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.