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Idaho Fish and Game

Press Releases and Articles

Bighorn sheep shot and left to waste near Riggins

| idfg-jbruns

On November 24, a poached bighorn sheep ram was located by a sportsman above Big Salmon road near Partridge Creek. The ram had been shot between November 20-22 with no attempt to recover the animal. 

Rainbow trout stocking schedule for December 2025 in the Magic Valley Region

| idfg-Kenzie.Baratti

Hatchery personnel from Fish and Game’s Magic Valley Region will be stocking approximately 900 10-12” catchable-sized rainbow trout in December. All stocking dates and numbers of fish are approximate.

Stocking of all waters is tentative and dependent on river/lake/pond conditions (angler safety concerns); dates… more

Trapper & Wolf Trapper Education courses coming up in Salmon

| idfg-mdemick

Looking for a trapper or wolf trapper education course in the Salmon area?  Not sure which courses you need? Idaho Fish and Game has got the answers to your questions. 

Trapper Education Course

Trapper education covers trapping laws, safety, ethics, basic trapping methods and ways to avoid non-… more

Application period for nonresident general season deer and elk tags runs Dec. 5-15

| idfg-rphillips

Nonresident deer and elk hunters interested in applying for general season deer and elk hunts in the first-ever Nonresident Tag Drawing can see what tags are available for 2026, and apply for those tags in December. 

The Nonresident General Deer and Elk tags brochure lists tags for elk, regular deer, and… more

F&G draining northwest pond at Ted Trueblood WHA in early December for habitat improvement work

| idfg-bpearson

Fish and Game staff will begin draining the northwest pond (Pond 3) at the Ted Trueblood Wildlife Habitat Area, near Grand View, in early December in preparation for habitat improvement work this winter and spring. 

Signs will be posted in the parking area nearest the pond to let hunters know it… more

More steelhead bound for the Boise River on Wednesday, Nov. 26

| idfg-bpearson

More steelhead are headed for the Boise River during the week of Thanksgiving.  

Approximately 85 additional steelhead will be released into the Boise River on Wednesday, Nov. 26. Fish and Game stocking trucks will be releasing fish at the usual locations: 

Glenwood Bridge Americana Bridge Below… more

Recent Fish and Game check station on Interstate 90 shows need for improved CWD transport compliance

| idfg-tjross

Staff from Idaho Fish and Game’s Panhandle Regional Office operated a check station on Nov. 16 along Interstate 90 near Fourth of July Pass. The purpose of the station was to monitor hunter compliance with Idaho’s wildlife laws and to evaluate whether big game harvested out of state or from an Idaho chronic wasting… more

F&G seeking public input on Idaho upland game, turkey and furbearer season setting, 2026-2027

| idfg-cliess

Idaho Fish and Game will be setting the new seasons for upland game, turkey, and furbearers for 2026-2027 in January 2026. Members of the public are highly encouraged to review the proposed seasons and changes and weigh in with their own comments. The comment period is open until Dec. 7, 2025 at 6 p.m. MST.

Fish… more

Upper Salmon River Steelhead Fishing Report (11-25-2025)

| idfg-bbeller

Hi everyone, this is the Upper Salmon River steelhead fishing report for November 25, 2025, and the data discussed in this report were collected from November 17 through November 23. 

Steelhead angler effort along the Upper Salmon River continued to decline last week as we move further into… more

Water pump failure at Rapid River Hatchery near Riggins causes loss of newly hatched Chinook salmon

| idfg-rphillips

During a routine facility check on Nov. 18, Rapid River Fish Hatchery staff detected a pump used to supply oxygenated water to the early rearing/incubation building had malfunctioned. The alarm system designed to identify water flow associated with pump failure also failed. 

Staff were able to turn on a… more

Everything a nonresident hunter needs to know about the 2026 tag drawing

| idfg-cliess

If you’re a nonresident hunter looking to hunt deer or elk in Idaho next year, the process is going to look a little different—and much improved.

This move to a draw should be celebrated as a win for nonresident hunters. The new framework replaces the historical first-come, first-served tag sale that occurred… more

ICYMI: Idaho Fish and Game Commission Meeting Nov. 20

| idfg-cliess

Watch the full recap of the November 20, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game Commission Meeting in Lewiston.

Topics covered include the adoption of administrative rules, 2025 Nonresident Tag Draw update, CWD update, and more.

Changes to muzzleloader elk seasons in Palouse and Dworshak zones

| idfg-jbruns

Muzzleloader elk hunters planning to hunt the Palouse and Dworshak zones need to be aware of the following season changes for the 2025 season. 

In the Palouse zone, units 8 and 11A are now open only for the harvesting of antlerless elk and on or within 1 mile of private agricultural lands. The season… more

F&G seeks information regarding bull elk shot and wasted in Unit 32A

| idfg-bpearson

Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers are seeking information about a bull elk that was shot and left to waste in Adams County in October. 

Officers located the animal about 200 yards east of Four Bit Creek Road (Forest Service Road 718), just north of Mill Creek Summit in Unit 32A. Nothing was… more

Upper Snake Winter Feeding Advisory Committee will meet Nov. 26

| idfg-jbrower

Upper Snake Winter Feeding Advisory Committee Meeting

 

Date: Wednesday, November 26, 2025- 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM MST

Address: 4279 Commerce Circle, Idaho Falls, ID 83401

Members of the Upper Snake Winter Feeding Advisory Committee will meet to assist Fish and Game with the assessment of winter… more

Collaborative juniper removal efforts in the Magic Valley Region improve wildlife habitat in southern Idaho

| idfg-Kenzie.Baratti

Idaho Fish and Game habitat staff in the Magic Valley Region, working in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, Pheasants Forever, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Idaho’s Office of Species Conservation, began a large-scale juniper removal project in fall 2022 in the… more

About 1 million fingerling kokanee will be ready for spring stocking thanks to captive broodstock program

| idfg-rphillips

A million fingerling kokanee are headed to Idaho waters in 2026 thanks to Idaho Fish and Game’s new captive broodstock program aimed at supplementing eggs taken from "wild" fish. It's the first batch produced by Idaho Fish and Game's newest hatchery project aimed at providing stability to the annual number of kokanee… more

Upper Salmon River Steelhead Fishing Report (11-18-2025)

| idfg-bbeller

Hi everyone, this is the Upper Salmon River steelhead fishing report for November 18, 2025, and the data discussed in this report were collected from November 10 through November 16.

Last week on the Upper Salmon River was the first week so far this fall where we observed a noticeable decline in steelhead angler… more