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Rifle season for deer opens Friday |
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October 6, 2014 |
Idaho Department of Fish and Game
Deer hunters are gearing up for opening day
across Idaho, as numbers are up and opportunity
is high. Three consecutive mild winters across
most of Idaho are resulting in unusually high
numbers of mule deer and whitetail deer.
Survival rates have been higher than average in
five of the last six years.
Biologists say mild winters and good summer
conditions allow bucks to put additional energy
into antler growth, so 2014 will not only be
good opportunity to take a deer, but also
provides potential to bag a trophy. That
opportunity is especially high in places where
winter generally takes a more significant toll
on deer herds.
“Three mild winters in a row don’t happen in the
Upper Snake Region; opportunities like this
don’t happen very often,” said Wildlife Manager
Daryl Meints. “Sportsmen should take advantage
of this while it is available; it could all
change this winter.”
In the Panhandle Region, hunters will find high
numbers of whitetail deer including abundant
does, but are reminded to carefully identify
before pulling the trigger, as mule deer hunting
is bucks only in that region.
In July the Fish and Game Commission approved a
significant discount in the price of second
tags. Thousands of hunters are taking advantage
of the opportunity, but some second tags are
still available. For more information on the
second tag discount go to:
https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/content/tagdiscount
“With second tags at a discount and unusually
high deer populations, 2014 could be the best
opportunity we’ll see in Idaho in a long time”
said State Wildlife Chief Jeff Gould.
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