The more accurate hunter reports are that Fish and Game receives, the better biologists understand what’s happening to deer and elk herds on the ground, and the quicker they can react with any needed management changes.
November 1, 2022
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November 1, 2022 1 a.m.
State of Deer and Elk: Counting herds, and how hunters help through mandatory hunter reports
Biologists use a variety of methods to know the health of the herds, and hunters play an important role
Deer and elk live throughout Idaho in habitats ranging from desert to mixed conifer forests, and a big part of a wildlife manager’s job is to estimate how many are out there. What role do hunters play in that? More than you might realize. If each deer and elk hunter spends a few moments filling out a mandatory hunter report, they make a valuable contribution to wildlife management that can lead to more hunting opportunity, but more on that later.