Commission Expands Chinook Season

Thu, 05/16/2013 - 00:00 | idfg-estansbury

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission, Thursday, May 16, expanded Chinook salmon fishing to include additional reaches of the Clearwater main stem and South Fork Clearwater rivers. The Clearwater River main stem is open from the Camas Prairie railroad bridge at Lewiston upstream to the Cherry Lane Bridge and from the… more

Mule Deer Survival Update April 2013

Wed, 05/15/2013 - 09:37 | idfg-cclass

Mule deer survival over this past winter promises to be better than average.  Mule deer populations require good overwinter survival of does and fawns, and a high doe:fawn ratio going into winter.  The quality of habitat, particularly summer habitat in conjunction with winter severity drive mule deer… more

Still Time to Enter Super Hunt Drawing

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

The deadline to enter this year's first Super Hunt drawing is May 31. With every entry in Fish and Game's Super Hunt drawings, hunters get a chance at winning the hunt of a lifetime, and their entry fee helps support hunter and angler access to and across private lands. The first drawing in June will pick 26 lucky… more

Idaho Stream Fishing Already Open For Fun

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

By Phil Cooper - Idaho Department of Fish and Game The general fishing season in Idaho, often referred to by anglers as Ôstream season", opened the Saturday before Memorial Day for many years. A few years ago that changed, and most streams are now open all year. Having started my career in southeastern Idaho, I… more

June 8 is Free Fishing Day

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

Saturday, June 8, is Free Fishing Day, and Idaho Fish and Game invites veteran and novice anglers of all ages, residents and nonresidents alike, to celebrate the day by fishing anywhere in Idaho without a license. Though fishing license requirements are suspended for this special day, all other rules, such as limits… more

Ask Fish and Game: Stocking Fish

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

Q. When does Fish and Game start stocking fish, and how can I find out where they are being stocked? A. Fish and Game stocks some waters all year round. Other waters are stocked at various times during the year. For a current stocking report contact the regional Fish and Game office, or go online to: http://… more

Elk Plan Public Meetings Set in Upper Snake Region

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 00:00 | idfg-nnokkentved

A series of upcoming meetings in the Upper Snake Region will present to the public proposed options for the plan that will guide statewide elk management for the next 10 years. Wildlife managers have been reviewing all available data to develop a plan that manages the species, while providing maximum hunting… more

MDI Community Shrub Planting Effort within the Mustang Fire in GMU 21

Fri, 05/10/2013 - 13:57 | idfg-cclass

On April 19th IDFG staff and volunteers partnered together in the Salmon region to plant sagebrush on important mule deer winter range.  Twenty-nine IDFG staff and volunteers worked together to place 1,500 Wyoming big sagebrush into the rocky ground.  It was a hard day of work fighting… more

Controlled Hunts Statistic Available Online

Mon, 05/06/2013 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

The 2012 harvest statistics and drawing odds for controlled hunts are available at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/licenses/controlledHunts/ and in the Idaho Hunt Planner. Hunters can use harvest statistics and drawing odds from the past 10 years to search for similar controlled hunts for this year. The… more

Salvage Order Issued for Little Camas Reservoir

Mon, 05/06/2013 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

Idaho Fish and Game on Monday issued a salvage order for the Little Camas Reservoir in Elmore County. The reservoir will likely be drained by early summer for irrigation. Because the game fish in the reservoir likely will be lost, and past efforts at salvaging fish have been futile, Fish and Game would like the public… more

Now's the Time for a Hunter Education Class

Mon, 05/06/2013 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

Now is the time to register and complete a Hunter Education class. Registration is easy and convenient, and this time of year, there are a number of classes to choose from. "We have several options available for both hunter education and bowhunter education," Fish and Game wildlife educator Don Sturtevant said. "These… more

Spring is Here, Homeowners Need to be 'Bear Aware'

Mon, 05/06/2013 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

Having recently emerged from their long winter's sleep, Idaho's black bears are now on the move, looking for any and all food sources that might help them regain weight lost during hibernation. High calorie human foods are a major attractant, particularly if they are easy to obtain. With that in mind, Fish and Game… more

It's Spring, Watch out for Ducks

Mon, 05/06/2013 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

It's spring and ducklings and other animal babies are out and about; drivers should be alert for critters crossing the road. May and early June is also the fawning and calving season for Idaho's deer, elk and pronghorn. With campers and other outdoors enthusiasts heading out to the woods, well-meaning folks often… more

Idaho Fish and Game News is Now Available

Mon, 05/06/2013 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

The May issue of Idaho Fish and Game News is now available. This issue covers Fish and Game's new rules for the capture of peregrine falcons for use in falconry - the first time in 40 years that Idaho falconers have been allowed to capture wild peregrine falcons. The Idaho Fish and Game Commission earlier this year… more

Ask Fish and Game: Lochsa Salmon

Mon, 05/06/2013 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

Q. I hear the Lochsa is closed to salmon fishing. Is that just for now, or if the counts stay good, will you open it later in the end of May? Or was it decided to not open the Lochsa for salmon this year at all? A. Based on the fish counts to date, it is extremely unlikely that the Lochsa River would be opened to… more

MDI Shrub Planting in GMU 74 to Help Restore Mule Deer Winter Range

Fri, 05/03/2013 - 15:55 | idfg-cclass

On April 20th MDI staff along with the landowners family and friends, and a local boy scout troop spent their Saturday planting 4,500 bitterbrush and sagebrush seedlings.  The scout troop planted around 1,700 plants, the remainder were planted using a tractor pulling a tree planter.  Fortunately, it rained… more

Employee Injured in ATV Accident

Fri, 05/03/2013 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

About 10 a.m. (PDT) Thursday, May 2, Idaho Fish and Game employee Mark Parks, 57, of Lewiston, was injured in an ATV accident along the lower Salmon River below Eagle Creek. Parks was working by himself spraying weeds with an ATV-mounted tank sprayer when the ATV rolled over on him. He used his emergency satellite… more

Chinook Salmon Season to Open Saturday, May 4

Tue, 04/30/2013 - 00:00 | idfg-nnokkentved

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission Tuesday, April 30, approved a spring Chinook salmon fishing season to start Saturday, May 4, on parts of the Clearwater, Salmon and Snake rivers. Fish counts from Bonneville Dam suggest that the 2013 return of Chinook salmon to Idaho may be significantly lower than forecast but large… more