Press Releases and Articles
Connecting wild salmon and steelhead to the ocean with cables
| idfg-sputnam
What does a large fish trap attached to a main highway bridge have to do with wild salmon and steelhead migration?
Each late winter, a Fish and Game crew prepares and constructs a nearly 100-foot long fish trap. They tow it from a storage facility downstream of Clarkston, WA to the Highway 12 (“Blue”) Bridge… more
Fish and Game offers three self-paced Project WILD courses for educators
| idfg-staff
Idaho Fish and Game’s Project WILD program will not host in-person workshops until late summer or fall, but the program will offer three courses that are self-paced with a completion deadline of May 10.
Idaho Ecosystems with WET, WILD and PLTThis class is a “sampler platter” of three leading environmental… more
Application period for F&G Commission Community Challenge Grants opens March 1
| idfg-rphillips
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission's Community Challenge Grant program is open for applications March 1 though April 15. Grants provide competitive funding for officially recognized nonprofit organizations to implement projects that are broadly supported by the local sporting community and enhance fish and wildlife… more
Ice fishing update, Feb. 18: Ririe Reservoir
| idfg-jheckel
Ice fishing on Ririe Reservoir has been productive this winter for anglers seeking kokanee and yellow perch, with some anglers catching both species in the same hole!
During the first half of February ice thickness ranged from 9.5 to 11.5 inches depending on where you were fishing.
… more
Draw results available for spring bear controlled hunts
| idfg-bpearson
Spring bear controlled hunt draw results are available now at license.gooutdoorsidaho.com.
The results are posted through Fish and Game’s licensing system. Email notifications will be sent to those who provided an email address on their profile.
Hunters whose names were drawn can buy the controlled… more
Citizen Shooting Range Advisory Committee meeting on Feb. 24
| idfg-bpearson
The Citizen Shooting Range Advisory Committee will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. MST. Committee members are participating by a combination of in-person attendance and video conferencing, which the Department is hosting at the Nampa Regional Office, 15950 N. Gate Blvd.
While this meeting is informational… more
Annual F&G fur auction moves online for 2021
| idfg-bpearson
After a one-year hiatus, Idaho Fish and Game's annual fur auction is back – albeit with some significant changes due to COVID.
This year’s auction of furs, hides, antlers, and other items has been moved entirely online, and will be run through Prime Time Auctions (www.primetimeauctions.com). The online auction… more
Diverse partnerships protect and enhance one of Eastern Idaho's premier trout streams
| idfg-cwatkins
No matter what their connection is to a river, people are what fisheries management is all about. A common saying in resource management is that “it’s as much about the fish as it is about the people involved." That's also what you will hear folks say who are restoring the historic Blackfoot River's cutthroat trout… more
Citizen Shooting Range Advisory Committee Meeting - February 24, 2021
| idfg-scassinelli
Citizen Shooting Range Advisory Committee
Meeting and Agenda
Wednesday, February 24, 2021, 6 p.m. MST
Idaho Fish and Game Southwest Regional Office
15950 N. Gate Boulevard, Nampa, ID
Live stream via Zoom… more
Spring steelhead anglers: Remember reduced steelhead bag limits
| idfg-bpearson
Steelhead anglers are reminded that Fish and Game commissioners extended the reduced bag and possession limits for the 2021 spring steelhead season, which started January 1.
Daily steelhead bag limits are two daily and six in possession statewide. Only adipose fin-clipped steelhead may be harvested.
… more
Spring offers big steelhead fishing opportunities in smaller rivers
| idfg-rphillips
Steelhead have spent most of the winter holed up in deep water waiting to make their final push upstream, and late winter and spring is when it happens. Anglers looking to cure cabin fever can get an early start on their fishing season, as well as catch one of Idaho's most prized fish.
… more
How does my hunt unit look for deer and elk? Biologists have many ways to know the answer
| idfg-jpowell
Fish and Game wildlife biologists are often asked “how does the deer/elk count look in Unit X?” While this may seem like a simple question, answering it can be difficult and expensive to quantify, but biologists have a variety of tools for monitoring herds and tracking population changes.
Many people… more
Winter Newsletter Available
| idfg-sfocht
The winter edition of Idaho Naturalist News is available. Check out the accomplishments of Idaho Master Naturalists in 2020 along with news and updates from around the state.
Angling for better fish habitat – Idaho will benefit from new national bass tournament
| idfg-mkoenig
A new national bass fishing amateur tournament initiated by Bass Pro Shops will designate proceeds to the National Fish Habitat Partnership, which works to conserve fish habitat nationwide, including Idaho projects.
The habitat partnership leverages federal, state, tribal, and private funding resources to… more
Stocking of donated rainbow trout continues throughout the Magic Valley
| idfg-tthompson
The donation of thousands of large rainbow trout from local fish producer Riverence continued during the week of February 8 – 12 in waters throughout the Magic Valley. These fish came from the local fish producer in Filer who has watched the demand for their restaurant-grade trout go down during the pandemic. Current… more
Idaho Fish and Game Conservation Officer awarded Idaho Medal of Honor
| idfg-skiefer
The Idaho Medal of Honor Commission announced on Feb. 10 that Idaho Fish and Game Senior Conservation Officer Randy Martinez is among six Idaho law enforcement officers awarded the Idaho Medal Of Honor.
The medal is the state’s highest honor for bravery and exceptional courage. It is awarded to first… more
Wolf trapper and trapper education courses scheduled in Salmon
| idfg-mdemick
Fish and Game will host a wolf trapper and a trapper education course in Salmon on Sunday, Feb. 28.
The wolf trapper course will be held from 8 a.m. to noon. Topics include wolf behavior and management, trapping and snaring techniques, harvest reporting requirements and proper hide care. Effective equipment,… more
Volunteers collect native seed on their own to make future planting projects possible in 2021
| idfg-kpappani
What did the volunteer-based program do during COVID to collect essential, locally adapted seed for fire restoration projects when large, collective group gatherings were no longer permissible? Volunteers struck out on their own to collect seed one bag at a time. There were also a few individuals collecting seed with… more