8,600 acres in North Idaho removed from Large Tracts Program by private landowners following repeated unauthorized use and rule violations

Manulife Investment Management recently removed nearly 8,600 acres of land from the Large Tracts Program in Unit 5 near Emida due to persistent violations and damage to property. The acreage has been divided into two parcels that will be leased for exclusive access.

Managing public use of these parcels has become increasingly challenging for Manulife. 

A Manulife representative commented, “Our goal is to keep properties in North Idaho available for recreational access while maintaining them as working forests and managing the costs and risks associated with providing access. Over time, we have experienced a growing number of unauthorized activities on the lands we manage. This includes unauthorized trails, drug and alcohol use, unapproved events, illegal collection of forest products, dumping, vandalism, theft, unpermitted fires, damage to roads, gates, and wetlands. Licenses for access allow us to gain greater control over these activities and cover related costs while keeping our lands accessible for public enjoyment.”

For more information visit https://manulifeimlanduse.com/sites/default/files/2026-03/faq.inland-north-id.pdf and https://manulifeimlanduse.com/browse-licenses.

Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers in the Panhandle Region, who are responsible for enforcing motorized use restrictions and other landowner-designated rules on Large Tracts parcels (under Idaho Code § 36-126), have also documented persistent violations on these properties.

“Access to private land through programs like Large Tracts depends on mutual respect and following the landowner’s rules,” said Mark Maret, Senior Conservation Officer with Fish and Game. “Unfortunately, we’ve continued to see violations on these properties despite ongoing education and enforcement. In this case, those violations led the landowners to change how the properties are managed, which meant a loss of public access.”

All 8,600 acres are in the southeast portion of Unit 5. Review the map below for details, or visit the Idaho Hunt Planner for current information on parcel accessibility in the Large Tracts Program.

Changes in land management like this are a reminder that all Large Tracts parcels are private lands, and access can change at any time. Hunters, anglers and recreationists should never assume last season’s access is still valid this season. Always confirm land status before your trip by checking the Idaho Hunt Planner.

For more information, review the recent, “Know before you go” story on the Idaho Fish and Game website.

Reminders

• Fish and Game does not control the sale, transfer, management or development of private lands, including those enrolled in the Large Tracts Program.
• All Large Tracts lands are privately owned and are only open to public access through agreements between Fish and Game and private landowners.
• Private landowners set rules for their lands, not Fish and Game.
• To help keep Large Tracts lands open to the public, Fish and Game pays for access and enforces rules designated by private landowners (under Idaho Code § 36-126). Maintaining access to these lands depends on the public following those rules.
• Entering any private land while access is closed or restricted is trespassing. 

Helpful resources

Program information and rules

• Large Tracts Program information
• PotlatchDeltic land rules
• North Idaho Timber Group rules
• Coeur d’Alene Tribe Hunting Regulations

Motorized use

• Motorized restriction Facts sheet
• Motorized restriction information
• Motorized restriction maps
• Motorized Vehicle Maps (MVUM) from the U.S. Forest Service

Planning tools

• Idaho Hunt Planner

Licenses and tags

• Online
• Regional office
• Vendor

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