Upland game seasons and rules book available

The 2016 and 2017 Upland game, Turkey and Furbearer Seasons and Rules books are back from the printer and will available at Fish and Game license venders this week. The new seasons and rules information is available online now at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/seasons/upland. The new rules brochures include changes that affect some spring turkey hunts including: - Split current spring controlled turkey Hunt 9003 (all of Unit 38 and that portion of Unit 32 in Payette County) into two separate hunts. Increased total permits by 20. - Increased permits in each of the spring controlled turkey hunts in Unit 54 to 30 permits each. - Eliminated spring controlled turkey hunts in Unit 71 and replaced with a general spring hunt and includes Unit 70 as part of the general hunt from April 15 - May 25. - Added Unit 36A to spring turkey controlled hunts 9001 and 9002, and added five permits to youth controlled hunt 9002. The application period for spring turkey controlled hunts continues through March 1. The application fee is $6.25 per person for residents and $14.75 for nonresidents. Hunters with a valid 2016 license may apply for controlled hunts at any hunting and fishing license vendor; with a credit card by calling 1-800-55HUNT5; or online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov. An additional fee is charged for telephone and Internet applications. Upland game seasons and rules changes include: - Added Cartier Slough, Market Lake, and Mud Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA) to the list of WMAs where shooting hours for upland game birds begin at 10 a.m. during the pheasant season. Furbearer seasons and rules changes include: - Area closed to beaver trapping in Elmore County has been reduced. - Added a new controlled beaver trapping unit in the Southeast Region. - Modified some areas closed to beaver trapping in the Southeast and Upper Snake regions to allow beaver trapping on private lands within the closure area. Hunters will find crow, doves, and Sandhill crane season information in the new Migratory Bird Seasons and Rules booklet available by mid-August 2016.