Press Releases and Articles
Get to know F&G's hatcheries: here are 10 cool facts about where many of your fish come from
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game’s hatchery crews are gearing up for a busy season of stocking fish throughout the state. Hatchery crews are responsible for hatching, raising, and releasing millions of fish for anglers to catch, which is a huge job.
Fortunately, they’ve been doing it for a long time. How long? Well,… more
Statewide trout stocking highlights for March 2026
| idfg-cliess
Many of Idaho’s lakes and ponds are soon going to be bolstered with Idaho Fish and Game stocking over 110,000 catchable-sized rainbow trout this March. Wondering if the stocking trucks are going to be backing up to your favorite fishing hole? We asked our Fish and Game hatchery staff to boil down some of the most… more
Public comment for 2026-27 migratory game bird season proposals now open
| idfg-cliess
Idaho Fish and Game is seeking comments on proposed migratory game bird seasons for 2026-27. Fish and Game staff will present all season proposals to the Commission for review during the April 9 conference call.
Hunters can review these proposals online and provide input on the Migratory Game Bird webpage.… more
Fish and Game completes targeted wolf management actions in Unit 4 to support elk recovery
| idfg-tjross
Idaho Fish and Game completed targeted wolf management actions on Feb. 21 and 22 that removed three wolves from Unit 4 in the Panhandle elk zone. This marks the first time such actions have been implemented in Idaho’s Panhandle Region.
The effort, when combined with recent success of local trappers,… more
How are mountain whitefish populations doing in Idaho?
| idfg-kmeyer
Fisheries biologists use the term “salmonids” to refer to members of the biological family that includes salmon and steelhead, trout, grayling, and whitefish. In Idaho, we have many different species of native and nonnative salmonids, but by far the group that gets the least attention from anglers is whitefish. You… more
Upper Salmon River Steelhead Fishing Report (02-24-2026)
| idfg-bbeller
Hi everyone, this is the Upper Salmon River steelhead fishing report for February 24, 2026. The data discussed in this report were primarily collected between Wednesday, February 18 and Sunday, February 22.
Steelhead continued to be caught at good rates throughout the Upper Salmon River last week, although… more
Now Available: Draw results for second nonresident tag drawing
| idfg-cliess
Good news, nonresident hunters! Results from the second application period for the nonresident general season deer and elk tag draw have been posted. All results will be emailed to the email address saved to your GoOutdoorsIdaho.com account.
Remember, hunters have until 11:59 p.m. MST on March 20 to claim their… more
Video: See bighorn sheep released into Idaho's Owyhee canyonlands
| idfg-rphillips
You may have heard about bighorns being released into southern Idaho’s Owyhee canyonlands, and now you can see the whole story behind this intensive project to boost bighorn herds in the Owyhees.
Idaho Fish and Game, in partnership with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Wild Sheep Foundation,… more
Poaching incident at Orofino Elementary School results in conviction
| idfg-jbruns
During the late evening hours of November 26, 2024, security cameras at Orofino Elementary School captured a blue Ford pickup truck entering the bus loading zone, where an individual shot a white-tailed buck standing on the school lawn. The vehicle left the area and was later seen on multiple residential and business… more
Saint Maries man sentenced for unlawful take of seven white-tailed deer in North Idaho
| idfg-tjross
On Feb. 18, a St. Maries man was sentenced for the unlawful take of seven mature white-tailed deer bucks. The second man involved in the case is scheduled for sentencing soon.
The first man received the following sentence:
$17,200 in restitution $525 in meat processing fees All associated court costs for… more
Early stocking of trout in Fernan and Cocolalla lakes in the Panhandle Region
| idfg-tjross
Fernan Lake and Cocolalla Lake in North Idaho have received their first batch of catchable-size (10 to 12 inch) rainbow trout for the year. Fernan was stocked with 6,000 fish and Cocolalla received 6,900.
Burbot — the Kootenai River leopard — is the perfect way to cure cabin fever
| idfg-cliess
Burbot fishing on the Kootenai River is most productive during the winter months as burbot prepare to spawn in February and March. Unlike the summer months when burbot often hunker down in deep pools or in Kootenay Lake in British Columbia, this time of year they can often be found in shallower water or in tributaries… more
Bighorn sheep monitoring underway along Snake and Salmon Rivers
| idfg-jbruns
Residents and recreationists may notice low-flying helicopters over portions of the Snake and Salmon rivers from Feb. 19-24. Fish and Game will be conducting bighorn sheep capture operations in Units 11, 13, 14, and 19.
The purpose of this effort is to safely capture and radio-collar bighorn sheep to monitor… more
Upper Salmon River Steelhead Fishing Report (02-18-2026)
| idfg-bbeller
Hi everyone, this is the Upper Salmon River steelhead fishing report for February 18, 2026. The data discussed in this report were collected between Wednesday, February 11 and Sunday, February 15.
As many of you know, this winter has been a mild one. River temperatures in Salmon, ID did not drop to 32°F for the… more
Southeast Region Winter Feeding Advisory Committee to meet Feb. 17
| idfg-jjackson
Members of the Southeast Region Winter Feeding Advisory Committee (WFAC) will meet on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 6:00 p.m. to assist Idaho Fish and Game with the assessment of winter conditions and observations related to big game animals (movements, depredations, activity on roadways, body conditions, mortalities) in the… more
Mule deer lethally removed from captive elk facility will be donated to local food banks
| idfg-jbrower
Over the past few months, Idaho Fish and Game has removed 82 wild mule deer from inside a high-fenced captive elk facility in Game Management Unit 60A.
During the 2025 hunting season, hunters on adjacent lands reported seeing numerous wild mule deer inside the facility. It appears these animals gained… more
F&G officers investigating three separate incidents of deer being shot, left to waste in southwest Idaho
| idfg-bpearson
Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers are seeking the public’s help in gathering information related to three separate incidents of mule deer being shot and left to waste in southwest Idaho.
Closed-season mule deer buck at Arrowrock Reservoir
A 2x3 mule deer buck that was shot out of season,… more
Now Open: Provide comments on spring/summer Chinook fishing season proposals
| idfg-cliess
Idaho Fish and Game will be setting new seasons for upcoming spring and summer Chinook fisheries and is now gathering public input on season proposals from Feb. 11 to Feb. 22.
Members of the public can view and weigh in with online comments Feb. 11-22. After reviewing anglers’ feedback and agency goals along… more