Public Hunting Access Restored Near Emmett

Emmett-area waterfowl hunters no longer have to wonder where they can and cannot legally hunt along a popular section of the Payette River. A nine-year dispute over property boundaries and river island ownership just west of Emmett has been resolved. In 1970, Idaho Fish and Game purchased 190 acres of land downstream from Emmett on the Payette River, now known as the "Emmett Segment" of the Payette River Wildlife Management Area (WMA). This land included parcels between Cascade Road and the south bank of the river, as well as some islands within the river channel. While habitat management on the mainland focused on upland birds, waterfowl hunters prized the islands and channels for waterfowl hunting. Since about 2006, an adjacent landowner has disputed the long-established property boundaries and ownership of portions of several islands within the Emmett Segment. "I'm pleased to report that the controversy has been resolved, and the islands that were historically part of the Payette River WMA are once again completely accessible to the public under Idaho Fish and Game management," Fish and Game habitat manager Jerry Deal said. "We remain very grateful to staff from the Idaho Department of Lands who were instrumental in resolving the issue on behalf of future generations of outdoor enthusiasts." A Payette River WMA map is available for download from Idaho Fish and Game's website. Find the map at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/docs/wma/payette.pdf.