Press Releases and Articles
Market Lake implements wetland management for improved habitat and waterfowl hunting
| idfg-jbrower
Hunters may have noticed that several of the marshes at Market Lake Wildlife Management Area near Roberts are lower than in previous years. “The drawdown of the marshes was done as part of a multi-year plan to improve habitat for waterfowl and increase the number of birds available for hunters,” says Habitat Manager… more
Take a kid hunting: Youth Waterfowl Hunting Weekend is Sept. 28-29
| idfg-bpearson
Duck and goose hunting is among the coolest ways to introduce a youngster to the excitement of hunting. There's usually plenty of birds in the sky and the opportunity for a novice to experience the blinds, the decoys, and the dogs, all under the supervision and guidance of an adult.
Here are the rules you need… more
Don't commit license fraud, buy the right licenses and tags
| idfg-doverman
One of the most common fish and game violations detected by conservation officers doesn’t occur in the field, but at the license vendor. The violation is known as fraudulent license purchase, or purchase of a wrong class license, and it occurs when a nonresident purchases a resident license using some sort of… more
Bull moose left to waste near Mackay
| idfg-jbrower
Fish and Game is seeking information from the public on the illegal waste of a bull moose near the Park Creek Campground off Trail Creek Road north of Mackay. Reports from multiple individuals on Sunday, September 22, led Fish and Game Conservation Officers to the carcass of a bull moose that had been shot… more
Coho salmon fishing now open on the Clearwater River
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game Commission recently opened a coho salmon fishing season until Oct. 13, or until further notice. Fishing is open on the Clearwater River from its mouth upstream to Memorial Bridge seven days per week, and from Memorial Bridge upstream to the confluence of the Middle Fork Clearwater and South Fork… more
Southwest Region Rainbow Trout Stocking Schedule for the Month of October
| Anonymous (not verified)
Personnel from Fish and Game's Nampa Hatchery will be releasing more than 29,500 catchable-sized rainbow trout at the following locations during October. Local ponds are the primary focus of this stocking effort due to milder weather and correspondingly cooler water temperatures.
LOCATION WEEK STOCKED… more
Brush up on the trespassing laws before you go hunting or fishing
| idfg-rphillips
Hunters, anglers and other sportsmen and women should be aware of Idaho trespass laws before they head into the field. Trespass laws changed in 2018, but here are some basic things to remember:
You need permission to be on private land. It’s the responsibility of the hunter/angler to know if they’re on… moreHayden and Kid's Creek ponds stocked with huge trout
| idfg-mdemick
Clear Springs Foods recently donated 160 giant trout that were stocked in Hayden Pond and Kid's Creek Pond on Friday, September 20.
The super-sized trout, which average 9 pounds, were stocked by personnel from Idaho Fish and Game’s Mackay Hatchery and regional fisheries staff. Approximately 100 trout… more
Recent Trail Maintenance on Snow Peak WMA
| idfg-lwolf
This summer, the IDFG wildlife habitat crew was busy opening up and improving Snow Peak Wildlife Management Area trails for hikers and horseback riders.
Starting at Sawtooth Saddle (at the end of the FS 201 road), the crew cleared logs and removed brush along 3 miles of Trail #100 down to Buck Creek… more
Grizzly bear mistaken for black bear by hunter in Panhandle
| Anonymous (not verified)
On September 17, a nonresident (Montana) hunter shot and killed a grizzly bear that he mistook for a black bear. He was hunting in Idaho’s Panhandle near the Canadian border (Smith Creek). After identifying the bear as a grizzly at the scene, the hunter contacted Fish and Game and is cooperating with the investigation… more
Youth pheasant hunts scheduled in Salmon and Challis Oct 5
| idfg-mdemick
Idaho Department of Fish and Game will host two youth pheasant hunts for Salmon and Challis-area youth on Saturday, October 5.
Designed for youth hunters ages 10-17, the hunts are free and will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Salmon and Challis.
Youth in Salmon will begin their day at the… more
Henrys Lake newsletter August 2019
| idfg-jbrower
Once again we had a great turn out for our annual Henrys Lake public meeting which took place on Thursday August 29th. For those of you who were unable to attend you can watch the presentation and meeting by clicking the following link: Henrys Lake Meeting Video 2019… more
Commission closes steelhead fishery in Clearwater River basin
| idfg-bpearson
On Friday, Sept. 20, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission voted to close all fall steelhead seasons on the Clearwater River because the number of returning adult hatchery fish is less than the number needed for broodstock, and there is no surplus to provide a fishery.
The closure is effective at midnight on Sept… more
Hunter Education Field Day offered in Salmon
| idfg-mdemick
A hunter education Field Day is scheduled in Salmon Sept. 21 for those who have completed or are working to complete the online hunter education course. The Field Day will be held from 8 a.m. to noon at Fish and Game’s Salmon Regional office at 99 Highway 93 North.
Space is limited and registration is required… more
Bird hunters encouraged to donate their wings
| idfg-bpearson
With many upland game bird seasons opening soon, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game is asking hunters to donate a fully feathered wing for each bird they harvest.
Because juvenile and adult birds molt their wing feathers differently, biologists can use this information to estimate chick production that year… more
Mountain goats are 'on top of the world'
| idfg-scassinelli
Mountain goats can be found on steep, rocky areas in central Idaho’s wilderness areas, the Panhandle mountains and Seven Devils, and in eastern Idaho’s mountain ranges along the Wyoming and Montana borders. Get to know these bearded bovids in the September 2019 edition of Wildlife Express.
Also, hunting… more
2019 Upland Forecast: Here's what hunting looks like across the state
| idfg-bpearson
Idaho is a big state with a diverse mix of habitats, elevations and climates, and the state contains a variety of upland game birds. Upland bird populations can vary tremendously on an annual basis, and their health and numbers typically depend on favorable weather conditions, which are often very… more
Panhandle Region seeking help monitoring for Chronic Wasting Disease
| idfg-mellstrom
The Panhandle Region of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) is asking hunters to help with a surveillance program looking for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). This is part of a general surveillance, rotational sampling strategy that IDFG initiated in 2017 to monitor for CWD.
Fish and Game staff are… more