that are wiped out by
frost. Known formally as EHD, short for epizootic hemorrhagic disease, blue tongue killed 1,000 to 5,000 deer, mostly whitetails, in southeastern Washington and North Central Idaho, according to the Lewiston Tribune.
By the numbers: 14 2015 General/Any Weapon Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370,000 Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66.4 Deer hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,835 Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 795 Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 832 Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Deer hunters per square mile . . . . 3.2
By the numbers: 15 2015 General/Any Weapon Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577,000 Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92.75 Deer hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,185 Deer harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,165 Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 701 Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Deer hunters per square mile . . . . 2.4
By the numbers: 16 2015 General/Any Weapon Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245,000 Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81.26 Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 998 Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510 Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248 Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Deer hunters per square mile . . . . 2.6
Hunting Passport mentoring program starts kids off well It's easier than ever to introduce someone new to hunting in Idaho. One way is through Idaho Fish and Game’s Hunting Passport, which offers novice hunters, both young and old, the opportunity to hunt for one year before needing to complete a hunter education course. A Hunting Passport is a special authorization that allows anyone who has never held a hunting license in any state, resident and nonresident, age 8 and older, to hunt wildlife for one year when they are accompanied by a mentor and participating in the
Mentored Hunting Program. “This simply allows people to test the waters and see if hunting is something they will enjoy before committing to the coursework and effort required to complete hunter education,” said Brenda Beckley, IDFG hunter and angler recruitment manager.” While there is no upper age limit to participate, new hunters must be 10 years of age to hunt big game, turkey and sandhill crane and 8 to hunt most other game birds and small game that do not require tags. Passport holders must purchase
general season tags, appropriate permits and validations. All hunting rules, seasons and weapon restrictions also apply. Hunting Passports cost $1.75 and are available at all Fish and Game license vendors. It expires December 31 of the year it was issued, and only one can be purchased in a lifetime, except an 8 year old may obtain a second passport at 9 years old. To continue hunting after the passport expires, the hunter must complete a hunter education course and purchase a license.
The program was originally designed as a way to get more youth interested in hunting before they may be distracted by a myriad of other activities such as youth sports and video games. But the passport program isn’t just for youth. The growing interest of many adults to eat locally sourced food is attracting new adult hunters to the sport. “Being able to secure healthy, local meat is becoming a real motivation for new adult hunters,” said Beckley. And more people are giving passports a try. Approximately 1,098 pass-
ports were purchased in 2013, the first full year they were offered. So far this year, 2,096 have been purchased. Research demonstrates that exposure to hunting, especially with youth, is critical in them taking it up as a lifetime sport. Anyone 18 or older who holds a valid Idaho hunting license can serve as a mentor. No certification is required, but adults may not mentor more than two people at the same time. See HTTPS://IDFG.IDAHO.GOV/LICENSES/HUNTER-PASSPORT.
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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTER’S ALMANAC | FALL 2016
Unit 16A, Unit 17, Unit 19, Unit 20
Playing solitaire A total of 1,126 deer hunters worked the four southeastern units of the Clearwater Region, which are perhaps better known by the group name of their elk management area: the Selway Zone. Sportsmen most often hear that name alongside that of the Lolo Zone, because these elk areas have a bit of history in common, as described in the Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s 2014 elk management plan. While the Lolo Zone peaked in the 1980s, “the Selway Zone elk population peaked in the mid-1990s and has declined precipitously since then...fueled by declining habitat conditions and predation.” One difference is the Selway’s affliction with noxious weeds, which IDFG now aims to address at a rate of 2,000 acres per year, to restore “desirable grass/forb community along the main stem of the Selway drainage. Last year’s deer population boom went nearly unnoticed the Selway Zone units (16A, 17, 19 and 20), as
these continued to boast the fewest deer hunters per square mile of any place in the region. That’s to be expected in the wildernesses, which comprise 16 percent of Unit 16A, 96 percent of Unit 17, 68 percent of Unit 19 and 62 percent of Unit 20. In light of the major forest fire east of Riggins, some of the hunters who normally head for the backcountry decided to stay away or go elsewhere. Comparing 2014 to 2015, the number of any weapon general season deer hunters dipped by more than 50 percent in Unit 16A, by 15 percent in Unit 19 and by a third in Unit 20. The deer hunter count climbed 31 percent in Unit 17, from 294 to 387. As of mid-September, across the Selway and Lolo zones, more than 1,100 elk tags were still listed as available on the Fish and Game website, as were 103 Elk City Zone ‘B’ tags. See FISHANDGAME.IDAHO.GOV/CONTENT/LICENSE/NONRESIDENTTAGAVAILABILITY for details.
By the numbers: 16A
By the numbers: 19
2015 General/Any Weapon Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182,000 Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Deer hunters per square mile . . . . 0.2
2015 General/Any Weapon Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168,000 Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98.69 Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330 Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299 Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Deer hunters per square mile . . . 1.26
By the numbers: 17
By the numbers: 20
2015 General/Any Weapon Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 967,000 Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99.99 Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387 Deer harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360 Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Deer hunters per square mile . . . . 0.3
2015 General/Any Weapon Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310,000 Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98.58 Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Deer hunters per square mile . . . . 0.4
IDAHO FISH AND GAME
Mature mule deer bucks are a trophy for many hunters, and every year a few Idaho bucks make the record books.
Telephone license, tag service restored In the wake of a hack attack that may have compromised the thirdparty system on which the Idaho Department of Fish and Game relies to provide telephone and online license and tag purchases, those services were shut down. IDFG has since announced that license and tag buyers can once again make purchases via the telephone by calling 1-800-554-8685. Buyers who use the telephone option should note that it takes 7 to 10 days for licenses and tags arrive by mail. Hunters can also make purchases at any of the 400 businesses
throughout Idaho that sell Fish and Game licenses and tags or at Fish and Game regional offices or the headquarters office in Boise. On Aug. 24, Idaho Fish and Game officials removed both the online sales page and the telephone purchasing option from the Fish and Game website after being notified of an attempted breach of the online system. Identity Theft protection services have since been announced by Active Network, the third party service provider. The Texas-based company owns
and operates Fish and Games hunting and fishing license system and is making the identity theft services available to all license buyers whose personal information may have been compromised by an attempt last month to access the online license system. Active Network is offering two years of free identity protection and restoration services. The company established a website where people can check to see if their information was potentially impacted: ACTIVEOUTDOORS . ALL CLEARID.COM.
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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTER’S ALMANAC | FALL 2016
Brag Board Contact the Idaho County Free Press, 983-1200, to contribute your ‘Brag Board’ photo.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / TISSIE WALLE
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / JONI SHEPHERD
Aiden Walle got his first elk, a Selway ‘B’ tag behemoth, on Sept. 17. He was out with his uncle, Tony Martinez, who at about 4:30 p.m. called the bull in for him. He made two shots with a .270 another uncle, Carlos Martinez, provided to replace a 7mm family heirloom rifle that had worn out. At 250 yards, Aiden’s second shot hit the heart, according to his mom, Tissie Walle. Both shots were made mid-bugle while the elk was on the move. The tag includes units 16A, 17, 19, and 20.
Ethan Shepherd, son of Mike and Joni Shepherd, got his first mule deer — an outstanding buck — in Unit 23 on Oct. 31, 2014. Ethan was hunting with his dad the day Mike got his bull, and was half-dressed for Halloween when he got his deer.
We want your
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Bring pictures to: 900 West Main, Grangeville, ID Or mail them to: P.O. Box 690 Grangeville, ID 83530
photos!
983-1200, 800-252-0233
We want your RECREATION PHOTOS, TOO! SNOWMOBILING, CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING, SNOWBOARDING, ICE FISHING, ETC.
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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTER’S ALMANAC | FALL 2016
Upland bird outlook
Pheasant count dips, but still ticks above 10-year average BY ROGER PHILLIPS IDAHO FISH AND GAME A normal winter and a wet spring in many areas provided a mixed bag of broods with some areas reporting large populations of birds compared to last year and others spotty or lower, but still similar to long-term averages. Reports from across the state based on field observations from biologists and other Fish and Game personnel, and others based on established, long-term surveys that help determine population trends, are online at HTTPS://IDFG.IDAHO.GOV/PRESS/2016UPLAND-BIRD-FORECAST. Like most hunting, location is critical for upland birds, and regardless of season forecasts, hunters should cover lots of ground and remember that if birds aren’t in your favorite hunting spot, that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Hunters are encouraged to keep moving and trying new areas, and also pay attention to seasonal changes in habitat use. Birds can, and will, move based on weather conditions and seasons. Upland game birds are a favorite of many experienced hunters, and also a great opportunity for novice hunters. The birds are found throughout the state, there’s lots of land available to hunt, and in many cases, all you need is a hunting license and a shotgun to hunt them. You can read
more in Fish and Game's Beginners Guide to Hunting. Fish and Game manages 32 wildlife management areas throughout the state, which can be good places to start before seeking other areas. The department also leases about 360,000 acres through its Access Yes! program that pays private landowners to allow public hunting on their lands. Clearwater Region: Overall, population trends were mixed, depending on the species. Fish and Game staff survey 12, 20-mile upland game brood routes annually from mid-to-late August across the region to index game-bird population trends and productivity. Surveys are used to monitor annual changes and longterm trends in regional populations. Due to low detection rates, the surveys are imprecise and should be interpreted cautiously. Weather conditions were abnormally cool and wet during the spring and early summer nesting and brood rearing period. There were several significant rains during June and early July, which were accompanied by cool temperatures. This weather overlapped the peak nesting periods for most upland game bird species. Cool and wet weather can provide excellent summer brood rearing habitat, but can also kill chicks, depending on timing of events. Sizes of game
bird chicks observed in late August were highly variable. This variation in size would indicate that some successful nesting during the normal nesting period and that some of this year’s production is the result of later re-nesting attempts. Fish and Game’s field observation and survey reports are as follows. • Pheasants: The 47 pheasants observed in 2016 represent a 59 percent decline from the 115 birds tallied in 2015, but is still 23 percent higher than the previous 10-year average of 38 birds. It should be noted that the 115 pheasants counted in 2015 was the highest number counted in the past 10 years. The 47 birds observed in 2016 represent just 24 percent of the historical high count of 199 tallied in 2005. The 47 pheasants observed on the 240 miles of routes surveyed in 2015 equates to 0.2 pheasants observed per mile surveyed. Four broods were encountered this year. An average of 4.9 broods was tallied on these routes during the past 10 years, including a
high of 32 in 2005. The average size of broods observed this year was 5.5 chicks. Chukar: Chukar helicopter trend surveys are no longer conducted by IDFG. The Clearwater Region has experimented with some ground-based survey methodologies in recent years, but to-date, have not identified a reliable trend index. Chukar productivity and populations have appeared to be trending upward in recent years. Observations and reports from field staff and the public this year (although somewhat tentative due to relatively small sample sizes, i.e., numbers of reports), appear to indicate very good chukar nesting success and chick survival with observations of many birds, including numerous large broods. Gray partridge (hun): The number of gray partridge observed this year was down from last year’s total but is still above the long-term average. A total of 130 gray partridge were counted in 2016 (0.54 gray partridge per mile surveyed). This figure represents a 26 percent decline from the 176 birds tallied in 2015 but is still 36 percent above the previous 10-
HOW TO: Teach a young person to hunt Hunting is one thing, and teaching someone else to hunt is something else. Here are some teaching tips: Focus on the new hunter’s needs first: It’s easy for the passionate and experienced hunter to become engrossed in the seriousness of the hunt. Relax and try to remember your first hunt. Slow down and spend time explaining and sharing rather than expecting. Be safe, legal, and sure: Discuss
and practice safe gun handling prior to the hunt and routinely throughout. Prepare and plan: Help new hunters prepare for the hunt. Get them excited by including them sighting in rifles, pre-season scouting, packing and reviewing maps. Practice: Practicing shooting skills before the hunt eases fears, reduces wounding loss, and builds confidence. Easy does it: You may be able to walk for miles in rugged terrain with
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year average of 96. It should be noted that the 176 gray partridge counted in 2015 was the third highest count recorded in the past 25 years. California quail: The number of quail counted this year was up slightly compared to last year’s total. A total of 143 birds were counted in 2016 (+ 21 percent and 0.58 birds per mile surveyed) compared to the 118 counted last year. This total is 18 percent lower than the previous 10-year average of 174 and is 63 percent lower than high count of 385 tallied in 2003. Mourning dove: A total of 421 mourning doves were counted on regional routes in 2016 (1.51 doves observed per mile surveyed). This total represents a 7 percent decrease from the 451 tallied in 2015, and is 2 percent higher than the previous 10-year average of 412. Forest grouse: Forest grouse are not surveyed in the Clearwater Region. Incidental observations and reports from field staff and sportsmen indicate that forest grouse production was near the long-term average in 2016.
983-0491
Grangeville
a full backpack all day long. Make the initial outings interesting, enjoyable, educational, and relaxed. Fits and starts: Be sure that new hunters have clothing and hunting equipment that fits them. Commit to comfort: Being considerate of the new hunter’s comfort can make the outing more enjoyable and rewarding. Full tank: Breakfast should always be a start to any day in the field.
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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTER’S ALMANAC | FALL 2016