Press Releases and Articles
Fish and Game’s first K-9 officer Pepper retires
| idfg-tthompson
After 11 years of service to the Idaho Fish and Game Department across the state, Pepper, the agency’s first K-9 officer has officially retired from service. Pepper, a black lab who worked alongside handler Senior Conservation Officer Jim Stirling of Twin Falls retired on March 15, 2022.
Terry Thompson/… more
MK Nature Center hosts native plant sale April 22
| idfg-cliess
The annual native plant sale will be held this coming weekend at the MK Nature Center at 600 S. Walnut St. in Boise. Sponsored by the Pahove Chapter of the Idaho Native Plant Society, the sale offers gardeners an opportunity to buy native plants for their landscaping projects.
Online ordering of plants begins… more
Wolf trapper education classes offered in Nampa
| idfg-bpearson
Two wolf trapper education classes will be offered in Nampa on May 14 at the Idaho Fish and Game regional office.
Wolf trapper education classes are in high demand and are usually taught just a few times a year in each region - so if you need a class, sign up now!
Here’s what you need to know if you… more
The Clark Fork Driftyard access site will reopen to the public on April 16
| idfg-tjross
Idaho Fish and Game began Phase 3 of the Clark Fork Delta Restoration Project in Oct. 2021. During construction, the Clark Fork Driftyard access site was closed to the public the provide safety and security for both the construction workers and the public.
Phase 3 construction is complete, and the… more
Instructor-led hunter education courses coming up in Southwest Idaho in May
| idfg-bpearson
Southwest Idaho currently has six instructor-led courses slated to start in May, with more to come. Among the upcoming offerings in the Southwest Region are Hunter Education Certification, Bowhunter Education Certification, Trapper Certification, and a Hunting… more
F&G seeking public input on Bonneville Cutthroat Trout Management Plan 2022
| idfg-cliess
Idaho Fish and Game is seeking comments on its Bonneville Cutthroat Trout Management Plan 2022. The draft plan is open to public comment through May 13. Fish and Game welcomes input from the public, and encourages references to specific sections or pages of the plan when leaving a general comment.
The 2022… more
Ashton men sentenced for unlawful killing of grizzly bear
| idfg-jbrower
Jared and Rex Baum of Ashton, Idaho were sentenced this April for the unlawful killing of a grizzly bear on March 16, 2021 in Fremont County, Idaho. As part of a plea deal, Jared Baum pleaded guilty to a felony and was sentenced to 30 consecutive days in the Fremont County jail, three years of probation, two years… more
Idaho State Department of Agriculture finds avian influenza in Idaho, F&G is monitoring wild birds
| idfg-rphillips
The Idaho State Department of Agriculture has received confirmation of multiple cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus in two separate flocks of domestic chickens in Gooding County and Caribou County. The affected flocks appear to be unrelated.
HPAI is a viral disease and requires rapid… more
F&G Commission approves 2022-23 migratory game bird seasons
| idfg-cliess
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission approved the 2022-23 migratory game bird seasons during their April 14 conference call. Waterfowl hunters can expect to see later duck seasons across most of the state, and similar season dates for Canada geese. Bag limits for ducks will remain the same as last year, but will… more
Watch Idaho Fish and Game and National Wild Turkey Federation's turkey hunting primer
| idfg-rphillips
General turkey hunting seasons open April 15, and to help new and experience hunters enjoy this fun and exciting spring hunting activity, Idaho Fish and Game and the National Wild Turkey Federation recently partnered to provide a webinar on Idaho turkey hunting.
For more information, see the Idaho Upland Game… more
Taking a look at the Salmon River's Twin Bridges smolt trap
| idfg-sputnam
Story and Video by Devan Reid, Sr. Fisheries Technician
Located at Twin Bridges, near White Bird, Idaho, is the Smolt Monitoring Project’s Salmon River fish trap. The incline plane scoop trap is designed to catch smolting salmon and steelhead trout on their way to the Pacific Ocean. The fish are directed into… more
2022 Rainbow Trout Suppression Plans on the South Fork Snake
| idfg-pkennedy
The South Fork Snake River (SFSR) supports the strongest remaining fluvial population of native Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Ocorhynchus clarkii bouvieri (YCT) within their historical range in Idaho. The SFSR is one of only a handful of large rivers in the species’ range that supports a robust population of YCT. The… more
Fish and Game dispatches five wild elk that entered a domestic elk farm
| idfg-rphillips
On Tuesday, April 12, Idaho Fish and Game staff dispatched five wild elk at a domestic elk farm in the Garden Valley area after the wild elk had entered the facility through an open gate in early March.
The elk were held in the captive facility after the owner notified the Idaho State Department of Agriculture… more
Meet Idaho’s smallest miner, the pocket gopher
| idfg-cliess
For many of Idaho’s hibernating creatures, living below ground while Old Man Winter pays his annual visit is just a temporary lifestyle fix, like folks going to Arizona for warm January days on the golf course. But for the pocket gopher, subterranean living is a full-time job with no PTO.
The pocket gopher is… more
What is a salmon or steelhead smolt?
| idfg-tcopeland
Fisheries biologists use funny words sometimes when describing a fish’s life. Biologists who work with salmon and steelhead often talk about smolts. So, what exactly is a smolt?
Smolt, not smeltThe word ‘smolt’ comes from Old English (smeolt). It had several meanings like calm, gentle, smooth but also bright… more
April 11 Upper Salmon River Weekly Steelhead Fishing Report
| idfg-bbeller
Steelhead angler effort continued to increase upstream of the East Fork during the past week, while angler effort downstream of the East Fork continued to decline.
Anglers interviewed downstream of the Pahsimeroi River in location code 17 averaged 17 hours per steelhead caught, and anglers interviewed… more
Kids Creek pond in Salmon stocked with steelhead
| idfg-mdemick
Personnel from Fish and Game's Pahsimeroi Hatchery released 110 steelhead in Kids Creek Pond Monday, April 11.
Kids Creek Pond is a small fishing pond in downtown Salmon, also known for good trout fishing. The pond will receive 550 catchable-size (10-12 inch) rainbow trout before May 1.
The trout… more
Spring Newsletter Available
| idfg-sfocht
The MK Nature Center is "springing to life" in more ways that one! Of course, spring is arriving and that brings colorful blooms and more wildlife sightings. Spring also brings more visitors and events. Catch up on what is happening at your local nature center by taking a look at our latest newsletter. You will enjoy… more