Eight Days in Idaho, and Why I'm Staying in California (Part 3)

I went to Idaho with high expectations. Everybody talks about the hunting opportunities, and the number of animals out there. Coming from California, where getting a deer can mean a whole lot of miles, and time spent learning a piece of ground, I figured Idaho would be a different experience.

After eight days hunting dark to dark, I've got a different take on that. I saw two herds of elk, a bald eagle, and more chipmunks than I could count. Deer? The only one I saw was from my truck. I'm not exaggerating.

I spent eight days covering country, and trying to turn up an animal. I gave it everything I had. I wasn't looking for an easy hunt, and I certainly wasn't expecting to fill a tag on the first morning. I've spent enough time hunting California to know how that works.. It wasn't just that I couldn't find deer, but there weren't many deer to find in the first place.

Maybe I picked the wrong unit.  Maybe somebody will tell me I should have gone somewhere else or turned left at some road I never knew existed. That's all possible. When you spend eight days hunting a place and barely see any deer, it's hard not to question what you're seeing, especially when you came expecting a healthy population and more opportunities.

I also learned a lesson about planning a hunting trip with other people. I came out with a hunting partner and his dad. By Monday, after the  one of the guys shot a little spike buck, they decided to head home. That left me on my own for the rest of the trip. I was prepared to hunt hard, and I did. But when you travel that far with a plan built around hunting with other people, having that plan change so quickly isn't exactly ideal.

So I kept going. The saving grace was the people I met along the way. I crossed paths with three California hunters who made those solo days a lot more enjoyable. We swapped stories, shared information, and spent evenings around a warm campfire. One hunter, Kirk, shared his OnX pins with me after he'd already tagged out. He even invited me over for dinner. Those encounters reminded me why I enjoy hunting in the first place. The animals are the reason we head out there, but the people we meet along the way can make a trip memorable even when the hunting doesn't go according to plan.

 I've spent years hunting California. I know it isn't easy. I've had plenty of long days, empty hikes, and moments when I've wondered what the hell I was doing out there. California has its share of hunting challenges, and I'm not pretending otherwise. the thing is, I've spent years learning how to hunt the terrain and the animals that live here. After this trip, I honestly believe that if I'd put half the effort into hunting California that I put into those eight days in Idaho, I'd have had a much better chance of coming home with an animal.

That's not a guarantee. Nothing in hunting is.  I'd rather put my time into the place I've spent years learning than chase the promise of better hunting somewhere else. I'm probably not going back to Idaho. I'm sure the Idahoans will be happy to hear that. Maybe I picked the wrong unit or missed the magic spot. I'm sure somebody will be happy to explain exactly where I should have gone. That's fine. I'm not telling anyone how to hunt their state. I'm just telling you what happened when I hunted it.

I went looking for a new hunting opportunity and came home appreciating the one I've already got. California has plenty of ground left for me to explore, and I don't need to travel halfway across the West to appreciate that. Besides, I'm pretty sure the Idahoans won't miss me. I'll be in California.

Happy trails,

Chuck