There are plenty of opinions on how much hunting pressure is in the West right now vs. the last few decades. This topic of Historical Idaho Deer & Elk Tag Numbers is ripe for a discussion with the Idaho Fish & Game Deer and Elk Coordinator, Toby Boudreau. Robby and Toby dive into the actual number of resident and non-resident deer and elk tags sold in Idaho between 2005 and 2022.  The Historical Idaho Deer & Elk Tag Numbers may (or may not) surprise you. They also discuss other factors that might be influencing the perception of increased hunting pressure in some places.

Rokcast is powered by onX Hunt. For 20% off, use Promo Code “Rokcast” at onX Hunt here https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app

Fill out your Mandatory Hunter Report for Idaho here

More interviews with Toby Boudreau here

Historical Idaho Deer & Elk Tag Numbers

Gear reviews and tips and tactics for backcountry hunters

Sports

Wilderness

This Tipsy Tuesday is Everything Kifaru with Aron Synder and Anders Christianson. We cover Kifaru's move to Riverton Wyoming, jump into new material choices, and close out with what future holds for Kifaru. This week's reviews start with Les Welch's Mathews Lift https://www.rokslide.com/mathews-lift-review/. Sam then has Dustin Diefenderfer to talk about workouts and what's new at MTNTOUGH (https://mtntough.com/). Sam then shifts the talk toward the other Rokslide.com gear reviews [https://www.rokslide.com/category/gear/] and recaps the latest Western news.

Kifaru- https://kifaru.net/

Half Ass Hunting Academy https://www.unknownmunitions.com/product/half-ass-hunting-academy/.

Mule Deer Days- Mule Deer Days Rock Springs Wy 

Howl for Wildlife https://www.howlforwildlife.org/take_action 

Check out Rokslides 2023 Favorite Gear- Here

Visit Rokslide's Rokcast Forum to submit questions, request a topic or give feedback.

To be a guest on Tipsy Tuesday please send an email to Sam@Rokslide.com

[ Rokcast is powered by onX Hunt. For 20% off, use Promo Code “Rokcast” at onX Hunt here https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app


TT#29 Everything Kifaru with Aron Snyder and Anders Christianson

Most of us have been there, it's the worst day you can have hunting. You tried to do everything right, yet somehow you made a bad shot and now you have a wounded animal. A truly emotional rollercoaster ride. Now, the trail has gone cold, and you just can't sort the track out any further. It doesn't get much worse than this when hunting. This is where Rocky Mountain Big Game Recovery just might be able to help.

I was recently at the Mile High Hunt and Fish Expo and a booth caught my eye. Rocky Mountain Big Game Recovery, I walked up and met Scott Gillespie, the President and founder of sure enough, a non-profit organization out west that works to help hunters find wounded big game animals with leashed tracking dogs. How cool is that?

In this episode, Scott highlights some of what they do, and how this all came about. I know I hope I never have to call them, but it's sure an awesome resource to know about if that horrible day ever does come.

They are actively growing this organization, if this sounds like something you might be interested in doing they are also looking for trackers.

To find out more, check out their website and if you're a facebook user, they also have a group there.

www.rockymountainbiggamerecovery.org

Rocky Mountain Big Game Recovery Facebook Group

Rocky Mountain Big Game Recovery

Robby hosts Brandon Diamond on today's Rokcast.  Brandon is the Area Wildlife Manager for Colorado's Gunnison Basin and beyond.  Brandon has been on the Rokcast before here and brings a depth of knowledge and experience to managing Colorado's mule deer. They talk about the current over-winter survival for the Gunnison Mule Deer and other parts of Colorado.  They talk about the challenges of managing for a variety of users, buck:doe ratios vs. age class, the increasing pressure from technology and motorized access, and the upcoming 5-year management plan for Colorado. There is still time for hunters to comment on the proposed changes to season dates and more.  If you want more mule deer in Colorado, listen in and get involved in the upcoming Colorado Parks and Wildlife Meeting May 1-2 in Montrose here

Colorado Parks & Wildlife - May 1 - 2, 2024 (state.co.us)

They also talk about the number of Gunnison Mule Deer deer licenses issued under the current limited quota management verses the OTC management this system replaced in the late 1990s, including buck to doe ratios.  You might be surprised at this data!

Rokcast is powered by onX Hunt. For 20% off, use Promo Code “Rokcast” at onX Hunt here https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app


Gunnison Mule Deer and Beyond with Brandon Diamond

Robby hosts Southeast Idaho Regional Wildlife Biologist, Eric Freeman, on today's Rokcast episode. Eric is tasked with the challenge of moving Idaho's Southeast mule deer herd into the future. Eric recently co-authored an article titled "Harsh Winters Mean Harsh Truths for Southeast Idaho Mule Deer". In this episode, they dive into over-winter counts on the Southeast Idaho Caribou mule deer herd, buck:doe:fawn survival and the interesting trend of bucks surviving at a higher rate than does.  Eric also discuss these engaging topics:

-Why the survival difference variability on individual winter ranges in same units?

-Hunter participation vs. buck harvest graph

-Mule Deer Advisory Group Forming

-Is it realistic to expect mule deer numbers to climb back to previous highs?

-Historical data on buck:doe ratios during that hayday

See the co-authored article by Eric Freeman here 

https://www.idfg.idaho.gov/article/harsh-winters-mean-harsh-truths-southeast-idaho-mule-deer

Follow IDFG on Instagram @idahofishandgame

Rokcast is powered by onX Hunt. For 20% off, use Promo Code “Rokcast” at onX Hunt here https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app

You can find Robby’s books, Hunting Big Mule Deer and The Stories on Amazon here

or signed copies from the Rokslide store here


Idaho Mule Deer Management with Eric Freeman





This Tipsy Tuesday has experienced Bear hunters Roger Holscher and Chris Young walking us though their Tips for hunting Idaho. Roger and Chris are well-versed in the planning and logistics of this hunt, but every year is just a bit different. This trip is much earlier than in years past and we have a discussion about the best spring bear hunting time frames. This week's reviews start with Phillip Miller and the Rokslide members' giant optics review https://www.rokslide.com/the-rokslide-members-giant-optics-review/.Ryan Avery and Jake Mushaney gives us more details on the Half Ass Hunting Academy https://www.unknownmunitions.com/product/half-ass-hunting-academy/. Sam then shifts the talk toward the other Rokslide.com gear reviews [https://www.rokslide.com/category/gear/] and recaps the latest Western news.

Mule Deer Days- Mule Deer Days Rock Springs Wy 

 

Howl for Wildlife https://www.howlforwildlife.org/take_action 

Check out Rokslides 2023 Favorite Gear- Here

Visit Rokslide's Rokcast Forum to submit questions, request a topic or give feedback.

To be a guest on Tipsy Tuesday please send an email to Sam@Rokslide.com

[ Rokcast is powered by onX Hunt. For 20% off, use Promo Code “Rokcast” at onX Hunt here https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app

Historical Idaho Deer & Elk Tag Numbers

Download our free app to listen on your phone