Press Releases and Articles
Rabid bat discovered in downtown Boise; public health officials urge residents to take precautions
| idfg-bpearson
Editor's Note: The following is a joint press release from Central District Health and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.A bat tested positive for rabies after it was found Tuesday, July 26 on a sidewalk on Bannock Street, across from Cecil D. Andrus Park in downtown Boise. Reports suggest that two other dead… more
Sage-grouse and Sandhill crane tags go on sale Aug. 1, F&G Commission increases grouse tags available for 2022
| idfg-rphillips
Hunters wanting to hunt Sage-grouse or Sandhill cranes can buy tags starting at 10 a.m. MDT on Aug. 1, and both will be available in limited numbers on a first-come, first-served basis. Sage-grouse and Sandhill crane tags cost $22.75 each for residents and $74.25 for nonresidents.
Hunters can buy tags at Fish… more
Niagara Springs Creek day-park to be closed for construction until mid-August
| idfg-tthompson
The ever-popular Idaho Power Company Niagara Springs Creek day-park located directly across and adjacent to the Niagara Springs Steelhead Hatchery will be closed to all public access beginning July 29, 2022 due to construction. The park will remain closed until the construction is completed which is anticipated to be… more
Spring Chinook Salmon Fishery Update (7/27/2022): Clearwater River Return, Rapid River Run, Hells Canyon and Lochsa River Fisheries
| idfg-jdupont
Spring Chinook Salmon Fishery Update (7/27/2022)
Clearwater River Return, Rapid River Run, Hells Canyon and Lochsa River Fisheries
by Joe DuPont
Hi everybody, it is time for my last weekly spring Chinook Salmon update (7/27/2022). All fisheries that… more
Rainbow trout stocking schedule for August 2022 in the Magic Valley Region
| idfg-tthompson
Hatchery personnel from Fish and Game’s Magic Valley Region will be stocking approximately 24,575 10-12” catchable-sized rainbow trout in August. All stocking dates and numbers of fish are approximate.
Stocking of all waters is tentative and dependent on river/lake/pond conditions (angler safety concerns);… more
Fish and Game announces upcoming hunter, trapper and wolf trapper education classes in Jerome
| idfg-tthompson
The Magic Valley Region will be offering several education classes in the coming months in Jerome. These classes are required for individuals who have never trapped before, or would like to trap wolves, and for anyone born after January 1, 1975 and who has never had a hunting license.
To sign up for any class… more
Upper Salmon River Chinook Update: 8/2/2022
| idfg-gschoby
Hi everyone,
Before we get into the harvest numbers for the previous week, I wanted to let everyone know that the upper Salmon River Chinook Salmon fishery will close at the end of fishing hours on Sunday, August 7th.
It's been a good season, and I'd imagine that almost everyone that wanted to get out… more
August fish stocking schedule for the Salmon Region
| idfg-mdemick
Before the kids head back to school, it’s a perfect time to grab your fishing gear and go fishing.
Idaho Department of Fish and Game will stock over 5,600 catchable-sized (10 to 12-inch) rainbow trout at the following location in August.
BODY OF WATER
WEEK TO BE… more
Conflicts continue with black bears in the Wood River Valley
| idfg-tthompson
On Monday, July 25, 2022 Fish and Game’s Magic Valley Region received a report of a black bear incident in a residential area in East Fork, south of Ketchum. Conservation officers who investigated the report found that on Friday, July 22, a woman was walking her Great Pyrenees near her home when she and the dog… more
F&G staff relocate moose from Hidden Springs community near Boise
| idfg-bpearson
On Thursday, July 20, Southwest Region wildlife and enforcement staff successfully darted and relocated a two-year-old cow moose that had spent the prior few days in a community just north of Boise. Staff moved the moose to a more suitable area near Smiths Ferry, away from town and people.
Fish and… more
Hunter and bowhunter education classes scheduled in the Southeast Region
| idfg-jjackson
With archery season and other fall hunt opportunities just around the corner, now is the time to get your hunter or bowhunter education certification completed! Of course there is always the online option for earning those certifications; however students can also register for instructor-led classes if they prefer. In… more
Ain’t No Mountain (Stream) High Enough: A guide to finding the perfect backcountry creekside fishing camp
| idfg-cliess
The dog days of summer are upon us. As the mercury skyrockets and the sun broils us 15 hours a day, few things are more attractive than leaving town and heading into the mountains to dunk a line (and maybe some sweaty feet) into a newfound creek or stream.
For anglers looking to escape the hustle and bustle of… more
Fish salvage order issued for the Big Wood River below Magic Dam and Richfield Canal diversion
| idfg-tthompson
The Big Wood Canal Company recently notified Fish and Game that they would soon close the gates at Magic Dam leading to substantial flow reductions or cessation of flow which functionally de-waters the Big Wood River approximately 1.25 miles below the dam and the Richfield Canal. The gates are closing earlier than… more
Sneaker males: Not all male Chinook have the same life history and spawning habits
| idfg-vluzanau
The old cliche that you can't judge a book by its cover also applies to Chinook salmon. We think we know about them in general terms – they are born in Idaho's rivers, migrate to the ocean and then return as large adults to spawn. But there's more to the story with Idaho's Chinook salmon, and… more
Another state record falls with monster catfish from C.J. Strike Reservoir
| idfg-mkoenig
Paul Newman with his new Catch-and-Release State Record channel catfish.
Congratulations to Paul Newman of Fruitland on setting a new Catch-and-Release State Record for channel catfish. Newman set out on C.J. Strike Reservoir on July 20 hoping to catch a sturgeon. While he didn't land any… more
Shooting skills clinic planned in Blackfoot
| idfg-tatwood
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game, in collaboration with Cedar Hills Gun Club, will be offering a range day for anyone who has graduated from a Hunter’s Education Course in Idaho or another state. Those who choose to register for the range day will be offered basic firearm handling and shooting instruction from… more
Crawling through Idaho’s rivers and streams, snorkelers provide valuable fisheries data
| idfg-scassinelli
When most people think of snorkeling, they picture a tropical setting where the water is a comfortable 80 degrees and the weather is always sunny. You’re wearing a swimsuit, goggles with a breathing tube, and swim fins as you flutter kick through comfortable water observing fish at the bottom of the sea.
For… more
Upper Salmon River Chinook Update: 7/20/2022
| idfg-gschoby
Hi all, it's been a busy week in the upper Salmon. I've been out in the field and came home to a new wildfire near Salmon. I hope all are safe and well. Below is the weekly upper Salmon River Chinook update courtesy of Brent Beller:
Angler effort upstream of the East Fork almost doubled compared to the… more