Press Releases and Articles
Protect wintering wildlife by avoiding areas where they congregate
| idfg-rphillips
When it’s the “dead of winter,” it’s important that we consider our effects on wildlife so the term doesn’t apply too literally, which means people should avoid disturbing wintering animals. When animals are forced to burn extra calories to avoid people, it can make a life-or-death difference, especially for… more
Kid’s ice fishing derbies at Hyde Pond and Jimmy Smith Lake set for Feb. 8
| idfg-mdemick
Bundle up the kids, grab the fishing gear and head to Hyde Pond or Jimmy Smith Lake Saturday, Feb. 8 for some ice fishing fun.
The 29th Annual Kids’ Ice Fishing Derby at Hyde Pond will be held from 8:00 a.m. to noon. The free event is for youth age 16 years and under. There will be big fish prizes… more
Feeding deer and elk in town does more harm than good
| idfg-mdemick
Feeding that cute deer fawn in your yard may seem helpful, but Idaho Fish and Game says that well-intentioned people often feed deer, elk and other wildlife without realizing the problems it can create.
“Although people have good intentions and only want to help, feeding can lead to unforeseen problems and can… more
Fish and Game uses non-lethal hazing to move a mountain lion in Ketchum
| idfg-tthompson
Fish and Game received reports on Wednesday January 8 of a mountain lion laying near the backyard of a home in south Ketchum. After monitoring the situation, the lion continued to remain near the home in the backyard, prompting officers on January 9 to make the decision to use non-lethal means to force the lion to… more
Female mountain lion harvest season closed in Unit 36B
| idfg-mdemick
Mountain lion hunters should note that the harvest season for female mountain lion has closed in Unit 36B, as the harvest quota of two females was reached January 9, 2020.
Hunters will be allowed to keep female mountain lions taken prior to this closure but must report them within five days of… more
Farragut Range closed Jan. 11 & 12
| idfg-ksiitari
The Farragut Public Shooting Range will be closed Jan. 11 and 12 due to expected inclement weather and travel conditions.
During the winter, the range is open Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Infrequently, the facility or a portion thereof is closed due to severe weather or private events. Before… more
Public's Help Sought in Triple Deer Poaching Case
| idfg-eoneale
Fish and Game is asking the public for information regarding the Christmas break poaching of three mule deer bucks in the Sagebrush Hill area just northeast of Weiser.
Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) is offering a reward for information in the case and callers can remain anonymous. Contact CAP at 1-800-632-… more
Detecting fish in the fast lane
| idfg-bbowersox
This coming spring as salmon and steelhead smolts head to the ocean past Lower Granite Dam many of those fish will be swimming past a new PIT-tag detection system on one of the dams spillways. This new system will provide a lot of new information to help managers get a better understanding of how well Idaho's smolts … more
Panhandle aerial wildlife surveys scheduled for January
| idfg-ksiitari
Low-flying helicopters and airplanes will be circling over Panhandle forests during January as part of Fish and Game’s big game monitoring. Biologists will be looking for some of northern Idaho’s most prized large mammals including elk, mountain goat and moose.
Every winter,… more
More Camping Improvements Coming to Horsethief Reservoir
| idfg-eoneale
Horsethief Reservoir continues to be a camping and fishing destination for outdoor enthusiasts across Idaho. As visitation continues to increase, the need has arisen to provide more structured camping to protect the very environment that visitors travel to Horsethief to enjoy.
That effort began in 2018, when… more
Wildlife capture work begins late January in Units 1, 6 and 10A
| idfg-jbruns
You may notice an increase in Fish and Game activity in game management units (GMU) 1, 6 and 10A associated with capture and monitoring efforts. Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) plans to continue a multi-year research project in these units within the Panhandle and Clearwater regions. The project is designed to better… more
F&G offering $550K for firearm and archery shooting range grants
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game enhances recreational shooting ranges through its Shooting Range Development Grant program to assist organizations or agencies to establish, upgrade, expand or otherwise improve public firearms and archery ranges in Idaho. Applications for grants are due Feb. 1, and can be found at the link below… more
Steelhead anglers continue to report tags for F&G, U of I research
| idfg-bbowersox
Written by Will Lubenau, University of Idaho
As the new year begins, we thought it would be a good time for an update on the steelhead encounter rate and catch and release mortality study. We have continued to get some tag reports from anglers over the past month and now have a total of 138 tags reported as of… more
Deer management plans for 2020-2025 available online
| idfg-scassinelli
The Idaho mule deer and white-tailed deer management plans for 2020-2025 are available on the Idaho Fish and Game website. These plans cover how Fish and Game will manage Idaho mule deer and white-tailed deer populations, hunting, and habitats over the next six years.
The Idaho Mule Deer Management Plan… more
Horsethief Reservoir Hosts Youth Ice Fishing Event
| idfg-eoneale
The 11th Annual Youth Ice Fishing Day at Horsethief Reservoir is just around the corner and kids and their parents are invited to spend a fun-filled day on the ice, fishing for rainbow trout. Sponsored by Idaho Youth Outdoors, Idaho Fish and Game and a host of others, this free event kicks off at 10:00am on Saturday,… more
Enter 2019 volunteer time by January 20th, 2020
| idfg-sfocht
Please enter all your 2019 Volunteer and Education time for the IMNP by January 20th 2020. Final year end reports will be run on that day and 2019 will no longer be accepted. If you have problems logging on or entering your time, contact sara.focht@idfg.idaho.gov or 208 287 2906.
Mountain Lion Killed Following Dog Attack Near Cascade
| idfg-eoneale
An adult male mountain lion was killed by a hunter after it attacked and partially consumed a domestic dog at a residence a few miles south of Cascade, Idaho. The attack occurred late Friday night, January 3rd.
The following morning, remains of the shepherd mix were found cached behind the owner’s residence by… more
Watch out for wildlife on the move
| idfg-jjackson
As winter weather brings on a winter wonderland, it also increases the movement of big game, namely mule deer, elk, and moose. Animals will migrate to lower elevations where there is usually less snow, warmer temperatures, vegetation for browsing and thermal cover. To get to these important winter ranges, they often… more