Wow! It’s already here. Big game season has officially started in Idaho and hunters have a new species of game to hunt…the Canada wolf. A species that Idaho Fish and Game introduced here more than a decade ago that many feel do not belong in Idaho or more importantly the lower 48, as they are not native to this area. But before we get into that bird nest lets take a quick run down of what hunters can expect during the archery season and what I have seen in the field the past year. Deer and elk season for bow hunters kicked off August 30th and continues the entire month of September ending September 30th in units 66A, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 73A, 74, 75, 76, 77 and 78. With a mild winter it already looks like this is going to be a good year for bow and rifle hunters but your still going to have to work for your game. The days of record numbers of deer are gone and we probably will never see an era like that again. But, hunters that work the backcountry will increase their odds for trophy bucks or meat for the freezer. Yes, that means park the ATV or truck and get out and walk. Last year we hunted a particular unit not far from Pocatello and almost every day we were able to walk up different class bucks. From small two points to a massive 4x4 stretching almost 28 inches (which we took), deer were plentiful and we did nothing different but get off our tush and stomp the hills. We did put some time in though. I hunted almost 30 days last year between archery and rifle scouting at least two weeks prior to my hunts. We new where the deer were and we put the time in to put ourselves in the position to take a massive buck, we just applied a simple formula.

Every year it never fails I get tons of emails, phone calls or on the street questions by hunters wanting to up their odds to put a trophy on the wall or meat in the freezer. Here is my secret formula, KPT (Knowledge, Patience and Time). This is applied in hunting, fishing and almost any activity I do. Knowing what kind of terrain your quarry tends to be in is essential for success. I know every year I will find deer along field edges adjacent to heavy timber or small pockets of aspen in the middle of fields and cuts. But every year I see hunters hunting in areas that hold little if any deer. I also know that deer will escape and hunker down in the smallest of drainages (I never overlook these areas). Sure, hunters take large bucks every year in the desert and also on the river bottoms but for the most part mule deer like open country not far from an easy escape route in the rolling hills and mountain edges. By knowing your game you will increase your success rate, I guarantee it. “Patience is a virtue and good things come to those who wait”. That is a wise old saying and it is 100% true. Stick to a proven area and have patience. A few years ago I hunted a buck during the archery season and almost arrowed him as I watched him use the same route day after day. I never did get close enough to drill him with my muzzy broad head. But, during the rifle season I new he would still use this same draw and I would be there waiting. Opening day 2006 at 0800 hours I dropped him with my 30.30 Marlin less than 40 yards from the trail he frequent. Be patient and trust your instincts in areas where deer densities are high. Time is something we need more of. Between work, chores and running the kids around we never seem to make time for ourselves. But to be successful and increase your odds you need to find a way to spend more time in the field before and during the season. For 28 days straight I would get off work at 3:00 pm throw my camo on and head to the hills with my spotting scope and camera in hand. This lead me to better hunting grounds and I also found deer in areas I never thought to look before. I already had an area picked out for my opening hunt and had back up areas just in case by putting time in before the season began. Every year I see hunters wandering around with no true destination. “I am heading up to the top because that is where the big bucks are,” I hear that every year and every year I see hunters come back empty handed and disgruntled because those BIG BUCKS weren’t there. If they had spent some more time looking before the season they would have known. Recently I was on the national radio show HUNT CAST (you can download the episode off of ITUNES or go to www.HuntCast.com to listen) and was asked about the wolf situation in Idaho and we also talked about deer and elk hunting in Idaho for almost an hour. Here is my opinion. They need to be controlled without exception. I am happy to see the start of the 2009 Idaho wolf management hunt. With elk populations quickly dropping from all time highs and a deer herd that is already diminished we cannot afford as sportsmen to let these animals run amuck and without check. They fear nothing and kill everything. We need to put the fear of man back into this species. I am sorry to say this, but this is what they do. They don’t play with kids like your golden retriever does and this isn’t Disney… they kill, eat and reproduce, nothing more. Do wolves have a place in Idaho? Sure they do, but with proper management. They need to be hunted, harvested and kept in balance. If not, forget our national past time of hunting, there won’t be anything left to even watch in the wild but predators. And soon they will die off from lack of food. I am not against wolves as they truly are beautiful animals. But I am against wiping out our deer and elk herds to the point of a hunting season closure or worse. It’s funny how animal activist are so concerned about hunting wolves but could care less how many animals’ wolves destroy and leave to rot. And that is a documented fact…GOOGLE it! I am sure some readers may feel different but you asked for my opinion and I stand firmly on this subject along with millions of fellow outdoorsmen.