# Northern Idaho whitetails



## rutting (Jul 11, 2008)

Well it's decided! I'm heads to northern Idaho in November ! Can anyone point me in the right direction? I haven't decided on a unit yet! I'm hoping to find a cheap motel or cabin to stay in! 
Is the rut usually mid November ? I've never hunted whitetails before so any help at all would be appreciated !!!


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Key in on areas around the Clearwater River and Dworshak Reservoir. There are whitetail on all public lands in these areas. If you hunt November, look for areas where you can glass large areas as rutting deer will be moving all day. I hunted November for years, then discovered that I like October better. Some zones will allow you to take a mule deer or whitetail during that time. Have fun and don't be to picky your first year. Once you get it figured out you will have fun for years to come. I shot a lot of 13-14 inch basket 8 and 10 points before getting into the bigger bucks. Now we kill 120"+ bucks each year.-------SS

PS: Here is my first whitetail from 1994. Killed in zone 11a.


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## rutting (Jul 11, 2008)

Hey thanks for the info!! Do you normally see tons of hunters or with the season so long the hunters are spread out? I've never been in northern Idaho ! I imagined it thick with no open areas! Sounds like maybe there are places to glass? We'll have about 9 days to hunt! So I'm going to be picky for the first 5-6 !


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## rutting (Jul 11, 2008)

That's not a bad buck ! I'd be happy with him In the end! Thanks again for the info


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

There will be hunters around on the weekends in November. The weekdays will be quiet. It is thick in many places. Look for clear cuts and River break areas on Google Earth.-------SS


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## BigT (Mar 11, 2011)

A friend of mine and I hunted Whitetail back in Kansas last December. We were actually looking into Montana and northern Idaho until we came across an opportunity to lease private property in Kansas for a really good deal.

Here's some things we learned quickly as we're used to hunting Muley's. Keep in mind we hunted post rut in December. We'd see Whitetail doe and fawn all day long. We'd see smaller bucks for up to an hour or so after sunrise, and about 90 minutes before sunset. However, the mature bucks we were seeing (without too much broken antler) would only give us 5-10 minutes a day to hunt them before dark. They were very cautious! They are very difficult to put a spot and stalk on although it's possible. As SS mentioned, look in those river valleys. We saw a ton of deer coming and going in these little river bottoms, and the wheat fields. Not sure you'll have many of those. 

I shot my buck with about 5 minutes before dark from 300 yards out of a blind. I couldn't believe these animals vision. They'll bust you from a mile away. My friend shot a nice buck just before dark after putting an impossible stalk on. He began his stalk at over 1000 yards on the deer. The deer busted him at that distance. Lucky for us, it was still interested in some doe and returned when the distance was closed to 320 yards. 

One of the funnest hunts I've ever been on. We both had a permit for a doe as well so we came back with plenty of meat. And these deer taste really good as compared with Muley's. We plan on doing this again...

Enjoy your hunt.


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## shortbreath54 (Apr 23, 2009)

*Idaho White tail*

Back in the late 80's and 90's used to hunt up around Kooskie and over east of Whitebird. Small basket 8's were generally every where but the big boys stayed in the timber.
This was before the wolves got in there so no idea what effect they are having  good luck and have fun


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

shortbreath54 said:


> Back in the late 80's and 90's used to hunt up around Kooskie and over east of Whitebird. Small basket 8's were generally every where but the big boys stayed in the timber.
> This was before the wolves got in there so no idea what effect they are having good luck and have fun


I started hunting that general area in the mid 90's. There was a big die off after 2000 and since they have come back to similar numbers by my observations. There might even be more big bucks now. I don't know if the wolves have affected the whitetails too much. They seem to be doing fine.----------SS


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

The year after the die off made for some outstanding dead head hunting. I found several huge bucks. At the time I was looking for a live one and could have cared less about the dead heads. I wish I had a few now. Locals told of dumptrucks full of dead deer being removed and a putrid smell that lingered for months.-------SS


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

This was 2012. Pretty good year.----------SS


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

2013 was pretty good too.----------SS


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## rutting (Jul 11, 2008)

Show off ... Lol nice bucks!! I'd be happy my first year with a small 4x4 !
When you hunted them in nov was the rut over by the end of nov ? I'm thinking of hunting thanksgiving week and it's late this year! Did you ever try rattling them or more spot and stalk or plain old just sit and wait


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

The rut is still cranking Thanksgiving week. I never had any luck rattling but have had good luck using a grunt smacker and a bleat call. During a cold year many deer will have broken headgear by late November. I have found the most success finding areas with a lot of deer, then finding a place where I can see a few acres. They move all day during the rut. Also I have had luck hunting the edges of really thick timber blowing the grunt and bleating. 

During October I glass the biggest open areas I can find for deer feeding in the early morning/late evening. There are NO other WT hunters in October and the big bucks seem to be easier to find.

I've never had any luck with spot and stock. All I ever see is white flags heading into the thick stuff. I have never seen a WT buck stop and look back. When they head out you might as well start shooting because it's game over. 

If an area is not absolutley covered in deer sign I keep looking. That includes lots of scrapes and rubs in Nov.--------SS


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## rutting (Jul 11, 2008)

What's the weather typically like ? Trying to decide of I want to camp or find a motel!
Does it get super cold and below freezing at night?


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Huge variance. I've hunted in a t-shirt some years and been frozen out others. I would plan on camping and hit a motel if it gets really bad. Several times we have camped in the weather and then got a motel for a night to clean up and warm up, then gone right back out to camp. -----SS


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