Press Releases and Articles
Aug. 1 deadline to buy controlled hunt tags is fast approaching
| idfg-cliess
The deadline to purchase controlled hunt tags is Aug. 1 at 11:59 p.m. MDT.
It is the applicant's responsibility to see if they drew a controlled hunt tag and to buy it by this deadline. All controlled hunt tags (except unlimited and January hunts) that are not purchased by the Aug. 1 deadline will be forfeited… more
F&G euthanizes sow black bear in Ketchum after second incident of an aggressive bear raiding garbage
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game personnel and local law enforcement responded to an aggressive bear in a Ketchum neighborhood, which resulted in a sow being euthanized and two cubs captured. The cubs will be taken to Snowdon Wildlife Sanctuary in McCall for rehabilitation.
Early morning on July 18, Fish and Game staff… more
Chinook fishing season will end on the South Fork of the Salmon River on July 21
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game will close Chinook salmon fishing on the South Fork of the Salmon River at the end of fishing hours on Thursday, July 21. The sport fishing share of the harvest will have been reached by that time. Anglers can see what areas remain open for fishing by checking the Chinook Salmon Seasons and Rules… more
Video: F&G Southwest Region staff rescue tangled-up heron at Wilson Springs Ponds
| idfg-bpearson
On Thursday, July 14, Idaho Fish and Game received a report of a heron that was tangled up in fishing line at Wilson Springs Ponds in Nampa. Regional Wildlife Manager Ryan Walrath and Conservation Officer Matt O'Connell responded and were able to free the bird and release it safely nearby.
River and Sky: A fish biologist’s perspective of counting salmon from the air
| idfg-cbaum
On a chilly morning, I’m awake and alert as I can be. I’m strapped into a helicopter seat, flight helmet on, doors off, safety checks done, GPS in one hand, radio in the other and a data sheet secured to my thigh. The excitement grows as the rotor blades pick up momentum and start humming loudly. We lift off… more
Food-conditioned black bear euthanized at Stoddard Creek Campground
| idfg-jbrower
On July 14, Fish and Game captured and euthanized a young male black bear at Stoddard Creek Campground after it had received multiple food rewards from garbage left out by careless campers. The food-conditioned bear showed no fear of humans and repeatedly ripped open coolers and pushed on tents in search of food,… more
Wolf trapper education class offered in Salmon
| idfg-mdemick
A wolf trapper education class will be offered in Salmon on Saturday August 6, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Idaho Fish and Game office.
Wolf trapper education classes are in high demand in our area and are usually taught just a few times a year - so if you need a class, sign up now!
Here’s what you… more
Hunters: Take note of these new hunting boundaries, rules and law changes and plan your hunt accordingly
| idfg-cliess
As hunters start to scope out their favorite hunting spots, Fish and Game is urging hunters to check out all of the new hunting unit boundary changes and new changes to rules and laws.
Changes to Big Game Hunting UnitsMinor changes have been made to several hunting units to simplify boundaries, which affects… more
Trash can lids make awkward necklaces for deer
| idfg-rberkley
Late last week, Fish and Game's McCall office received a flurry of calls about a mule deer doe with a trash can lid stuck on her neck. Sure enough, when staff went to check things out, she was wearing a large, metal lid.
The lid did not appear to be on tightly, and was not affecting her ability to move or… more
Homedale angler hoists up a new catch-and-release record, just an inch longer than his previous record
| idfg-cliess
Congratulations to Jared Holt of Homedale for catching a new state catch-and-release record for flathead catfish from the Snake River in Owyhee County. Holt hauled up the behemoth catfish on July 9 on the Snake River. The fish measured 43 inches long, just an inch longer than the previous record-holding fish caught by… more
July 11, 2022 - South Fork Salmon River Chinook Fishery Update
| idfg-jmessner
Hey Everyone. Fishing is GREAT on the South Fork Salmon right now. We still have enough harvest share on the table to run through Sunday night (7/17) at the very least. Get out there and fish this week and through the weekend!
FisheryFishing effort and catch really picked up on the South Fork over the past… more
Upper Salmon River Chinook Update: 7/12/2022
| idfg-gschoby
Hi everybody, I hope you had a chance to get out and fish the upper Salmon. As expected…it turned on! Lots of fish showed up over the past week and some lucky anglers were there to catch them. Below is the weekly upper Salmon River Chinook update:
Angler effort increased compared to the previous week, and… more
F&G attempting to trap aggressive black bear in the Ketchum area
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game staff are attempting to capture a black bear in the Ketchum area that acted aggressively toward a resident in the early morning on July 11. A woman reported opening her door and tried to verbally shoo a bear away that was getting into garbage outside her home, the adult black bear then charged her… more
Spring Chinook Salmon Fishery Update (7/12/2022): Clearwater River Return, Rapid River Run, Hells Canyon, and Lochsa River Fisheries
| idfg-jdupont
Spring Chinook Salmon Fishery Update (7/12/2022)
Clearwater River Return, Rapid River Run, Hells Canyon and Lochsa River Fisheries
by Joe DuPont
Hi everybody, it is time for my weekly spring Chinook Salmon update (7/12/2022).
Run… more
Idaho sockeye returns at Lower Granite Dam are already the second-highest in a decade
| idfg-rphillips
Signs are promising for an improved Idaho sockeye run based on dam counts on the Columbia and Snake rivers. Through mid July (July 17), 1,535 have crossed Lower Granite Dam about 30 miles downstream from Lewiston. The run is already the second-highest in the last decade and third-highest since 1975 with more fish… more
Joint efforts help contain small fire on Montpelier Wildlife Management Area
| idfg-jjackson
On the afternoon of Tuesday, July 5, a wildfire broke out at the Montpelier Wildlife Management Area in Bear Lake County. Responders included local farmers, Bear Lake County Volunteer fire personnel, Bear Lake County Sheriff’s Office and fire personnel with the US Forest Service. An officer with the Idaho Department… more
Fish composition survey of Lake Lowell indicates a stable fishery with quality bluegill and bass opportunity
| idfg-bpearson
Fisheries biologists in the Southwest Region recently completed a comprehensive survey of the Lake Lowell fishery, the first such survey since 2006.
“With a comprehensive fish community survey like this, we are interested in determining if the relative abundance of each species in Lake Lowell has changed over… more
Parr: Another funny word biologists use to describe young salmon and trout
| idfg-tcopeland
Biologists working with young salmon and trout often refer to them as parr. Where does this word come from and what does it mean? How does this relate to smolt, another funny word I wrote about before.
When we view a young trout or salmon from the side, a series of dark vertical markings are visible. These are… more