Press Releases and Articles
New rules in effect to prevent chronic wasting disease from entering Idaho
| idfg-rphillips
At its July 26 meeting in Idaho Falls, Fish and Game Commission approved several new rules to prevent chronic wasting disease from entering Idaho, or managing the disease if it ever is found in Idaho.
New rules include:
Ban the import into Idaho of the carcass or any part of a wild deer, elk, or moose… more
Punch Cards/Annual Passes Available at BCR
| idfg-eoneale
If you're a regular shooter at BCR, you can trim your shooting costs by purchasing a BCR punch card or annual pass. The 6-4-5 punch card gets you six visits for the price of five ($50), while the 10-4-8 punch card doubles that value, ten visits for $80. Both cards are transferable and never expire - pass them… more
Young grizzly trapped and relocated in Eastern Idaho
| idfg-jbrower
On Aug. 8, Idaho Fish and Game personnel captured a yearling grizzly bear in a research trap near Big Springs. Grizzly bears typically stay with their family group until they are two years old. Biologists were uncertain why this young bear was not with its mother, but it was in good condition… more
Habituated black bear lethally removed from Island Park area in Eastern Idaho
| idfg-jbrower
Idaho Fish and Game officials lethally removed a black bear on Aug. 9 at Bill’s Island in Island Park. The bear had been spotted by residents for at least two weeks and could not be safely relocated because it had become habituated to searching for food at residences. It was also … more
Get your hunter education course completed in time for fall hunts
| idfg-rphillips
Many Idahoans are looking forward to the fall hunting season, and new hunters have several options to complete the hunter and bowhunter education certifications that allow them to buy a hunting license.
Most new hunters opt for the traditional instructor-led course, which takes about two weeks and includes a… more
Application period is Aug. 10-17 for second controlled hunt drawing for deer, elk, pronghorn and bear
| idfg-rphillips
Didn't draw a tag in the first round? It's not too late to apply for the second controlled hunt drawing for over 2,250 unclaimed, controlled hunt tags for deer, elk, pronghorn and bear. The application period for the second drawing runs from Aug. 10 through Aug. 17.
A list of available tags by hunt number is… more
Chinook salmon season near Ellis ends August 12
| idfg-mdemick
Idaho Fish and Game recently announced that the Chinook salmon season on the upper Salmon River near Ellis will close at the end of fishing hours on Sunday, August 12.
The river section of the upper Salmon River to close to salmon fishing is from the posted boundary at the Colston Corner Boat Ramp… more
F&G seeks comments on proposal to extend check times for winter wolf snaring in two units
| idfg-rphillips
The proposed rule would extend the time period by which any person must visit every snare placed for gray wolves to not exceed 192 hours (8 days) for that portion of Game Management Unit 7 including and upstream from the Gold Creek and Mosquito Creek drainages, and in Game Management Unit 9.
If approved, the… more
Spring/summer Chinook seasons end, but fall Chinook starts Aug. 18
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game announced Tuesday, Aug. 7 that all remaining Chinook salmon fisheries on the Snake, Clearwater, South Fork Clearwater, Middle Fork Clearwater and Upper Salmon rivers will close at the end of fishing hours on Aug. 12 to protect hatchery broodstock and naturally spawning fish.
The Boise… more
Low oxygen levels responsible for fish kill below American Falls Dam
| idfg-jjackson
Representatives from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and Idaho Power have concluded that the cause of a recent fish kill in the Snake River immediately below American Falls Dam was a lack of sufficient oxygen in the water.
Over the weekend,… more
Expanded Hours and Sight-in Day Coming to BCR
| idfg-eoneale
Expanded shooting hours are coming to Black's Creek Public Shooting Range (BCR) in mid-August.
Beginning Thursday, August 16th, gates open at 8:00 am, giving shooters a chance to beat the heat. Early hours will continue at least through the month of September.
On September 8th, the Idaho Hunter… more
Mackay angler sets new Arctic Grayling catch/release record
| idfg-mkoenig
Lanson Stavast with the latest catch-and-release Arctic Grayling.
Congratulations to Lanson Stavast of Mackay, Idaho for his new catch-and-release state record Arctic Grayling. Lanson caught the fish at Rough Lake, an alpine lake in the Copper Basin area… more
Payette Lake produces monster Lake Trout
| idfg-mkoenig
Dylan Smith of Boise shows off a trophy Lake Trout from Payette Lake. The 41.5-inch monster earned him a new catch-and-release state record.
Congratulations to Dylan Smith for setting the newest catch/release state record for Lake Trout! Dylan caught this monster from Payette Lake … more
Fish And Game implements fire restrictions on lands it owns or manages
| idfg-pperkins
Until further notice, the following restriction applies to all Wildlife Management Areas and fishing access areas owned or managed by Idaho Fish and Game:
Stage I Fire Restrictions
Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire except within a designated recreation site,… more
2018 saw no mass wildlife fatalities but three cats and a child were infected with plague
| idfg-staff
Plague is spread by fleas and known to be present in ground squirrels in the endemic area of southern Idaho, most prominently southeast from Boise to Mountain Home. The disease is primarily spread between animals by fleas.
As of this post, in 2018, Idaho Fish and Game did not find any evidence of mass die-… more
July 31: Steelhead fishing outlook for Clearwater, Snake and Salmon rivers
| idfg-jdupont
Status of Idaho’s Steelhead Run
7/31/18
Hi everybody. I’ve been getting lots of e-mails and calls asking me what the steelhead run is looking like this year and what we can expect in the future. So, I figured it was time to give you all an update.
This… more
Unsold nonresident tags go on sale as second tags August 1
| idfg-vosborn
On August 1, all hunters can buy nonresident deer and elk tags as second tags for an additional hunting opportunity this fall. Tags are sold at the full nonresident price of $301.75 for deer and $416.75 for elk.
Fish and Game administration bureau chief Michael Pearson said that at current sales rate,… more
Sandhill crane tags available August 1
| idfg-vosborn
Hunters are reminded that Sandhill crane will be available first-come, first-served starting at 10 am MDT, August 1 at Fish and Game offices, license vendors, online at https://idfg.idaho.gov/buy-online, or by calling 800-554-8685.
Seasons begin September 1-15 or September 16-30, depending on tag type. The… more