White-tailed deer hunting is synonymous with North and Central Idaho. Generations of hunters have hiked and hunted the forests and prairies of this region to harvest whitetails every fall. Despite encompassing a relatively small area of the state, the Panhandle and Clearwater regions account for nearly half of Idaho's annual deer harvest, and late fall is primetime for whitetail hunting.
One white-tailed deer hunter has spent the last 43 years learning the landscape and the deer that live there. In this video, he shares a bit of what he’s learned.
Even though much of North and Central Idaho is public land, Denny Dawes often hunts private timberland. These properties have historically been open to the public, but long-term access to these properties was never guaranteed.
Recently Fish and Game developed the Large Tracts program, as part of their Access Yes! Program, to work with and compensate large landowners for sportsmen access.
Go to the Fish and Game website to learn more about the Large Tracts Program and other efforts to secure access to private lands.