Study shows deer population is long in the tooth July 21, 2024 Idaho, Lewiston Tribune

... The Idaho Fish and Game study pulled data from the teeth of 605 hunter-killed whitetail deer in hunting units 8A and 10A to determine the age structure of harvested animals. It included a doe that was 15½ years old and eight bucks that were 9½...

Southeast Idaho Mule Deer Advisory Committee efforts are underway July 19, 2024 Idaho Fish and Game

... Mule deer herds are challenged by hard winters, increasing human development, decreasing habitat quality, improved hunting technology, changing hunter values, and an increased demand for hunting opportunities. As an example, the 2022-2023 winter in southeastern Idaho was one of the most severe on record, resulting in significant population declines for mule deer... The committee met for the first time on July 1 and will meet monthly through the fall leading up to big game season setting this winter...

Clearwater wildlife blog series: Installment #3- White-tailed deer teeth results July 8, 2024 Idaho Fish and Game

... Based on the region’s 605 white-tailed deer teeth aged at the lab, the oldest deer submitted in the Clearwater was a 15 1/2-year-old doe harvested in unit 10A. In terms of bucks, there was an 8-way tie at nine and a half years of age for oldest. Three bucks harvested in 8A and five harvested in 10A each reached this benchmark... Youtube Video

Parasitic Worms Spread by Flies Identified as Potential Cause Behind Dwindling American Moose Populatin June 1, 2024 Idaho, The Western Journal on MSN

... Research published in March in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases found a parasitic worm, Elaeophora schneideri, in half of the dead adult Shiras moose studied in southeastern Idaho, although it wasn't found in any of the moose bodies investigated in the northern part of the state...

The Dworshak Elk Working Group and its members May 20, 2024 Idaho Fish and Game

... The Dworshak Zone has seen elk population declines and varying public opinions were provided to staff during the public comment period on how elk should be managed in this zone. Fish and Game saw this interest and are responding by organizing a working group to address the future of elk management in the Dworshak zone...

Parasitic worm likely playing role in decline of moose populations May 15, 2024 Washington State University

...  in Idaho between March 2020 and July 2022. While the parasitic roundworm E. schneideri was not detected in any of the animals found in north Idaho, it was present in 10 of the 20 adult moose studied in the southeastern portion of the state...

Wildlife overpass near Boise is protecting big game migrations and motorists May 2, 2024 Idaho Fish and Game

... This is the first wildlife overpass built in the state ... The overpass has been well received by the public, who value Idaho’s wildlife and also want to avoid the personal injury risks and thousands of dollars of damage that occurs when a motorist hits a deer or elk.... Youtube Video

16 moose calves found dead, What caused them to die April 29, 2024 Idaho, Local News 8

...Sixteen of them have been moose calves, one was an adult moose and at least four mule deer have been found to have died from Adenovirus Hemorrhagic Disease (AHD)... unlike Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD), AHD can be contracted at any time for these species ..,

Mild winter means deer fawn and elk calf survival looks good as we enter spring April 24, 2024 Idaho Fish and Game

... Statewide winter survival for mule deer fawns and elk calves fitted with tracking collars has shown to be slightly higher than average through the end of March... “Right now, in the middle of April, things are looking promising for both deer and elk,” ...  82% of fawns and 93% of calves with tracking collars have survived ..,

Fish and Game suspects Adenovirus Hemorrhagic Disease as culprit in Upper Snake moose mortalities April 18, 2024 Idaho, Coeur d'Alene Press

... Upon examination of the deceased animals, IDFG suspects Adenovirus Hemorrhagic Disease. So far, 16 moose calves, one adult moose and three mule deer mortalities IDFG has examined have shown symptoms of the disease ..,

Idaho F&G seeking members for a new Southeast Region Mule Deer Advisory Committee April 15, 2024 Idaho Fish and Game News

... Mule deer herds are challenged by hard winters, increasing human development, decreasing habitat quality, improved hunting technology, changing hunter values, and an increased demand for hunting opportunities.  The combination of these factors necessitates thoughtful discussions and evaluations of how we hunt mule deer..,

As Idaho celebrates its first wildlife overpass, some say the state has a long way to go April 8, 2024 KUER

... Scattered across Idaho, there are a handful of tunnels carved under roads that allow wildlife to pass through and avoid collisions with cars. But this roughly $7 million bridge by Cervidae Peak is the state’s first overpass dedicated to wildlife...

Harsh winters mean harsh truths for southeast Idaho mule deer April 9, 2024 East Idaho News

... The 2022-2023 winter in southeastern Idaho, western Wyoming, northern Utah, and northwestern Colorado was one of the most severe on record...  The 2016-2017 and 2018-2019 winters were similarly difficult, resulting in three challenging winters over a 6-year period and a severely depressed mule deer herd ..,

Deer cull near Slate Creek shows 10% of animals had CWD April 4, 2024 Idaho, Lewiston Tribune

... latest effort to cull deer numbers in the state’s chronic wasting disease hot spot showed 10% of the removed animals suffered from the deadly ailment... the CWD prevalence rate in Game Management Unit 14, a much larger geographic area, is estimated to be 1.4% for whitetail deer..,

Video, Explained | Management Plans, Season Setting – How they work, and how they’re different.  April 3, 2024 Idaho Fish and Game

     Management plans, season setting. You might see these two terms pop up every couple of years, from black bears to whitetails.   As the 2024-2030 Idaho Elk Management Plan goes out for public input, this video explains how a management plan manages, the factors that go into setting big game seasons, when and how YOU—the public—can make your voices heard.  Provide input on the 2024-2030 Idaho Elk Management Plan here: 

Last winter’s impact: Idaho Fish and Game commissioners cut hunts in the region again March 28, 2024 Idaho, Local News 8

... After more than a year, Idaho's mule deer and elk populations are struggling to recover from the harsh winter of 2022 to 2023 ... Wildlife biologists say it could take several more years for them to bounce back..,

Idaho Fish and Game, RMEF expand critical wildlife winter range March 27, 2024 Idaho Business Review

... The significant expansion underscores both organizations’ commitment to wildlife conservation and habitat management, specifically designed to support up to 5,500 elk, 3,000 mule deer and other wildlife during the critical winter months...

Hunter harvest stats show drop in elk and mule deer harvest, bump in whitetails in 2023 March 25, 2024 Idaho Fish and Game News

... Elk hunters took home 18,568 elk in 2023, roughly an 11% drop in animals harvested compared to 2022... [mule deer]  a roughly 22% decline from the previous year, marking the first time mule deer harvest has, too, been below the 20,000 mark in over 12 years...  the 2023 hunting season overall harvest numbers for whitetails increased from 19,182 to 19,828..,

Is grizzlies’ reintroduction in Central Idaho ‘a death sentence’ or restoring nature? March 17, 2024 Idaho, The Columbian

... Many opponents said grizzly reintroduction would turn Idaho into “a predator pit,” reduce wild deer and elk populations, threaten livestock, and pose a danger to residents and outdoor recreators...

As Idaho celebrates first wildlife overpass, some worry the state is trailing March 17, 2024 Boise State Public Radio

... Scattered across Idaho, there are a handful of tunnels carved under roads that allow wildlife to pass through and avoid collisions with cars. But this roughly $7 million bridge by Cervidae Peak is the state’s first overpass dedicated to wildlife. Some studies have shown animals like elk and moose prefer open overpasses compared with narrow underpasses...

Idaho's New Wildlife Overpass Improves Public Safety and Wildlife Migration March 15, 2024 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

... In this area around Cervidae Peak, roughly 8,000-9,000 mule deer and 1,800-2,400 elk of the Boise River herds cross the increasingly busy highway twice each year during their seasonal migrations... a newly completed Cervidae Peak Wildlife Overpass aims to improve safety for both drivers and animals...

BLM acquires central Idaho lands to protect crucial wildlife habitat March 15, 2024 Idaho, Local News 8

... The BLM says the habitat is crucial to sage-grouse, elk, mule deer, moose and other wildlife...

F&G again proposes to cut antlerless deer and antelope hunts to help herds recover in eastern Idaho March 12, 2024 Idaho, EIN News

...  “Despite a much-needed mild winter this year, we still want to give east Idaho’s mule deer and pronghorn populations some more recovery time.” ..,

Idaho Fish and Game, RMEF expand vital wildlife winter range March 12, 2024 Idaho Fish and Game

... Idaho Fish and Game and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation again teamed up to expand the Tex Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) just west of Idaho Falls, used by up to 5,500 elk and 3,000 mule deer during the critical winter months. This time, their collaborative efforts conserved and added 328 acres to the nearly 36,000-acre WMA...

Video Below:  In the tenth episode of Fish and Game’s ‘State of Deer and Elk’ series, Fish and Game Regional Wildlife Biologist, Miranda Reinson, discusses how and why the Department steps in to feed wintering deer and elk. March 8, 2024

Idaho Fish and Game Acquires 5,533 Acres in Elmore County to Protect Wildlife Habitat February 28, 2024 BNN Breaking

... approximately 20 miles southeast of Boise. This strategic purchase underscores the commitment to preserving the natural habitats of mule deer and elk ...

Idaho Considers Transitioning Nonresident Hunting Tags to Draw System: House Bill 587 February 25, 2024 NewsBreak.com

... If passed, this legislation would require these tags and permits to be issued through a draw process rather than being available for over-the-counter purchase... 

Hunters help kill muzzleloader bill in Idaho Legislature February 23, 2024 Idaho, Yahoo News

...A bill that would have opened Idaho's muzzleloader-only hunting seasons to equipment that increases the range and accuracy of the primitive weapons appears to be dead...

Video below:  In the ninth episode of Fish and Game’s ‘State of Deer and Elk’ series, Fish and Game Regional Wildlife Biologist, Eric Freeman, discusses how wildlife biologists manage deer harvest for different scenarios, such as habitat protection, maximum herd numbers, or disease prevention. Check out Fish and Game's State of Deer and Elk webpage to learn more about deer and elk in Idaho.  Idaho, February 20, 2024

Idaho data:  The figure below showing the estimated Idaho deer population from 1999 to 2023 is based on mule deer population data from the Idaho Department of Fish and Wildlife and a few years of whitetail population data (sources).  Hunting data was used to fill in missing whitetail population estimates.

A mild 2023-24 winter with fawn ratios similar to long term averages but deer and elk are still in recovery from the hard 2022-23 winter with emergency feeding in some counties due to deep snow.  Reduced antlerless hunting for 2024-25 and 2023-24 to support deer herds.  The mule deer kill from the 2023 hunt feel by about 23% percent, while the whitetail kill increased by 3.4%.  The 2023 Forecast.  A 2023 report from the state indicates whitetail populations have trended lower since 2015.  

The state has historically done a mule deer population estimate on the first of January, but in 2023 no survey was reported so the mule deer and whitetail population was estimated using hunting data:  a total population of 466,460 with 253,467 mule deer and 212,993 whitetails. The 2022 Forecast.

An estimate of 513,515 deer in 2021, a state estimate of 281,988 mule deer and an estimate of 231,527 whitetails based on hunting data.  Elk and deer populations in 2021 are about the same as in 2020.  Slightly higher survival rates in 2022 for mule deer fawns and elk calves.  2022 Forecast.

Mule deer numbers are for those south of the Salmon River drainage, there are widely scattered mule deer to the north, but mostly whitetails.  The state doesn't formally estimate whitetail numbers but has commented that there are around 200,000 in 2009 and 2016.  A recent population peak of about 570,000 deer in 2017.  

Good fawn survival after the 2020-21 and 2021-22 winter, a third consecutive mild winter; summer drought in 2021.  For the 2021 hunt, antlerless licenses were reduced in the Upper Snake and southeast to help mule deer populations rebound and licenses were increased in the southwest.  The 2021 outlook.   Average to above average survival for deer and above average survival for elk fawns after the mild 2019-20 winter, but mule deer were still struggling with three previous winters of low fawn survival.  2020 Big Game Hunting Outlook.  A low survival rate for mule deer fawns in 2019 due to harsh February snowstorms combined with three years of harsh weather that reduced populations. 

Deer populations trended up for the four years going into 2016 given relatively mild winters.  The hard winter of 2016-17, worst in the east, resulted in about 70 percent mule deer fawn mortality, whitetails fared better. Reduced hunting for does in 2017 to held the herd recover and emergency feeding.  One 2017 survey found 30 bucks for every 100 does.  A more mild 2017-18 winter improved deer survival.  Low whitetail numbers reported in northern Idaho.  Another hard winter in 2018-19, not as bad as 2016-17.

Mule deer fawn survival in 2015 was estimated at 80 percent, the highest rate in 15 years in spite of wildfires and an outbreak of bluetongue.  A record 30,568 whitetails taken by hunters in 2015, an upward trend since 1973.  Fawn survival  of collared mule deer was nearly 80 percent in 2013.  About 25 percent survival in hard winters. About 1,000 deer died from bluetongue around Granveville. 

In 2016 mule deer populations reached some of their highest levels since the early 2000's, about 310,000, when hard winters and habitat loss brought the mule deer numbers down to about 239,000 in 2019.  Mule deer populations over their entire range have suffered declining populations over the past two decades. In 2015, 151,799 deer hunters took 68,764 deer with a 43 percent success rate.  In 2014,157,400 hunters took 61,200 deer. Hunter success in 2013 was 38 percent; 40 percent in 2014; 45 percent in 2015. An estimate of 200,000 whitetail deer in 2009 and 75,000 in 1990.

An estimate from the state's 2005 to 2015 Whitetail Management Plan (P. 12) roughly 200,000 white-tailed deer in 2004.  A state estimate of 224,700 mule deer in 2004, for a total population of about 425,000 deer.

 History  Deer were scarce in Idaho by 1900 from over hunting.  Concerned about the severe decline of the elk and deer populations in 1909, the legislature approved its first game preserve - 220,000 acres  in the Payette River drainage west of the Sawtooth Mountains.  "Idaho officials estimated that their deer population (including whitetailed deer) increased from 45,000 in 1923-24 to 315,000 in 1963."  Citizens voted to create the Fish and Game Commission in 1938. The growth of the logging industry created deer friendly habitat that acted as one factor to spur population growth, including limits on doe hunting.  By 1954, there was an effort to reduce deer populations by increased hunting pressure as evidenced in the estimated deer harvest, although there has been much skepticism about this data.  Pressure from the people of Idaho resulted in reduced hunting during the 1970's and limits on the number of does.  

From the state 2020 to 2025 White-tailed Deer Management Plan:  "White-tailed deer abundance varied from low numbers in the late 1800s to a peak in the 1960s.   Declines observed in the 1970s were likely a  consequence of heavy harvest and declining habitat quality as forest stands aged. Populations increased again during the 1980s and early 1990s in north-central and northern Idaho. The winter of 1996–97 was one of the most severe on record and white-tailed deer populations in portions of Panhandle and Clearwater regions declined substantially." (p. 7)

From the 1992 state survey:  "Whitetails were abundant in north Idaho as far back as the early 1800s.  By the early 1900s, populations were low."

A large increase in the number of tags resulted in the peak harvest of 1989, estimated at 95,200.  The winter of 1991-92 was the last very severe winter in recent history, resulting in a large die off -- sixty percent of males and 20-30 percent of females, fawn survival rate near zero.  A 2003 outbreak of bluetongue killed about 10,000 deer around Clearwater and other areas.

Population estimates:  An estimate of 125,000 deer in the 1930s.  In 1951 a state estimate of 120,000 mule deer and 20,550 whitetails, about 141,000 deer.  A 1985 state estimate for whitetails of 69,000.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) The first cases of CWD in late 2021 in Idaho county, two mule deer bucks.  Two whitetail bucks were later confirmed in the same area. The first elk in January, 2022.  In spring of 2019, 5 cases of chronic wasting were detected in Montana 25 miles from the Idaho panhandle border.  No cases found in Idaho.  Testing began in 1998.  As of 2021 there were 150 to 300 deer tested each year.  In 2022, there were 15 positives out of 3,171 tested, all of which have been between Riggins and Grangeville in the Slate Creek drainage.  Testing continues into 2023 with 49 positives in total.  In 2024 the state continued reducing deer density in CWD areas with infection rates at 10% near the Slate Creek hotspot. 

Hemorrhagic Disease  Outbreaks in the Clearwater and Boise regions in 2021 and in 2003 when 10,000 to 15,000 whitetail deer died.  A mule deer tested positive for bluetongue in April, 2023.  Moose in the Upper Snake River area died with adenovirus suspected in 2024.

 Elk  An estimated 107,000 in 2014, down from a peak of about 125,000 in the 1990's. As of 2016 there has been a feeding station near Penny Lake west of Ketchum., going on since the 1930s.  About 3,600 hundred elk sing the Sand Creek winter range in 2016.  An estimate of 25,000 in the 1930s.  In 2022 populations were stable to increasing.

Moose  A rough estimate of 10,000 to 12,000 in 2019.  A declining population in Idaho and throughout the West.  Causes not clear.  A large concentration in Eastern Idaho in the Sand Creek desert area, around 400 - 500 in 2016.  Ticks are a significant mortality issue for moose.  An estimate of 1,000 in the 1930s.

Caribou  Only about a dozen left by 2016 in the Selkirk Mountains near Canada.

 Wolves  About 1500 wolves in 2021 and early 2022, an estimated decline from1,543 in 2021 to 1,337 in 2022.  In 2023 the state proposed reducing the wolf population by about 60 percent, but a plan to use aerial gunning was withdrawn after protests.  A detailed 2019 camera survey found 1541 wolves during the spring when populations are at their seasonal high;  More than 1,000 in 90 packs in early 2019.  A 2015 estimate of 786.  A survey count of 550 to 700, with a total estimate of about 1000.   A minimum of 770 wolves and 104 wolf packs in 2014, up from 659 in 2013.  Hunters killed 256 in 2014. About 680 wolves in 2012, down from about 900 to 1,100 before the wolf hunt.   To protect livestock, elk, and deer the state reduced its target wolf population from 518-732 down to 150 in 2016.  An estimate of 35 in 1996 rising to 750 in 2006.

Lions  About 3,000 mountain lions.  In 2023 a female was euthanized in Haley for public safety.  Mountain Lion Plan 2024 - 2029

Bear  An estimated 20,000 bears in 2013.

- Deer Harvest Data

- Elk Harvest Data

- Pronghorn Harvest Data

- Hunting Information Dashboard

- Highway Wildlife Collisions

Report Poaching:  contact the Idaho Fish and Game Department at 208-232-4703 ; or, the Citizens Against Poaching (CAP Facebook Page) hotline, at 1-800-632-5999. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a CAP reward.

- Idaho Department of Fish and Game News (source of white-tailed deer density graph)

Other useful links:

- Idaho Fish and Game Roadkill website

- Report a Deer or Wildlife Collision in Idaho to help with Deer Management

- Idaho Deer Alliance, Committed to the Conservation of Idaho’s Deer Herds and Wildlife Habitat for Future Generations.

- WMA view map, a map application

- Earthfire Institute, deer and wildlife rescue

- Idaho Department of Fish and Game

- Idaho Deer Alliance, Southeast Idaho Facebook page

- Chronic Wasting Disease, none found yet in Idaho

- Hydatid Disease, the immature form of a tapeworm called Echinococcus granulosus. Echinococcus granulosus is a very small (3-5 m) tapeworm

Map Below from Idaho Fish and Game