Hunting Seasons Wind Down

Mon, 01/15/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

The end of the last waterfowl seasons at sunset January 21 means oiling the guns and storing them away for most Idaho hunters. Most hunting seasons closed by the end of the year. Partridge season ended January 15. Even crow season lasts only through January 31. Falconers can hunt upland birds through March 15.… more

Lion Quota Increased in Two Units

Mon, 01/15/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

Meeting by telephone conference call January 12, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously to increase the harvest quota for female mountain lions from 10 to 15 in management units 39 and 40. Commissioner Don Clower brought the issue to the Commission in response to input from the public. He was supported by… more

Law Enforcement Stories

Mon, 01/15/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

Idaho conservation officers recently solved a case of closed-season deer shooting. An older man shot at a large buck out of the back door of his house. This was in a rural subdivision with other houses nearby. The deer was wounded and ran off, so the shooter had his son and another man follow. The idea was to "run it… more

Bear, Turkey Controlled Hunt Applications Due

Mon, 01/15/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

Applications for spring black bear and wild turkey controlled hunts will be accepted through February 15. Hunters can apply through license vendors, at Fish and Game offices and on the department Internet web site at www.state.id.us/fishgame or by calling 1-800-544-8685. A fee of $6.50 per applicant is required and… more

Correction to "Report by Phone" Story

Mon, 01/15/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

In a news release dated January 2, 2001, a phone number to report big game harvest was incorrect. The corrected release with an important message about being "on hold" at this number follows. Hunters Can Report by Phone Successful deer and elk hunters can either mail their harvest report cards or, for the first time… more

Ask Fish and Game

Mon, 01/15/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

Q. I want to apply for a moose tag and an early season elk tag or late season deer tag. Since we can now buy nonresident tags can I apply for the trophy elk and late deer hunts as a nonresident and apply for the moose tag as a resident? A. The answer is no. The rule still reads that if you apply for a moose, goat, or… more

Winter Waterfowl Survey Recently Conducted

Fri, 01/12/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

In cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Army Corps of Engineers recently surveyed wintering waterfowl populations in the Lewiston-Clarkston valley. Overall, mallards were more abundant than last year, and a slight increase in the area's Canada goose population… more

Wild Turkey Regulations Available

Wed, 01/10/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

The 2001 Idaho Wild turkey regulations are now available at all license vendors and Fish and Game offices. Similar to Idaho's expanding turkey population, hunter opportunity and bag limits continue to increase, with hunters allowed to harvest three birds during the year. Two bearded turkeys may be taken in the spring… more

Anglers Catch Money!

Wed, 01/10/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

Sixteen lucky anglers who made the extra effort to send in tags from rainbow trout they caught will receive $50.00 each for their catch. The Department of Fish and Game has stocked these marked fish, from various hatcheries around the state, into sixteen different lakes and reservoirs for the past two years. Anglers who… more

Ice Anglers - Happily Walking on Water

Tue, 01/09/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

This winter's harsh weather has got avid ice anglers walking on water. In fact, most of the bundled up anglers are happily trying to keep the secret to themselves. Well, the secret is out - ice fishing in the Clearwater Region is hot. Besides always hungry bluegill, sunfish and crappie, the Idaho Department of Fish… more

Fish & Game Recognizes Volunteer Instructors

Tue, 01/09/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

Each year in Idaho, hundreds of dedicated volunteers give of themselves to teach aspiring hunters the subtleties of a deer stalk, how to identify ducks, the safe way to handle a firearm, how to take care of harvested game, how to stay alive if you get lost, and why it is important to have and comply with fish and game… more

Commission to Meet January 18-19

Mon, 01/08/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will meet at Fish and Game headquarters, 600 South Walnut in Boise, on January 18 and 19. The meeting will begin at 8:00 a.m. each day. A public hearing will be held in the same location at 7:00 p.m. January 17. Any Fish and Game topic may be addressed at the hearing. Agenda topics… more

Spring Steelhead Season Begins

Mon, 01/08/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

Fishing through a hole in lake ice is not the only option for winter-hardened anglers. The spring steelhead season opened January 1. In the total count of steelhead crossing Lower Granite Dam, the last barrier to entering Idaho, the 2000-2001 run count was 109,493. That is a 54 percent increase over the 1999-2000 run… more

Pheasant Problems Discussed

Mon, 01/08/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

Some of Fish and Game's lands can offer temporary relief to Idaho's pheasant hunting addicts but total recovery requires a lot more. Wildlife Bureau Chief Steve Huffaker explained some of the problems facing the department in its efforts to provide more pheasant hunting opportunity in a special report to the Fish and… more

Ask Fish and Game

Mon, 01/08/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

Q. I am getting ready for spring turkey hunting and would like to use my bow. Is this a legal weapon for turkey hunting? Do I need any additional permits to use it? A. Yes, the use of archery equipment is legal in the taking of wild turkey. However, archers should note that crossbows are not allowed. No additional… more

Avoid the Rush - Take a Hunter Education Course Now!

Mon, 01/08/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) is encouraging future hunters to get signed up now for the mandatory hunter education course, because those who wait may be left out in the cold. IDFG provides 350 hunter education courses statewide each year. More than 60 percent of these courses are taught between January… more

What's Your Opinion? What's It Worth

Mon, 01/08/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

If you kept up with the presidential campaign and election, you may have noticed there were no clear-cut, overwhelming mandates from the public, the candidates were at odds on many issues, and the electorate was at odds on just about any selected topic. This is similar to what the Idaho Department of Fish and Game deals… more

Ice Fishing Offers Cure To Cabin Fever

Fri, 01/05/2001 - 00:00 | idfg-staff

Blank stares into holes in the ice, uncontrolled shivering, numbness in the feet and hands (maybe in the brain)...it must be ice fishing season again. Most waters in the Idaho Panhandle are open to ice fishing. However, before we get far into the discussion it is important anyone interested in ice fishing carefully… more