POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– The Idaho Department of Fish and Game released its 2025 Deer/Elk Hunting Outlook report earlier this week, and deer and elk populations should be strong across the state for fall big game hunters thanks to mild winters over the past couple of years.
In Fish and Game’s Southeast Region, elk populations are expected to be similar to, or even slightly higher than, last fall. Mule deer are also on the upswing, but still recovering from the harsh winter of 2022-23.
“We saw a drastic reduction in our mule deer population here in the southeast region, and we’re still seeing the effects of that winter,” said Jennifer Jackson, communications manager for Fish and Game’s Southeast Region. “It’s not going to look the same as it did prior to that winter a couple of years ago, but the good news is that we are seeing our populations of mule deer trending in the right direction; so there were more mule deer on the landscape last fall, and that’s also what hunters should see again this year.”
Fish and Game also recently set big game seasons for 2025 and 2026, which bring some new rules and regulations to hunting opportunities in the area, including a major weapon-type change for hunters accessing mule deer near American Falls.
From the Fish and Game website: “Most notably, the mule deer any-weapon general season in Unit 73A was changed to a muzzleloader-only season. Centerfire rifles are no longer a legal method of take in Unit 73A general deer seasons.”
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game reminds hunters that it is their responsibility to check local hunting regulations and changes when planning a hunt.
For more information on the deer/elk outlook for this fall, or for updates to Southeast Region hunting season regulations, visit Fish and Game’s website.
