Press Releases and Articles
Bighorn sheep capture scheduled in Hells Canyon late December
| idfg-jbruns
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife plan to capture 55 bighorn sheep in three Hells Canyon herds Dec. 19-23 as part of the ongoing Hells Canyon Initiative to restore bighorn sheep populations.
Bighorn sheep will be captured by net gunning from a helicopter and… more
Moose, mountain goat and bighorn sheep season setting open house to be held in Jerome
| idfg-tthompson
Wildlife biologists from the Magic Valley Region will be hosting a public open house on December 15, 2022, from 3 – 7:00 p.m. at the Magic Valley Regional Office to take public comments on proposed changes to moose, mountain goat and bighorn sheep seasons for the 2023 – 2024 hunting seasons.
The Magic Valley… more
Fisher, wolverine and Canada lynx 2023-2028 conservation management plan is open for public comment
| idfg-cliess
The 2023-2028 draft management plan for the conservation of fisher, wolverine and Canada lynx is now open for public comment. The deadline to comment is Jan. 3 at 8 a.m.
Fish and Game wildlife managers are presenting a new management plan for these three medium-sized carnivores whose sightings in the wild are… more
Trapper education course offered in Salmon Dec. 17
| idfg-mdemick
Fish and Game will host a trapper education course in Salmon on Saturday, Dec. 17 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Fish and Game Office, 99 Highway 93 North.
The interactive course provides students with hands-on training from experienced trapping instructors. Basic trapping techniques with safety, ethical trapper… more
Lake Cascade Ice Conditions - Dec. 12, 2022
| idfg-mthomas
On Monday, December 12th we checked surface and ice conditions on Lake Cascade. Although we got off to an early start building ice in November, recent heavy snowfall has delayed ice development across much of the lake and has made for a slushy surface. Conditions may improve with forecasted cold and clear… more
Open house in Salmon set to collect comments on moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat seasons
| idfg-mdemick
Hunters can soon comment on the proposed 2023-24 hunting seasons for moose, mountain goat, and bighorn sheep. Idaho Fish and Game will host an open house Dec. 20 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Salmon Regional Office, 99 Highway 93 North.
Season proposals in IDFG’s Salmon Region include a decrease in moose tags… more
Public can comment on moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat season through Dec. 29
| idfg-cliess
Idaho Fish and Game will be setting new seasons for upcoming moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat hunts in early 2023 and gathering public input on proposals from Dec. 13-29.
Hunters can easily review the proposals at the moose, sheep, goat proposals webpage here. The comment period will run through Dec. 29… more
Clearwater Region ice fishing update (Dec. 9)
| idfg-jthiessen
Because it is so accessible, ice fishing is becoming a popular family activity throughout Idaho. Ice fishing is one of the most available and often overlooked opportunities in the Clearwater Region. There are numerous ponds, lakes and reservoirs that ice over and hold a wide range of fish species including rainbow… more
Winter aerial surveys and capture work beginning soon in the Clearwater Region
| idfg-jbruns
Winter is a busy season for wildlife staff across the state. Winter wildlife work starts now and will extend through the end of January. Elk and moose captures will begin the week of December 12th in units 8, 8A, 10A. These capture efforts are part of a larger elk and moose calf survivability study. Additional capture… more
F&G Commission conference call meeting set for Dec. 12
| idfg-cliess
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will be meeting via conference call on Dec. 12 at 9 a.m. to discuss future plans for the hiring of the Fish and Game director position. Members of the public can visit a regional office and listen in to the meeting via conference call.
There will be no public comment… more
Helicopter flights to survey big game near Salmon and Challis to begin soon
| idfg-mdemick
Beginning this week, Fish and Game staff will take to the air to get a closer look at deer numbers, including several low-level helicopter surveys planned in the Salmon and Challis areas. The purpose is to gather abundance and herd composition information that helps game managers understand population numbers and… more
Ice Fishing in the Clearwater Region
| Anonymous (not verified)
Did you know, you don't have to travel for hours to find great ice fishing opportunities in the Clearwater Region? There are many great opportunities to get the family out for a daytime adventure right down the road!
Many anglers put away the rods and gear when colder weather starts descending upon us, but… more
North Idaho’s Priest River: A river of potential
| idfg-tjross
Not all rivers are created equally. Some, like the St. Joe River in North Idaho, boast good habitat and reliably cold water, resulting in robust coldwater fish populations, such as westslope cutthroat and bull trout. However, others, like the Priest River, are not so fortunate.
For decades,… more
It’s almost raffle time: Turn in your Lake Pend Oreille fishing logbooks by Dec. 10 for a chance to win great prizes and swag!
| idfg-tjross
If you are a fisherman participating in the angler science program on Lake Pend Oreille, thank you for investing time and energy into helping us. Information collected by anglers will help Idaho Fish and Game manage the trophy rainbow trout fishery.
The time periods for filling out fishing logbooks has… more
Break out the neoprene: Winter stream fishing is a perfect opportunity to stay outdoors and catch fish
| idfg-cliess
Ask just about anyone if standing in two feet of 33-degree water while snow somehow finds its way down the back of their base layer sounds like their idea of a good time, and you’ll probably get a resounding no. This time of year, it’s tempting for anglers to stash the rods and hang up the waders ‘til next spring. And… more
Lake Cascade Fishery Update for 2022-2023
| idfg-mthomas
Below average temperatures in November has many anglers scrambling to get their ice fishing gear ready: Old man winter is arriving early in Idaho, and the hardwater is already here on parts of Lake Cascade (ice update). For anglers itching for an update on the status of the fishery prior to hitting the ice, Fish… more
Never let the sun set on a dirty firearm
| idfg-cliess
Another season in the books. You and your trusty firearm spent countless roaming the mountain slopes and drainages that Idaho is known for and likely in all kinds of weather.
For all the times your firearm’s had your back (literally), now is the point in the year when you have its back. Whether you hunted… more
Lewiston angler sets new coho state record on the NF Clearwater River
| idfg-mkoenig
Congratulations to Jerry Smith of Lewiston on landing a 30-inch coho salmon. Smith hooked the fish while fishing the North Fork Clearwater River on Nov. 13. While Idaho's catch-and-release record program has been around since 2016, this is the first application for an ocean-run coho salmon, setting the stage for… more