Press Releases and Articles
Hunters: Call toll-free number for hunter reports, online reporting unavailable
| idfg-mdemick
Big game hunters are reminded that the online hunter report form is still unavailable.
Currently, the only way to file a hunter report for deer, elk and pronghorn is to call the toll-free number at 877-268-9365 and speak to a live operator 24-hour a day, 7 days a week. Please have your hunting license number… more
Youth pheasant hunting opportunity available near Potlatch
| idfg-jbruns
Idaho Department of Fish and Game is working with an area landowner and the Game Bird Foundation to provide youth pheasant hunting opportunities on a 975 acre Access Yes! parcel on the Palouse River, north of Potlatch, Idaho.
Eligible youth must be 17 years or younger, possess a valid hunting license or… more
Winchester Lake Dam Set for Repairs
| idfg-jbruns
Idaho Department of Fish and Game is currently dropping water levels in Winchester Lake in order to make repairs to the dam. The reservoir will be down around 8’ below the high water mark during this project. Work is scheduled to begin on October 31st and will take several weeks to complete. Boaters should be aware… more
Fall Chinook season ends soon
| idfg-mdemick
Idaho anglers who have yet to land a salmon this season still have a little time left.
The fall Chinook season will end October 31 in the Clearwater River, a short stretch of the lower Salmon River and in the Snake River, except the section from Cliff Mountain Rapids upstream to Hells Canyon… more
Steelhead catch picks up
| idfg-mdemick
Steelhead catch rates are picking up and there is plenty of exciting fishing left.
Catch rates in mid-October were 11 hours per fish on the Snake below the Salmon River, 3 hours per fish on the Clearwater from the mouth upstream to the Orofino Bridge, 3 hours per fish on the North Fork Clearwater, and 20 hours… more
Motorists urged to slow down and lookout for big game
| idfg-mdemick
The number of auto collisions involving big game animals typically rises during fall and winter, so Idaho Fish and Game encourages motorists to slow down and be extra cautious.
A cow elk was hit recently by a school bus on Highway 21 near Idaho City, and just last week, two people were hospitalized… more
Cold water dangers to waterfowl hunters, anglers
| idfg-mdemick
With the onset of autumn and resulting cold air and water temperatures, waterfowl hunters and anglers are urged to take precautions and wear life jackets while on the water this fall.
Overloaded boats and failure to wear life jackets are leading reasons Idaho typically loses a couple of hunters or… more
Weekly Steelhead Fishing Summary for Salmon River (10/24/16)
| idfg-vosborn
Steelhead angler effort continued to increase over the past week on the upper Salmon River. Most anglers were observed fishing downstream of Salmon in location codes 14, 15, and 16, but effort upstream of Salmon in location code 17 increased this week as well. Anglers interviewed downstream of the Middle… more
Maps of former Potlatch Lands in Units 23 and 24
| idfg-staff
These maps are also available at the Nampa and McCall regional offices. Units 32A and 33 also have some Potlatch lands, although these units are not as affected by this purchase. If you have questions about these units, please contact the McCall office.
Unit 23
Unit 24… more
Rainbow Trout Stocking Schedule
| idfg-eoneale
This includes Boise’s newest urban fishing pond, Esthers Pond, located off Whitewater Boulevard, immediately north of Quinns Pond.
LOCATION WEEK STOCKED NUMBER OF TROUT
Boise River - above Glenwood Bridge November 14 1,440… more
Newest Boise Urban Pond Set to Open
| idfg-eoneale
Esthers Pond is located just off Whitewater Park Boulevard, west of downtown Boise and immediately north of Quinns Pond.
Partnering with the City of Boise, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game will regularly stock Esthers Pond with hatchery rainbow trout. The first stocking will occur the week of the grand… more
Deer season is off to a promising start
| idfg-rphillips
Judging deer hunting success a week into the season is kind of like predicting a football game after the first quarter when the score is 7-3, but so far, deer hunters are reporting seeing plenty of animals and expressed general satisfaction with their hunts.
Idaho Fish and Game check stations around… more
Waterfowl Hunting Season Underway in the Idaho Panhandle!
| idfg-jderrig
The Idaho Panhandle waterfowl hunt opened the weekend of October 1st, and the Department staff ran opening weekend waterfowl check stations at the Killarney Lake, Medimont, and Clark Fork Delta boat ramps and Boundary-Smith Creek WMA. Hunter numbers were higher this year varying from 23… more
Fish and Game stocks sturgeon, and now the wait begins
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game crews releasing hundreds of 20-plus inch fish into a river typically gets anglers excited about landing a big one, but things are different when it’s stocking sturgeon in the Snake River. Despite being as long as your forearm, the fish stocked were practically fingerlings in the sturgeon… more
From field to freezer: tips for processing your big game animal
| idfg-rphillips
You successfully shot a deer, elk or other big game animal. Now the work begins. You want to properly process the animal so you get many healthy, enjoyable meals from it.
Here's the basic cheat sheet: Gut it, skin it, keep it clean and keep it cool.
But you should know more if you want the… more
Pheasant stocking underway at nine Wildlife Management Areas
| idfg-rphillips
Pheasant hunting is a popular form of upland game hunting, and hunters can find a place to hunt them at Fish and Game's Wildlife Management Areas. The Department is stocking thousands of rooster pheasants at the following areas during the hunting season:
Southwest Region: Fort Boise, Payette, Montour, and C.J.… more
How to contact Fish and Game officers after hours
| idfg-mdemick
With Idaho’s hunting seasons in progress, the Idaho Fish and Game reminds people who spend time outdoors that there are several ways to contact a Fish and Game officer on weekends or after hours.
Outside of regular business hours, contact the local sheriff's department, the state police, or any law… more
Hunters: Please use toll-free number for hunter reports
| idfg-mdemick
Fish and Game's online hunter reports have unfortunately been a casualty of the data breach of our online vendor's database, but hunters can still file their reports by calling the toll-free number at (877) 268-9365.
Reporting is quick and easy, and when you file your report, you give critical hunt and harvest… more