Fewer people hunted in Idaho in 2019 and they took fewer elk and deer than the previous year.
According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), the statewide elk harvests and deer harvests were down about 8 percent and 13 percent from 2018. The number of deer hunters in Idaho dropped by 5.5 percent, while the number of elk hunters decreased by about 1.5 percent.
“Hunting isn’t unlike fishing — when it’s good, everyone goes,” said Daryl Meints, IDFG deer and elk coordinator. “When things get tougher, you see the participation drop.”
The white-tailed deer harvest and mule deer harvest were both below their respective 10-year averages, while the elk harvest was slightly above at 20,532 elk compared to 22,326 in 2018.
Go here for a detailed breakdown of Idaho harvest information.
(Photo/graphic source: Idaho Department of Fish and Game)