Concerned about fires in your hunting area? Here's what you need to know

Idaho Fish and Game advises hunters heading into the backcountry this hunting season to check with Forest Service ranger district offices or county sheriffs’ offices for fire closures in their hunt areas. General fire information can be found online. 

Hunters can also find the location of fires in relation to hunting units on the Hunt Planner map page.

To display fire information on the Hunt Planner map:

1. Click "Turn Layers On/Off”
2. From the drop-down menu, select "Wildfires & Closure Related Layers"
3. Check the box for “USA Wildfire Incidents Acres.” 

Fish and Game generally doesn’t close hunts or change seasons in response to temporary fire closures. Most fires do not affect an entire hunt unit, elk zone, or controlled hunt unit for the duration of the hunt. Hunters have the option of hunting a different portion of the hunt area that is not affected by fires, or hunt later in the season when the fire is out and restrictions are lifted.

Refunds/exchanges offered for Sawtooth Zone A tags

However, due to the continued growth of the Wapiti fire, Fish and Game is offering resident hunters the opportunity to exchange their Sawtooth A tag to another uncapped elk zone, or to request a full refund of their elk tag, if you have not yet hunted on the tag. If you have hunted on the tag for any portion of the season, you are ineligible for any exchange or refund request. 

The request for exchange or refund must be completed prior to close of the tag season, September 30, 2024. Any requests received after September 30 will not be accommodated. 

To request an exchange or a refund, please contact our Licenses office at Licenses@idfg.idaho.gov. You will required to complete an affidavit noting that you have not hunted, and the tag will need to be surrendered to Idaho Fish and Game. The tag can be surrender via mail to our Headquarters Office, or in-person at any Idaho Fish and Game regional office.

Please note that you can keep your tag if you intend to hunt on the tag for any portion of the remainder of the season.

Resident hunters with controlled hunt tags may exchange them for general season tags before the controlled hunt begins, but controlled hunt fees are not refunded. Resident hunters may also exchange controlled deer hunts for general deer hunt tags. All exchanges must be done at an Idaho Fish and Game Regional Office.

Nonresident hunters may not exchange a controlled hunt tag to a general season tag because the nonresident limit of general hunt tags has sold out for 2024.