Hunter's: Remote Possibilities

HuntersAlmanac
North Central Idaho
OCTOBER 2016
Clearwater Region
PHOTO COURTESY ROBERT MILLAGE, KAMIAH ID
Remote possibilities
Few places on the planet are much
more than a days travel away from
Earths biggest cities, but the remote parts
of North Central Idaho are far off the
beaten paths that criss-cross the contiguous United States.
That makes this area a boon to anyone
who wants to get away from the cities for
a spell. An Englishman could jump on a
flight out of Heathrow
but would find it difficult
to land much more than
24 hours away from a
major city.
Even a rock star with
airfare to spare say,
Rolling Stones frontman
Mick Jagger would
need about as much time
to get from London to
Lewiston by jet plane as
itd take him to tour
Hells Canyon Dam by jet
boat.
And thats the point:
covering great distance
at high speed separates
a person from the modern world far less than
a walk in the woods.
Though deeper woods

than those of the Nez PerceClearwater National Forests
can hardly be found in the
Lower 48, easy access is a
large part of the Clearwater
Regions appeal.
Two local game units 8A
and 10A
reliably feature
among the states
most hunting
ground. The largest
whitetail deer harvest in Idaho history went off last
year. Despite a run
of forest fires that
cast shadows over the region that lingered longer even than the smoke, both
of these units which neighbor Dworshak Reservoir ranked once again in

the states top 10 by total harvest.
Unit 12 which centers on the Lochsa
River and U.S. Highway 12 posted the
states highest deer hunting success rate
(52 percent), while 8, 10A, 11A, 15, 16,
17 and 18 all ranked in the top 10 by success rate.
With nearly 7,000 deer hunters tagging nearly 3,600 deer, 10A
ranked third in the
state
by overall count. Unit 8A deer hunters

more than 5,300 of them tagged more
than 2,000 deer.
We left Mick Jagger on a boat farther

to the south, in Snake River country
above the Salmon River confluence. That
area is as remote as can be found.
Unit 13 is a mostly-private riddle of
canyons southwest of Cottonwood and
due west of White Bird. The Forest Service manages land
on both sides of the Unit 18 boundary at

Pittsburg Landing; farther south, the
ground is mostly public and includes
nearly 58,000 acres of wilderness.
The archery hunter who draws a Unit
18 elk tag has a chance to tag one very
large bull.
The Lolo Zone (Units 10 and 12) and
the Selway Zone (Units 16A, 17, 19 and
20) used to be known for their elk hunting. Idaho Fish and Game and partners
are planning habitat restoration fires.
IDFGs wolf control operations continue.
Despite the troubles, IDFG is forecasting
a banner year for elk hunters around
the state, and has announced a
25,000 elk season a rarity
the past four decades
may be possible.
All who seek deep
wilderness
hunti n g
maylook
no farther than
t h e
southeast
corner of
t h e
Clearwater
Region,
w h e r e
much of
the Selway Zone
has been
hunted
sparsely, if
at all, in recent years.
Those looking to go nonmotorized closer to town can
look to the Craig
Mountain Wildlife
Management
Area, south of Lewiston.
Inside: A unit-by-unit look at the Clearwater Region

Money$aver The Shopper IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS
NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTERS ALMANAC | FALL 2016
Unit 8A, Unit 10A
Two top units poised for productive seasons

The Idaho Department of Fish and
Game is anticipating a superb elk season not everywhere in the state,
but in areas where herds are strong.
The agency sees potential for
25,000 to be tagged across Idaho this
year. Thatd be a 25 percent pop even
compared to the beginning of the
boom that followed a stagnant run
seen prior to 2013.
If such a large elk hunt materializes, it would be the fourth time in
four decades.
The Clearwater Region usually
sees a healthy share of the statewide
harvest, with Units 8A and 10A leading the region and consistently ranking among the states best.
IDFGs figures show more than
12,000 deer hunters and 5,800 elk
hunters bought tags for big game
hunts in these two units last year.
Unit 10A ranked as one of the topfive general season deer hunting units
in the state by both success rate (51
percent) and by total harvest (3,586),
and across Dent Bridge pictured at
right the 8A general season deer
hunters also tagged a top-five total
(2,044).
Dent Bridge marks a point about
halfway up Dworshak Reservoir, and
also marks one boundary between
units similar for having much public
land and much Potlatch Corporation
land. (Potlatch sells permits for recreational use including hunting. See:
RECREATION.POTLATCHCORP.COM/ID.)
The strong, consistent opportunity

in these two units comes with some of
the states highest hunter counts.
Key factors point toward 2015
being another banner year. The 2014
mild winter had elk and deer populations flourishing and 2015 saw above
average fawn survival statewide.
Last October, half the state was in
severe to extreme drought, and much
of Idaho including the whole Clearwater Region remains abnormally
dry, according to the U.S. Department
of Agriculture. Even so, the drought is
no longer severe and autumn has
come with average rain.
North Central Idahos premier

publication of Hunters Almanac is offered to the
hunters and sportsmen of
North Central Idaho.
We hope you find it informative,
useful and entertaining.
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900 W. Main, PO Box 690, Grangeville ID 83530
208-746-0483, Lewiston; 208-983-1200, Grangeville
By the numbers: 8A
2015 General/Any Weapon

Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470,000
Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40.17
Deer hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,919
Deer harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,007
Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,746
Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Deer hunters per square mile . . . . 6.7
By the numbers: 10A

Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 754,000
Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50.75
Deer hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,603
Deer harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,521
Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,173
Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439
Ask permission to hunt private land

With many of Idaho's hunting seasons set to begin soon, Idaho Fish
and Game urges hunters to be conscious of their actions and act responsibly when hunting private land.
We are fortunate that the majority of hunters are respectful and considerate to landowners, said Sal
Palazzolo, private lands coordinator
for Idaho Fish and Game. But each
year, we deal with problems related
to irresponsible behavior of a few.
Access to private land can be a
challenge for Idaho hunters. Yet each
year, landowners restrict access to
their property because of conflicts

with hunters. Trespassing, property
damage, and discharging firearms
close to livestock or buildings being
three main reasons.
Surveys say 88 percent of
landowners allow hunting on their
property if hunters ask permission
first. How hunters behave will determine if they are allowed back.
For step-by-step guidance on steps
to take before, during and after the
hunt, see IDFG.IDAHO.GOV/PRESS/RESPECT- AND - COURTESY- ARE - ESSENTIAL WHEN-HUNTING-PRIVATE-LAND.
Unit 8, Unit 11, Unit 11A
Craig Mountain the gem in Lewistons yard

Deer tag sales are on an uptick dating back to 2011, and since 2012, the
number of hunters interested in three
units 8, 11, and 11A has grown
significantly.
That translates to hundreds more
deer being legally harvested, but the
surge has been more than matched by
the burgeoning whitetail population.
The prevalence of whitetail deer in
these well-traveled agricultural zones
contributes to one long-standing statistic many Idahoans have run into
before: motorists by accident claim
more deer than hunters do by aim.
For hunters, radio collar tracking
of mule deer fawn survival shows a
dip from the 2014-2015 high (when
83 percent survived statewide) as
well as the 78 percent survival number seen in 2013-2014. The 20152016 drop to 64 percent held slightly
above the 10-year average.
Apart from McCroskey State Park
north of Potlatch, Units 8 and 11A
feature little state or federal land, but
those in the know or who know
how to ask find hunting opportunities on private land year after year.
For those who want to hunt in
state-run public woods, Unit 11 features one of the Gem States true
gems: the Craig Mountain Wildlife
Management Area, where interior
roads are reserved for non-motorized
uses, such as horseback riding and
mountain biking.
Craig Mountain WMA is accessed
from Lewiston via Waha Road, south
of the junction where Tammany
Creek Road joins Webb Road.
Earlier this month, the department

issued a reminder that on lands such
as the Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area, travel restrictions are
in place to benefit wildlife and your
hunting and recreating experience.
IDFG also noted prohibitions
against leaving a camp, vehicle or
trailer unattended for more than 48
hours; and against camping or parking a vehicle or trailer for more than
10 consecutive days in any 30-day period, unless otherwise posted.
By the numbers: 8

Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488,000
Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.85
Deer hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,174
Deer harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,527
Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 790
Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
PHOTO BY BILL DONALDSON
Hunters had the highest recorded harvest of white-tailed deer last year, as the statewide total of 30,568 exceeded previous high, set in 1999, by 2.6 percent.
By the numbers: 11

Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484,000
Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.55
Deer hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,351
Deer harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 951
Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *
Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *
* Controlled hunts only.
By the numbers: 11A

Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530,000
Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.77
Deer hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,533
Deer harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,259
Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
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Unit 10, Unit 12
Lolo Zone elk hunting continues to dwindle

Units 10 and 12 are roughly equal
in size, and are separated by the Lolo
Motorway a remote, rough, narrow road constructed by the Civilian
Conservation Corps during the 1930s
along a route that roughly parallels
the track Lewis and Clark took from
the continental divide to the Weippe
Prairie in 1805.
Unit 12 encompasses the Lochsa
River drainage above its confluence
with the Selway River at Lowell,
while Unit 10 encircles the headwaters of the North Fork Clearwater
River, including the north shore of
Dworshak Reservoir below Smith
Butte at the border of Shoshone and
Clearwater counties.
Backcountry elk hunters and outfitters have long complained that the
establishment of permanent wolf
packs has ruined one of Idahos premier attractions, because elk that
once numbered 15,000 now number
1,500.
One bright spot was seen during
last years record whitetail deer hunt:
Unit 12 topped the state in success
rate at 52 percent.
Still, the two Lolo Zone units have
ranked in the bottom third by harvest
totals even during the sustained
surge in deer hunting interest that is
visible in much of the rest of the state.
Idaho wolves were delisted from
IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS FILE PHOTO
Though a shadow of its former self, wildlife managers are acting on the idea that the Lolo Zones potential can be unlocked
with a combination of wolf control and prescribed fire.
Endangered Species Act protection in

2011, and deer hunting interest in
Unit 10 and Unit 12 both saw a pop
in 2012 and little growth since.
The number of elk tags being
bought in the area is within five percent of the 2011 count, and roughly
80 to 100 wapiti have been legally
harvested each year during the same
timeframe.
In 2014, the Idaho Department of
Fish and Game published an elk management plan that noted elk hunter
participation had dwindled from an
annual average of 1,400 or more during the mid-2000s.
The 2014 elk management plan
prescribes liberal predator harvest
through hunting and trapping seasons, and control actions in addition
to improvements in elk habitat at a
landscape level in the Lolo Zone.
Rejuvenating effects of 2015s

wildfires remain to be seen, but the
2014 plan described potential upsides
of disruptions, such as wildfires and
logging.
In practical terms, IDFG has set a
goal to maintain 20-30 percent of the
elk summer range in the Lolo Zone as
early successional habitat, and to increase the amount of early successional habitat on breaklands, in order
to provide more forage.
The plan calls for a combination
of variable retention regeneration
harvests, commercial, and precommercial thinning and for such timber
cuts to be strategically placed to allow
for landscape-level prescribed and
natural fire.
IDFG recently announced cooperation with the Forest Service and the
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will
bring prescribed fire to 100,000 acres

on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National
Forests during a span of several years.
In recent years, RMEF helped
fund 47 prescribed-fire projects on
the [Nez Perce-Clearwater] forest that
treated about 200,000 acres, according to Fish and Game.
Then theres the need for predator
control. In March, IDFGs annual wolf
monitoring report identified six documented packs in the Lolo Zone,
down from 15 documented the year
prior. One pack and six other documented groups were no longer extant by the end of the year.
A total of 42 wolves were documented as killed in the Lolo Zone, of
which 19 were taken through government control action and 23 were
tagged by wolf hunters last year.
IDFG continues to hold wolf trapper certification courses, with seats
open Oct. 1 in Idaho Falls, Oct. 7 and
Oct. 8 in Coeur dAlene and Nov. 5 in
McCall. Courses were already held in
Grangeville and in Lewiston this fall.
By the numbers: 10

Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 755,000
Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99.6
Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515
Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
By the numbers: 12

Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 753,000
Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94.75
Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Have questions?
Call the office

Contact the Idaho Department of Fish and Game Clearwater
Region Office in Lewiston at 799-5010.
Contact the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests
Supervisor's Office in Kamiah at 935-2513. Contact the Grangeville
Office at 983-1950.
Contact the Salmon River Ranger District at the Slate Creek
Ranger Station at 839-2211.
Contact the Red River Ranger District at the Elk City Ranger
Station at 842-2245.
Contact the Lochsa/Powell Ranger District in Kooskia at
926-4274.
Contact the Moose Creek Ranger District at Fenn Ranger Station
at 926-4258.
Contact the Lolo Pass Visitor Center at 942-3113.
Contact the North Fork Ranger District in Orofino at 476-4541.
Contact the Palouse Ranger District in Potlatch at 875-1131.
Contact the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area office in
Riggins at 628-3916.
Contact the Bureau of Land Managements Cottonwood Field
Office at 962-3245.
Contact the Idaho Department of Lands Maggie Creek Office in
Kamiah at 935-2141.
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If it goes off statewide, 25K elk season could be fourth of the last 40 years
Big game hunting prospects appear strong

BY ROGER PHILLIPS
IDAHO FISH AND GAME
Idahos fall hunting season is likely
to be outstanding. Coming on the
heels of an all-time record whitetailed deer harvest in 2015 and the
highest harvests in more than a
decade for mule deer and elk, hunting
this fall should be similar to last year.
Lets take a quick look at the 2015
hunt. Deer hunters had a 43-percent
success rate in general season hunts
and a 61 percent success rate in controlled hunts. They took 68,768 deer,
which included a record 30,568
whitetails that topped the previous
record of 29,800 whitetails set in
1999. It was also the largest deer harvest since 1991, and 36 percent above
the 10-year average harvest.
Elk hunters werent far behind.
They harvested 24,543 elk in 2015,
which easily topped the 2014 harvest
of 20,700 which was considered a
pretty good year. It was also 35 percent above the 10-year average, and
the largest elk harvest since 1996.
General-season elk hunters had a 22
percent success rate, and hunters with
controlled tags more than doubled
that with 46 percent success. Combined, the average success rate was
27 percent for elk hunting.
With a little luck, elk hunters this
year could top 25,000 elk during fall
hunts,which has only happened three
times in the last 40 years.
And that new whitetail record may
be short-lived. The 2016 harvest
could easily match last years, according to Fish and Games big game
manager Jon Rachael.
Winter Survival
A variety of factors affect the big

game harvest. Winter survival particularly fawns and calves is an indicator of the upcoming hunting season. So do summer forage, fall weather that affects hunting conditions and
predation.
A harsh winter can severely impact
big game herds. Deer are most vulnerable, especially fawns, and last
years fawns become this years young
bucks that make up a large portion of
the fall harvest.
In most parts of the state, Idaho
had a normal winter, but snow came
earlier than in recent years, and there
was a cold snap in late December and
early January that brought sub-zero
temperatures to parts of the state.
That likely contributed to lower winter survival than the previous two
winters, which were unusually mild.
Fish and Game captures and puts
radio collars on mule deer fawns each
winter, then tracks how many survive

through mid spring. Statewide survival of radio-collared fawns was 64
percent, which is down from a recordhigh 83-percent survival in the 201415 winter, and 78 percent the prior
winter.
However, last winters fawn survival still tracked above the 10-year
average of 58 percent.
In addition to fawns, F&G also
radio collared 472 adult does, tracked
them throughout winter and early
spring, and 93 percent of them survived, compared with 95 percent the
previous two winters.
More harvest, more hunters,

great opportunity
Deer and elk harvests were both

higher in 2015, and there were also
more hunters. Deer tag sales jumped
by 5,978 tags between 2014 and
2015, and elk tag sales increased by
4,297. However, success rates for deer
and elk hunters both improved in
2015 over the previous year.
Idaho hunters get lots of generalseason hunts, a rarity in Western
hunting these days, so hunters can
buy a license and deer and elk tag and
go. Not only that, general season
hunters do very well. They took 83
percent of the deer and 59 percent of
the elk harvested in 2015.
Thats not to say hunters who drew
coveted controlled-hunt tags were not
successful. Elk hunters who participated in controlled hunts were more
than twice as likely to harvest as those
with general-hunt tags (46 percent vs.
22 percent), and 61 percent of deer
hunters with controlled-hunt tags
harvested a deer vs. 43 percent for
general seasons.
Deer
Deer harvests have made a significant jump in the last two years,
thanks in part to consecutive mild
winters that resulted in more deer
available for the 2015 and 2014
hunting seasons, and more hunters.
Deer tag sales also jumped by 5,978
tags between 2014 and 2015, which
shows interest in deer hunting corresponded.
Fish and Game nearly sold out its
nonresident deer-tag quota in 2015,
which includes both nonresident and
second tag sales (residents and nonresidents can buy unsold nonresident
deer tags as second deer tags at the
nonresident price).
With the bulk of big game tags
being sold in the fall, its hard to tell
how many will be sold this year, but
midway through summer, tag sales
were up compared with the same
time last year.

Not only were deer harvests up,
but there was a good proportion of
mature bucks with 44 percent of the
bucks harvested during general seasons being four-points or larger
(Western count).
Idahos deer hunters have two
good options this year. Abundant
whitetail populations in the central
and northern parts of the state provide lots of either-sex hunting, long
hunting seasons, and an opportunity
for a mature whitetail buck.
Despite a record harvest of whitetails in 2015, mule deer were still a
higher proportion of the deer harvest
(55 percent vs. 45 percent).
But whitetail hunters have higher
success rates than mule deer hunters,
thanks in part to long seasons for
whitetail hunting that extend into the
November rut and generous opportunities for either-sex hunting. The top
10 hunting units based on success
rates were largely found in the Panhandle and Clearwater regions, which
are predominantly whitetail country.
Theres also no reason why hunters
couldnt top last years record whitetail harvest because populations remain strong in those core areas.
Everything looks good, and I
wouldnt be surprised, said Dave
Koehler, regional wildlife biologist for
the Clearwater Region. Our whitetail
harvest has been on a steady, upward

trajectory for a long time.
He said a mild winter was followed
by a cool, wet spring that has kept forage green into summer and provided
excellent growing conditions for deer.
He also noted the growth of whitetail
herds has attracted attention from
more hunters and more hunting effort
could mean a larger harvest this year.
Mule deer hunters should see
hunting comparable to last year.
The wild card for mule deer
hunters is usually fall weather since
most of the hunting seasons take
place in October, especially general,
any-weapon seasons that account for
most of the harvest.
Warm, dry October weather can
make hunting challenging, which
often reduces the harvest. Conversely,
wet weather and early-season snow
storms mean better hunting conditions, and storms can also drive deer
out of the high country and into more
accessible areas, which usually increases the harvest.
Elk
Despite a record whitetail season,

improved elk hunting in Idaho may be
the biggest news.
Elk hunting fell on hard times from
2008 through 2013 when annual harvests ranged between 15,155 and
17,470 elk, which were the lowest
numbers since the mid 1980s . But elk

hunting came roaring back in 2014
when the harvest topped 20,000 for
the first time in seven years, and 2015
easily topped that with 24,543 elk
taken.
Idahos elk harvest could top
25,000 this year, which has only happened three times in the last 40 years.
Elk tag sales have shown steep
growth in the last four years, jumping
from 71,634 in 2012 to 86,175 in
2015, and resident and nonresident
tag sales are strong this year. The reason for all this is simple: There are
more elk.
Elk are not doing as well as we
would like everywhere, but in most of
the state, numbers are stable or have
been increasing over the last few
years, Rachael said.
Hunters are seeing more elk, and
there also are more complaints from
farmer and ranchers who are dealing
with large herds of elk on their agriculture lands.
Its no surprise that harvest went
up last year, Rachael said. We issued
more elk tags in areas where
landowners have been experiencing
conflicts with their crops and rangeland to to provide relief from those
depredations.
Most of those are antlerless (cow)
tags, which have a much higher success rate than general season tags.
Unit 13, Unit 18
Hells Canyons reputation

for big elk protected well
Few of Idahos game units have a
legal description as simple as Unit
13s: that portion of Idaho County
bounded by the
Snake River on the
west, the Salmon
River on the east
and north and the
White Bird-Pittsburg Landing Road
on the south.
The words belie
the tough geography contained within it. The Unit 13
mule deer controlled hunt has
consistently posted
some of the most
favorable odds of any tag drawing in
the state considering just 220
hunters who applied for the 200 available tags listed it as their first
choice and the reason is limited access.
The unit is three-fourths private,
but also features predominantly
rugged canyon-lands that spill off the
Joseph Plains to the Snake and
Salmon rivers.
Much of the public land in the unit
is scattered, and the largest tract is a

Forest Service segment in the steep
bottom below Wildhorse Butte and
Haystack Mountain.
In 2015, 90 of
the 181 Unit 13
mule deer hunters
who reported a result said they filled
their tag.
The topographic
map of Unit 18 is
vaguely similar, but
from most of the
Clearwater Region,
the distinctive features physically
cant be overlooked. The Seven Devils tower over
the unit in a way unlike any of Unit
13s features, and make the public
land west of Riggins some of the
steepest anywhere.
Apart from the ruggedness, nearly
three-fourths of Unit 18 is managed
by the Forest Service, making it by far
the most public unit of the Hells
Canyon elk zone, which also includes
units 11 and 13.
The zone is one of just two in the
Clearwater Region that meets Idaho

Department of Fish and Game elk
management objectives.
No general elk season is offered,
and the controlled drawing odds tilt
long. For a shot at one of 75 Unit 18
archery tags, 233 listed it their first
choice this year. For a shot at one of
225 Unit 18 rifle tags, 640 listed it
first choice.
By the numbers: 13

Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223,000
Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27.86
Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 562
Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *
Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *
By the numbers: 18

Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180,000
Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76.92
Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 946
Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436
Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *
Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *
CREATIVE COMMONS
Due to its unique geography, Hells Canyon presents a unique challenge and a
unique opportunity for any visitor, including hunters.
Land of the mountain lions

When the chance to take a wolf,
legally, came along in 2009, more
than 30,000 hunters bought wolf
tags. But during recent years, wolf
tags have sold far more slowly than
those for the customary big game
predators: bears and mountain lions.
Idaho County has long dominated
the record books for mountain lions
in this state.
In the years since 1961, when
Gene Alford scored the states Boone
and Crockett record cat at 15 11/16
somewhere in the Selway drainage, a
big cat from no other county has
topped the list.

Hunters have exceeded that mark
three times within the county proper,
most recently when Rod Bradley took
one at 15 14/16 in 2007.
By then, however, it had been 19
years since Alford reclaimed the
record from Matthew Motil. Motil
made it 15 12/16 in 1987, but the
next year, Alford put an enormous 16
3/16 the only sixteener on Idahos
books to his name.
Both of the states biggest black
bears came out of the Clearwater Region.
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Ethical hunting
Its not just right its the law

Every year, the same headlines ripple across Idaho: reward offered,
charges filed, man arrested,
pleads guilty ... and on and on, because no matter how many times the
wildlife authorities say it, some people refuse to listen.
For those who may not be aware,
the sportsmans code of ethics is not
a law, but is a set of guiding principles
that most outdoorsmen live by: respecting private property, practicing
safety and conserving game animals
as valuable resources to be enjoyed by
present and future generations.
Poaching violates both the spirit
and the letter of Idahos wildlife laws.
Many violators are unlikely to follow the law no matter how stiff the
penalties. After all, some people have
convinced themselves that the states
law does not apply to them, or just
that they can get away with breaking
it. But some may be simply unaware
of how harshly Idaho treats those who
break wildlife laws.
For a wide variety of illegal hunting practices, penalties range from
$300 to $1,000. But when trophy animals are taken illegally, the maximum climbs to a $10,000 fine, six
months of jail time and, possibly, rev-
unearthing 65 violations including 23

felonies and 29 misdemeanors against
four men.
Several others were granted immunity in exchange for their testimony
against the four main defendants.
Charges included hunting without
a license, taking big game with the aid
of artificial light, unlawful possession
of deer parts, taking deer during
closed season, waste and cattle
rustling.
Through plea agreements with the
Washington County Prosecutors office, the four defendants agreed to
pay $24,450 in fines and penalties.
The penalties included restitution for
IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS FILE PHOTO the livestock losses; the men forfeited
Poaching a bighorn sheep in Salmon River country last November landed a their hunting licenses.
Nampa man in jail this summer, as well as a $10,000 penalty.
ocation of hunting privileges for up to

10 years.
In separate incidents in 2009, two
men who illegally killed deer were
stripped of their hunting privileges by
Idaho judges.
One pled guilty to spotlighting five
deer after legal hunting hours and
was fined more than $12,000 on top
of forfeiting his license.
Another was ordered to pay
$3,000 in fines after he and his wife
pled guilty of taking big game with a

firearm during muzzleloader season.
These cases were reported nationally, including by the Los Angeles
Times, because the bans these
scofflaws received were enforceable
in most states under the Interstate
Wildlife Violator Compact.
In 2014, a citizens anonymous tip
named a Weiser man in the poaching
of numerous deer and several domestic cattle. An investigation followed,
These license suspensions extended to all other Wildlife Violator Compact states. The defendants were each
given 24 months of probation, during
which any violation could lead to 180
days in jail for their poaching crimes.
Idaho joined the Wildlife Violator
Compact in 1991; the list is now 39
states long, according to the IDFGs
Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact
webpage.
Poaching can also be reported to
the Idaho Department of Fish and
Game Clearwater Region office in
Lewiston at (208) 799-5010 or via the
Citizens Against Poaching hotline at
(800) 632-5999. Callers can remain
anonymous and will be eligible for a
reward.
Sportsmans Code of Ethics

I will consider myself an invited
guest of the landowner, seeking his
permission, and so conducting myself that I may be welcome in the future.
I will obey the rules of safe gun
handling and will courteously but
firmly insist that others who hunt
with me do the same.
I will obey all game laws and
regulations, and will insist that my

companions do likewise.
I will do my best to acquire
marksmanship and hunting skills, to
insure clean, sportsmanlike kills.
I will support conservation efforts, which can assure good hunting
for the future generations, and pass
along the attitudes and skills essential to a true outdoor sportsman.
HOME OF THE SUDDEN

SERVICE TEAM
GRANGEVILLE:
411 E. MAIN
(208) 983-1650
OROFINO:
302 JOHNSON AVE.

(208) 476-5589
MOSCOW:
1421 WHITE AVE.

(208) 882-3538
TWO LEWISTON STORES:
1408 MAIN ST.

(208) 743-1594
251 THAIN RD.

(208) 746-
Unit 14, Unit 15, Unit 16
Hunting a lifestyle for living in wildlands
PHOTO BY BILL DONALDSON
A continuing run of consecutive mild winters, record mule deer fawn survival in 2014-15 and above-average fawn survival
last winter mean hunters should see a strong opportunity this fall.
The hills south and east of

Grangeville have long been home not
only to elk and deer, but to hardy people who know how to live off the
land. If the marks made during the
mining booms in Florence and Elk
City have faded, the modern settlement of wildlands makes similar
grooves. The legacy of pack horses
specialized for hauling freight has
given way to modern roads. These
bear little resemblance to the mental
picture that comes with the word
suburban, but many are of a residential character.
This is the WUI, the wildland
urban interface,
Units 14, 15 and 16 feature some
of the states highest deer hunting
success rates, not only because the
proportion of deer to people runs in
hunters favor, but because these units
are home to many accomplished
hunters who live in the woods in the
most literal sense that old expression
can be understood in modern times.
Prospects for the 2015 deer season
are as strong across these units as in
any across Idaho and the Idaho Department of Fish and Games outlook
projects a strong follow to last years
record harvest.
A disease issue that hit the area
hard last fall blue tongue is
borne by insects that are wiped out by
frost. Known formally as EHD, short

for epizootic hemorrhagic disease,
blue tongue killed 1,000 to 5,000
deer, mostly whitetails, in southeastern Washington and North Central
Idaho, according to the Lewiston Tribune.
By the numbers: 14

Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370,000
Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66.4
Deer hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,835
Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 795
Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 832
Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
By the numbers: 15

Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577,000
Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92.75
Deer hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,185
Deer harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,165
Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 701
Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
By the numbers: 16

Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245,000
Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81.26
Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 998
Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510
Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Hunting Passport mentoring program starts kids off well

It's easier than ever to introduce
someone new to hunting in Idaho.
One way is through Idaho Fish and
Games Hunting Passport, which offers novice hunters, both young and
old, the opportunity to hunt for one
year before needing to complete a
hunter education course.
A Hunting Passport is a special authorization that allows anyone who
has never held a hunting license in
any state, resident and nonresident,
age 8 and older, to hunt wildlife for
one year when they are accompanied
by a mentor and participating in the
Mentored Hunting Program.

This simply allows people to test
the waters and see if hunting is something they will enjoy before committing to the coursework and effort required to complete hunter education,
said Brenda Beckley, IDFG hunter and
angler recruitment manager.
While there is no upper age limit to
participate, new hunters must be 10
years of age to hunt big game, turkey
and sandhill crane and 8 to hunt most
other game birds and small game that
do not require tags.
Passport holders must purchase
general season tags, appropriate permits and validations. All hunting

rules, seasons and weapon restrictions
also apply.
Hunting Passports cost $1.75 and
are available at all Fish and Game license vendors. It expires December
31 of the year it was issued, and only
one can be purchased in a lifetime, except an 8 year old may obtain a second passport at 9 years old. To continue hunting after the passport expires, the hunter must complete a
hunter education course and purchase
a license.
The program was originally designed as a way to get more youth interested in hunting before they may
be distracted by a myriad of other activities such as youth sports and video
games. But the passport program isnt
just for youth. The growing interest of
many adults to eat locally sourced
food is attracting new adult hunters to
the sport.
Being able to secure healthy, local
meat is becoming a real motivation
for new adult hunters, said Beckley.
And more people are giving passports a try. Approximately 1,098 pass-
ports were purchased in 2013, the

first full year they were offered. So
far this year, 2,096 have been purchased.
Research demonstrates that exposure to hunting, especially with youth,
is critical in them taking it up as a lifetime sport. Anyone 18 or older who
holds a valid Idaho hunting license
can serve as a mentor. No certification is required, but adults may not
mentor more than two people at the
same time.
See HTTPS://IDFG.IDAHO.GOV/LICENSES/HUNTER-PASSPORT.
Unit 16A, Unit 17, Unit 19, Unit 20
Playing solitaire
A total of 1,126 deer hunters
worked the four southeastern units of
the Clearwater Region, which are perhaps better known by the group name
of their elk management area: the
Selway Zone.
Sportsmen most often hear that
name alongside that of the Lolo Zone,
because these elk areas have a bit of
history in common, as described in
the Idaho Department of Fish and
Games 2014 elk management plan.
While the Lolo Zone peaked in the
1980s, the Selway Zone elk population peaked in the mid-1990s and has
declined precipitously since then...fueled by declining habitat conditions
and predation.
One difference is the Selways affliction with noxious weeds, which
IDFG now aims to address at a rate of
2,000 acres per year, to restore desirable grass/forb community along the
main stem of the Selway drainage.
Last years deer population boom
went nearly unnoticed the Selway
Zone units (16A, 17, 19 and 20), as
these continued to boast the fewest

deer hunters per square mile of any
place in the region.
Thats to be expected in the wildernesses, which comprise 16 percent of
Unit 16A, 96 percent of Unit 17, 68
percent of Unit 19 and 62 percent of
Unit 20.
In light of the major forest fire east
of Riggins, some of the hunters who
normally head for the backcountry
decided to stay away or go elsewhere.
Comparing 2014 to 2015, the
number of any weapon general season deer hunters dipped by more than
50 percent in Unit 16A, by 15 percent
in Unit 19 and by a third in Unit 20.
The deer hunter count climbed 31
percent in Unit 17, from 294 to 387.
As of mid-September, across the
Selway and Lolo zones, more than
1,100 elk tags were still listed as
available on the Fish and Game website, as were 103 Elk City Zone B
tags.
See FISHANDGAME.IDAHO.GOV/CONTENT/LICENSE/NONRESIDENTTAGAVAILABILITY for details.
By the numbers: 16A
By the numbers: 19

Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182,000
Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
By the numbers: 17

Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 967,000
Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99.99
Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
Deer harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168,000
Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98.69
Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Deer hunters per square mile . . . 1.26
By the numbers: 20

Acres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310,000
Percent public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98.58
Deer hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Deer harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Elk hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Elk harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
IDAHO FISH AND GAME
Mature mule deer bucks are a trophy for many hunters, and every year a few Idaho bucks make the record books.
Telephone license, tag service restored

In the wake of a hack attack that
may have compromised the thirdparty system on which the Idaho Department of Fish and Game relies to
provide telephone and online license
and tag purchases, those services
were shut down.
IDFG has since announced that license and tag buyers can once again
make purchases via the telephone by
calling 1-800-554-8685.
Buyers who use the telephone option should note that it takes 7 to 10
days for licenses and tags arrive by
mail. Hunters can also make purchases at any of the 400 businesses
throughout Idaho that sell Fish and

Game licenses and tags or at Fish
and Game regional offices or the
headquarters office in Boise.
On Aug. 24, Idaho Fish and Game
officials removed both the online
sales page and the telephone purchasing option from the Fish and
Game website after being notified of
an attempted breach of the online
system.
Identity Theft protection services
have since been announced by Active Network, the third party service
provider.
The Texas-based company owns
and operates Fish and Games hunting and fishing license system and is
making the identity theft services
available to all license buyers whose
personal information may have been
compromised by an attempt last
month to access the online license
system.
Active Network is offering two
years of free identity protection and
restoration services.
The company established a website where people can check to see if
their information was potentially
impacted: ACTIVEOUTDOORS . ALL CLEARID.COM.
10
Brag
Board
Contact the Idaho County Free Press, 983-1200,
to contribute your Brag Board photo.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / TISSIE WALLE
Aiden Walle got his first elk, a Selway B tag behemoth, on Sept. 17. He was out with his uncle, Tony Martinez, who at about
4:30 p.m. called the bull in for him. He made two shots with a .270 another uncle, Carlos Martinez, provided to replace a
7mm family heirloom rifle that had worn out. At 250 yards, Aidens second shot hit the heart, according to his mom, Tissie
Walle. Both shots were made mid-bugle while the elk was on the move. The tag includes units 16A, 17, 19, and 20.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / JONI SHEPHERD
Ethan Shepherd, son of Mike and Joni Shepherd, got his first mule deer an
outstanding buck in Unit 23 on Oct. 31, 2014. Ethan was hunting with his dad
the day Mike got his bull, and was half-dressed for Halloween when he got his
deer.
We want your
Hunting
Bring pictures to:

900 West Main, Grangeville, ID
Or mail them to: P.O. Box 690
Grangeville, ID 83530
photos!
983-1200, 800-252-0233
We want your RECREATION PHOTOS, TOO! SNOWMOBILING,

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING, SNOWBOARDING, ICE FISHING, ETC.
11
Upland bird outlook
Pheasant count dips, but still ticks above 10-year average

BY ROGER PHILLIPS
IDAHO FISH AND GAME
A normal winter and a wet spring
in many areas provided a mixed bag
of broods with some areas reporting
large populations of birds compared
to last year and others spotty or lower,
but still similar to long-term averages.
Reports from across the state based
on field observations from biologists
and other Fish and Game personnel,
and others based on established,
long-term surveys that help determine population trends, are online at
HTTPS://IDFG.IDAHO.GOV/PRESS/2016UPLAND-BIRD-FORECAST.
Like most hunting, location is critical for upland birds, and regardless of
season forecasts, hunters should
cover lots of ground and remember
that if birds arent in your favorite
hunting spot, that doesnt mean they
dont exist. Hunters are encouraged
to keep moving and trying new areas,
and also pay attention to seasonal
changes in habitat use. Birds can, and
will, move based on weather conditions and seasons.
Upland game birds are a favorite
of many experienced hunters, and
also a great opportunity for novice
hunters. The birds are found throughout the state, theres lots of land available to hunt, and in many cases, all
you need is a hunting license and a
shotgun to hunt them. You can read
more in Fish and Game's Beginners

Guide to Hunting.
Fish and Game manages 32
wildlife management areas throughout the state, which can be good
places to start before seeking other
areas. The department also leases
about 360,000 acres through its Access Yes! program that pays private
landowners to allow public hunting
on their lands.
Clearwater Region: Overall,
population trends were mixed, depending on the species. Fish and
Game staff survey 12, 20-mile upland
game brood routes annually from
mid-to-late August across the region
to index game-bird population trends
and productivity. Surveys are used to
monitor annual changes and longterm trends in regional populations.
Due to low detection rates, the surveys are imprecise and should be interpreted cautiously.
Weather conditions were abnormally cool and wet during the spring
and early summer nesting and brood
rearing period. There were several
significant rains during June and
early July, which were accompanied
by cool temperatures. This weather
overlapped the peak nesting periods
for most upland game bird species.
Cool and wet weather can provide
excellent summer brood rearing habitat, but can also kill chicks, depending
on timing of events. Sizes of game
bird chicks observed in late August

were highly variable. This variation in
size would indicate that some successful nesting during the normal
nesting period and that some of this
years production is the result of later
re-nesting attempts.
Fish and Games field observation
and survey reports are as follows.
Pheasants: The 47 pheasants observed in 2016 represent a 59 percent

decline from the 115 birds tallied in
2015, but is still 23 percent higher
than the previous 10-year average of
38 birds. It should be noted that the
115 pheasants counted in 2015 was
the highest number counted in the
past 10 years.
The 47 birds observed in 2016 represent just 24 percent of the historical
high count of 199 tallied in 2005. The
47 pheasants observed on the 240
miles of routes surveyed in 2015
equates to 0.2 pheasants observed per
mile surveyed. Four broods were encountered this year. An average of 4.9
broods was tallied on these routes
during the past 10 years, including a
high of 32 in 2005. The average size

of broods observed this year was 5.5
chicks.
Chukar: Chukar helicopter trend
surveys are no longer conducted by
IDFG. The Clearwater Region has experimented with some ground-based
survey methodologies in recent years,
but to-date, have not identified a reliable trend index. Chukar productivity
and populations have appeared to be
trending upward in recent years. Observations and reports from field staff
and the public this year (although
somewhat tentative due to relatively
small sample sizes, i.e., numbers of
reports), appear to indicate very good
chukar nesting success and chick survival with observations of many birds,
including numerous large broods.
Gray partridge (hun): The
number of gray partridge observed
this year was down from last years
total but is still above the long-term
average. A total of 130 gray partridge
were counted in 2016 (0.54 gray partridge per mile surveyed). This figure
represents a 26 percent decline from
the 176 birds tallied in 2015 but is
still 36 percent above the previous 10-
HOW TO: Teach a young person to hunt

Hunting is one thing, and teaching
someone else to hunt is something
else. Here are some teaching tips:
Focus on the new hunters needs
first: Its easy for the passionate and
experienced hunter to become engrossed in the seriousness of the hunt.
Relax and try to remember your first
hunt. Slow down and spend time explaining and sharing rather than expecting.
Be safe, legal, and sure: Discuss
and practice safe gun handling prior

to the hunt and routinely throughout.
Prepare and plan: Help new
hunters prepare for the hunt. Get
them excited by including them sighting in rifles, pre-season scouting,
packing and reviewing maps.
Practice: Practicing shooting skills
before the hunt eases fears, reduces
wounding loss, and builds confidence.
Easy does it: You may be able to
walk for miles in rugged terrain with
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year average of 96. It should be noted

that the 176 gray partridge counted in
2015 was the third highest count
recorded in the past 25 years.
California quail: The number of
quail counted this year was up slightly compared to last years total. A total
of 143 birds were counted in 2016 (+
21 percent and 0.58 birds per mile
surveyed) compared to the 118
counted last year. This total is 18 percent lower than the previous 10-year
average of 174 and is 63 percent
lower than high count of 385 tallied
in 2003.
Mourning dove: A total of 421
mourning doves were counted on regional routes in 2016 (1.51 doves observed per mile surveyed). This total
represents a 7 percent decrease from
the 451 tallied in 2015, and is 2 percent higher than the previous 10-year
average of 412.
Forest grouse: Forest grouse are
not surveyed in the Clearwater Region. Incidental observations and reports from field staff and sportsmen
indicate that forest grouse production
was near the long-term average in
2016.
983-0491
Grangeville
a full backpack all day long. Make the

initial outings interesting, enjoyable,
educational, and relaxed.
Fits and starts: Be sure that new
hunters have clothing and hunting
equipment that fits them.
Commit to comfort: Being considerate of the new hunters comfort can
make the outing more enjoyable and
rewarding.
Full tank: Breakfast should always
be a start to any day in the field.
12

Hunter's: Remote Possibilities

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HuntersAlmanac

North Central Idaho

PHOTO COURTESY ROBERT MILLAGE, KAMIAH ID

Though deeper woods

of these units which neighbor Dworshak Reservoir ranked once again in

by overall count. Unit 8A deer hunters

We left Mick Jagger on a boat farther

on both sides of the Unit 18 boundary at

Inside: A unit-by-unit look at the Clearwater Region

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTERS ALMANAC | FALL 2016

Unit 8A, Unit 10A

Two top units poised for productive seasons

The strong, consistent opportunity

North Central Idahos premier

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Publications of Eagle Media Northwest

208-746-0483, Lewiston; 208-983-1200, Grangeville

2015 General/Any Weapon

By the numbers: 10A

2015 General/Any Weapon

Ask permission to hunt private land

their property because of conflicts

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTERS ALMANAC | FALL 2016

Unit 8, Unit 11, Unit 11A

Craig Mountain the gem in Lewistons yard

Earlier this month, the department

2015 General/Any Weapon

PHOTO BY BILL DONALDSON

2015 General/Any Weapon

By the numbers: 11A

2015 General/Any Weapon

GORTSEMA MOTORS WISHES YOU ALL THE SUCCESS

Get your mechanical

See Dan or Michael in the service department.

227 N. STATE GRANGEVILLE, ID

Largest Wine Selection

7am to 10pm Mon-Sat 8am-8pm Sunday

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTERS ALMANAC | FALL 2016

Unit 10, Unit 12

Lolo Zone elk hunting continues to dwindle

IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS FILE PHOTO

Endangered Species Act protection in

Rejuvenating effects of 2015s

bring prescribed fire to 100,000 acres

2015 General/Any Weapon

2015 General/Any Weapon

Call the office

Large Selection of Hunting, Camping & Fishing Supplies!

Buck, Kershaw, Gerber Knives

247 East Main Grangeville, ID 83530

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTERS ALMANAC | FALL 2016

Big game hunting prospects appear strong

A variety of factors affect the big

winter, then tracks how many survive

More harvest, more hunters,

Deer and elk harvests were both

time last year.

harvest has been on a steady, upward

Despite a record whitetail season,

numbers since the mid 1980s . But elk

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO HUNTERS ALMANAC | FALL 2016

Unit 13, Unit 18

Hells Canyons reputation