Im planning an Idaho Mule Deer Hunt for next year and need help.

[blakebow8]

So like the title of my post says im planning a mule deer hunt for next year. I will be hunting with a rifle and im just trying to figure out where i should try to go. I live in Battle Ground Washington so im not that far away from Idaho. I was mostly looking at the Nez Perce National Forest or the Payette National Forest. I also have family that lives up in the panhandle but I dont really know how the mule deer hunting is up there. I would like to be able to do a five day backpack hunt. I would love to hear some feed back on the hunting in these areas and some information that would narrow my location. Thank you.

[T43]

That's the wrong side of the state for me. You may have some luck posting this in the Idaho forum.

[Musket Man]

Mule deer numbers are pretty low in the panhandle. I hunted it 2 years ago. Never found anything I wanted to put my tag on but backpacked into some awesome country! I hear some of the frank church wilderness is decent but i have never hunted there.

[Bitterroot Bulls]

The Frank Church is better than decent as far as trophy potential goes. Bucks die of old age back there.

[Musket Man]

Thats good to hear! How are deer numbers doing there? I hear the wolves haven't hit the deer near as bad as they have the elk. I was planning to go there last year but i drew a muzzle loader tag in colorado

[Bitterroot Bulls]

I think numbers are down just like about everywhere else. There are guys out of Salmon that fly or float back there and do really well every year.

I plan to hunt in there in the near future, I hope.

The Frank Church is so big the deer don't migrate out, they migrate to a different part of the Frank Church.

[Ikeepitcold]

Stay away from the Cashe National Forest and the Palasades area as well. I've hunted both of theses areas and the deer numbers suck and not much for trophy potential.

[IdahoHombre]

+1 on the Frank Church suggestion. Just remember it is roadless & steep!

You can still run into some nice muleys in S. Idaho as well. But the general mule deer seasons over on the east part of the state have been pretty cold, as Ikeepitcold suggests.

[ID_MW]

A Frank Church hunt will probably also include a hefty flight fee included into your hunt. Most of the deer are close to the river which will usually mean flying in to your hunting area. Just something to keep in mind.