Idaho’s 2015 Deer And Elk Hunting Outlook

Idaho big game hunters could have a hunting season to brag about this fall, and deer hunters could see the best hunting in more than 20 years and potentially a record harvest for white-tailed deer.

Idaho Department of Fish and Game biologists have lots of reasons to be optimistic. Four consecutive mild winters have helped deer and elk herds grow, and resident and nonresident hunters are showing renewed interest by buying more licenses and tags.

Hunters last year had the largest deer harvest since 1992, and the largest elk harvest since 2005. This fall’s harvests could match or top last year’s, depending on how many hunters go into the field and what kind of weather and hunting conditions they get in the fall.