2024 Deer & Elk Hunting Outlook

Southwest Region - McCall

Elk

Elk herds remain at/or above objectives in most of the region apart from the Middle Fork Zone, which is still below objective. Wildlife staff last surveyed the McCall Zone in February 2022, and elk numbers are within management objectives.

Brownlee has a high ratio of bulls to cows, and harvest continues to trend up. However, hunters should expect that some of these elk will be challenging to hunt due to hunter numbers and private land access.

The Weiser River Zone remains above objective, but harvest success recently started to drop off due to an intentional reduction of herds in order to meet population objectives, and antlerless opportunity was reduced on both the Weiser A and B tags in the last season setting cycle as a result.

Deer

Deer fawns collared across the Weiser-McCall area saw average overwinter survival at just over 90%-the highest in the state. This follows four winters of above-average fawn survival and should result in good numbers of 1- to 5-year-old deer available to hunters this fall.

White-tailed deer herds are stable to slightly increasing across the region with the highest densities occurring in the northern portions.

Hunters pursuing mule deer on the regular deer tag are reminded that youth are restricted to harvesting antlered deer only in Units 23, 31, and 32A. In Units 22 and 32, youth may harvest antlered or antlerless animals during the first week. As with elk, deer hunters in Units 32 and 22 should keep in mind that the Paddock and Limepoint fires likely affected distribution of deer and elk in these units.

What hunters should be aware of this fall

The biggest thing deer hunters need to be aware of this year is that CWD testing is now mandatory for mule deer and white-tailed deer harvested in units 23, 24, and 32A, following the detection of a CWD-positive mule deer buck near the border of Units 23 and 32A last fall. Units 23, 24, and 32A are not within the CWD Management Zone, so carcass transportation restrictions do not apply. Hunters should refer to Fish and Game's CWD webpage for sampling information and locations.

Another consideration for hunters in the area this year is wildfires: With fires burning in Units 22, 32, 24, and 25, hunters should be sure to check InciWeb prior to heading out in the field for the most up-to-date fire information, including current fire boundaries and road and area closures.

- Regan Berkley, Regional Wildlife Manager

Southwest Region - Nampa

Elk

The Boise River Zone was last surveyed in 2021, which showed that both cows and bulls were over population objectives. Starting in 2023, the season for the Boise River B Tag was extended to begin earlier on Oct. 27. This increased opportunity, combined with hunters avoiding elk zones impacted heavily by the 2022-23 winter, resulted in a significant increase in hunter participation in the Boise River Zone. Despite this increased pressure on the zone, hunter success rates remained relatively consistent.

Both general season and controlled hunt tag holders should still experience an abundance of opportunity this season. Harvest metrics following this season will be monitored closely to ensure Boise River Zone is brought within population objectives in a controlled manner.

The Sawtooth Zone was last surveyed in 2023. Estimates of overwintering bulls showed a decline, while cow numbers increased when compared to the previous survey in 2017. However, it is important to remember that much of the huntable population migrates into the Sawtooth Zone in the spring and are, therefore, not observed during the winter aerial survey in that zone.

Over the last five years, regional staff have been tracking a small decline in general season success. To increase chances of success, B-tag hunters may want to plan their hunts earlier in the season to maximize their odds of encountering bulls before some migrate out of the zone.

Elk hunting in the Owyhee Zone, which is limited to controlled hunts, will continue to provide hunters with excellent opportunities to harvest mature bulls this fall. These herds are stable and/or increasing, which allows for controlled hunt antlerless opportunity in the zone that is intended to slow population growth.

Mule Deer

With generous over-the-counter tags, any-weapon harvest seasons, and its proximity to Idaho's most populated area, Unit 39 is the state's most popular and productive unit for mule deer hunters. Fawn recruitment in Unit 39 was severely reduced following the winter of 2022-23. However, the low winter survival resulted in more available resources for surviving adults and fawns born in the spring of 2023. The composition survey flown in the early winter of 2023-24 saw an increase in antlered deer and a substantial increase in the ratio of fawns to does. Hunters in the field will likely encounter increased numbers of young bucks and a similar number of mature bucks compared to last year.

Mule deer in the southern portion of the Central Mountains (Units 33, 34, and 35) have experienced steady recovery since the winter of 2016-17, with multiple years of increasing buck-to-doe ratios observed during aerial flights through the winter of 2022-23. The composition survey flown this past winter saw a sharp decline in surveyed bucks. However, due to very mild winter conditions this past winter that allowed bucks to remain high, the survey likely did not encounter the entire male population. Hunters should expect mature bucks at low densities and have a similar hunting experience as recent years.

General season mule deer hunting opportunity in the Owyhee units is limited to bucks that are two points or less on at least one side (2-point bucks); and as a result, the harvest is largely comprised of yearlings. Hunters should have similar hunting experiences as past years during the general season. Late season hunters in the controlled hunts should expect mature bucks at low densities, but still expect a quality hunting experience in the desert.

What hunters should be aware of this fall

Early season hunters should be aware of extensive access restrictions because of numerous active fires. The closures are currently pervasive in Units 33, 34, and 35. Hunters should consult Forest Service and BLM websites for updates on current closures.

Fish and Game is accepting samples from any and all hunter-harvested deer and elk in all units in the region. Hunters can submit lymph nodes or heads for sampling. Samples from deer and elk salvaged from vehicle collisions will also be accepted.

Wildlife managers are continuing to encourage antlerless harvest in the general season youth hunt and controlled hunts for Units 39 and 43. Unit 39 has been a very productive mule deer unit, and has been for a long time, but biologists have documented decreases in fawn production, a smaller number of fawns in proportion to the number of does, and a decline in winter weights of fawns-all of which suggest the deer herd is approaching the top end of what the habitat can support.

- Ryan Walrath, Regional Wildlife Manager; David Bernasconi, Regional Wildlife Biologist; Rachel Curtis, Regional Wildlife Biologist

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