Topic: School me on controlled hunts/over the counter tags/so on...

[technique]

Alright guys...help a Idaho hunting n00b.
I'm confused, I as reading all these regs and it's not adding up?

General tags, Controlled tags, unclaimed/extra/leftover tags....what is all this?

What I wanna know is basically, can I get a buck and a doe tag in the same season/same zone.
If it helps, I normally do my hunting outta Cambridge.

Thanks guys/gals!

[fj40mojo]

While I don't have a regs book with me at the moment I 'll tell you that you get one over the counter or controlled hunt tag for deer. There are areas where an extra doe tag can be had generally with a short range weapon only and it is put in for as a controlled hunt known as an X Tag, don't know if Cambridge is one of those areas. Controlled hunts are like a lottery. Idaho has no points system so you've got the same odds as everybody else putting in for that tag unless you put in with 3 other hunters on a party hunt in which case 4 lots would be cast for you and if one draws you all draw thereby increasing your odds x4. The lottery or draw is usually complete and results posted by June in which case if you don't draw you can purchase a general deer tag and hunt in any general season. If you are lucky and do draw for a controlled hunt a letter will be sent and once you purchase that tag you are locked into hunting only in that controlled hunt season and area. Controlled hunts generally offer higher odds of success because you are pursuing antlerless deer  or opportunities to bag a trophy.

[technique]

Alright, now I'm connecting the dots...

I guess this coming season I'll go for a doe. I would just hate to run into a nice buck while doe hunting.
Thanks for the help. The regs are so hard to read. Idaho sure has a lot to hunt, that makes it all the more confusing.
I'm used to hog and buck only. Now I'm looking at bear, wolf, 2 types of dear, elk, antelope, moose....

Just yesterday I figured out what a "chuck" really was...I assume they are of the Rock variety. So much to absorb, so much to kill, so much to eat!

Thanks again!

[fj40mojo]

Don't be so quick to settle on a doe. Buck hunting can be good particularly if you head up north and hunt for whitetails! Most of the seasons up there are for either buck or doe too, so you can buck hunt until the last day and then shoot a doe if you have no luck. Of course this is the Whitetail only tag. I've done well in units 15 and 16 and have connections up in Kooskia and Kamiah.

[technique]

Cool. Thanks for the info.
A few years back I was doing a non-resident hunt out in Cambridge. All I saw were does. So I figured it was good bet and I would be able to bag one. Right now I'm looking for meat.

I have never hunted whitetail so that peaks my interest. I'll look into it. I just picked up a Idaho atlas...see if I can find those zones.

[fj40mojo]

Whitetail hunting is a different game fer sure! They are a lot warier critter than a muley. Sitting on stands and being patient is the key.

[Nomad]

 Have hunted Whitetail for several years Units from Riggins North to Moscow. Units in that
area some have extra tags that you need to draw for or buy an out of state tag. The past
couple of years have got into some nice bucks so do a little scouting and get promission in
areas that you to hunt so come hunting season you are good to go..
 Three or so years back was driving and stopped to help out a guy fixing fence well that opened
up to 36 sections of land to hunt still have not hunted it but the offer is there......
 Most folks say yes just ask........

[technique]

Looked into 15-16 zones. Probly gonna head up there in the next few weeks and scout around.
I think I'll do the same with 39.

[fj40mojo]

A large portion of 16 is private land. Ask First! The worst they can say is no. 15 has a fair size resident deer population, but things get really interesting there when it starts to snow. This happens to be home to one of the few migratory herds of whitetails so as the snow gets deeper up towards Elk City the deer move towards Grangeville becoming more concentrated  as they go. If you happen to catch the migration count on a short season. We hit it perfect on year and were all tagged out by evening the first day, my season was over 20 mins from first light on opening day.

[AR10ER]

A large portion of 16 is private land. Ask First! The worst they can say is no. 15 has a fair size resident deer population, but things get really interesting there when it starts to snow. This happens to be home to one of the few migratory herds of whitetails so as the snow gets deeper up towards Elk City the deer move towards Grangeville becoming more concentrated  as they go. If you happen to catch the migration count on a short season. We hit it perfect on year and were all tagged out by evening the first day, my season was over 20 mins from first light on opening day.

Nice.

[technique]

That's what the scouting was all about. I'll look more into 15 then. Talk to some folks or find public land. See what the terrain is like too.

[fj40mojo]

That's what the scouting was all about. I'll look more into 15 then. Talk to some folks or find public land. See what the terrain is like too.

I'll tell you up front that the terrain gets damn steep the closer you get to the Clearwater. It's not bad up on top of the ridges, but it pitches off steep down to the river. There are deer located in those river breaks if your up to the terrain. Check out Peasley Creek, Silver Ridge, Earthquake Meadows and all points in between.

Don't rule out 16. There is lots of private land, but a lot of the locals refer to whitetails as woods rats and I've shot a couple of does out of peoples gardens on the last day of a hunt.

Depending on how my phone interview went today I may be moving up to that neck of the woods-Lewiston.

[fj40mojo]

Nice.

I watched 16 bucks walk by in that 20 minutes and couldn't count the does and fawns, number 17 died. Try to picture 2 feet of fresh snow beaten down to mud by all the deer traveling through and you'll get an idea of what the migration is like when you catch it.

[J Mack]

Depending on how my phone interview went today I may be moving up to that neck of the woods-Lewiston.

  good luck!

[NoviceHunter]

What I wanna know is basically, can I get a buck and a doe tag in the same season/same zone.

You can also apply $$$ to solve this problem.  Submit your regular tag for the CH of your choice, and if you get it, then wait until mid-August and you can buy as many out-of-state leftover tags as your budget will allow (>$300 each.)  The out-of-state tags at that point will be for general hunts only.  This is more commonly done for elk, I'd wager.