Press Releases and Articles
North Idaho’s Priest River: A river of potential
| idfg-tjross
Not all rivers are created equally. Some, like the St. Joe River in North Idaho, boast good habitat and reliably cold water, resulting in robust coldwater fish populations, such as westslope cutthroat and bull trout. However, others, like the Priest River, are not so fortunate.
For decades,… more
It’s almost raffle time: Turn in your Lake Pend Oreille fishing logbooks by Dec. 10 for a chance to win great prizes and swag!
| idfg-tjross
If you are a fisherman participating in the angler science program on Lake Pend Oreille, thank you for investing time and energy into helping us. Information collected by anglers will help Idaho Fish and Game manage the trophy rainbow trout fishery.
The time periods for filling out fishing logbooks has… more
Break out the neoprene: Winter stream fishing is a perfect opportunity to stay outdoors and catch fish
| idfg-cliess
Ask just about anyone if standing in two feet of 33-degree water while snow somehow finds its way down the back of their base layer sounds like their idea of a good time, and you’ll probably get a resounding no. This time of year, it’s tempting for anglers to stash the rods and hang up the waders ‘til next spring. And… more
Lake Cascade Fishery Update for 2022-2023
| idfg-mthomas
Below average temperatures in November has many anglers scrambling to get their ice fishing gear ready: Old man winter is arriving early in Idaho, and the hardwater is already here on parts of Lake Cascade (ice update). For anglers itching for an update on the status of the fishery prior to hitting the ice, Fish… more
Never let the sun set on a dirty firearm
| idfg-cliess
Another season in the books. You and your trusty firearm spent countless roaming the mountain slopes and drainages that Idaho is known for and likely in all kinds of weather.
For all the times your firearm’s had your back (literally), now is the point in the year when you have its back. Whether you hunted… more
Lewiston angler sets new coho state record on the NF Clearwater River
| idfg-mkoenig
Congratulations to Jerry Smith of Lewiston on landing a 30-inch coho salmon. Smith hooked the fish while fishing the North Fork Clearwater River on Nov. 13. While Idaho's catch-and-release record program has been around since 2016, this is the first application for an ocean-run coho salmon, setting the stage for… more
F&G begins winter feeding operation for Teton Canyon elk
| idfg-jlocke
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game has initiated an emergency winter feeding operation for the Teton Canyon elk herd for winter 2022-2023. This elk herd has posed a public safety concern since winter 2018-2019 when they began showing up along Highway 20 and Highway 33 near Sugar City. In an attempt to prevent this… more
Big game can handle Idaho winters, but Fish and Game steps in if emergencies arise
| idfg-cliess
We humans aren’t the only ones who can find it a bit of a struggle when a heavy winter storm rolls through Idaho. Our state’s wildlife, specifically deer, elk and pronghorn, can also find themselves in dire straits during extreme and unusual winter weather.
Idaho’s wildlife has adapted over thousands of… more
Fish and Game biologist’s free mule deer after it fell into an abandoned water tank near Hailey (with video)
| idfg-tthompson
In mid-November, conservation officers from the Magic Valley Region received a report of a mule deer buck that had become trapped after falling into an abandoned water storage tank outside of Hailey. It is unknown how long the deer had been trapped after falling into the deep concrete storage tank. The tank is thought… more
Fish and Game apologizes for delays that caused customer frustrations during nonresident tag sales
| idfg-rphillips
To all of our nonresident deer and elk hunters,
Idaho Fish and Game staff sincerely apologizes for the delays that caused frustration with the license and tag sales system on December 1, the first day of nonresident deer and elk tag sales for next year's season.
We experienced record demand for… more
After a 39-year career at Idaho Fish and Game, Director Ed Schriever announces his retirement
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game Director Ed Schriever recently announced his retirement effective in February after spending his entire 39-year career in wildlife management with the department and rising through the fisheries ranks into leadership at headquarters. Schriever was hired as director in January 2019.
In… more
Prescribed burn will result in closure of Bruneau Duck Ponds segment of C.J. Strike WMA
| idfg-bpearson
Idaho Fish and Game, in conjunction with the Bureau of Land Management, will be conducting prescribed burns on the Bruneau Duck Ponds segment of the C.J. Strike WMA between December and March, depending upon weather conditions.
Fire activities will include burning approximately 100 machine piles of Russian… more
Come see steelhead at the MK Nature Center
| idfg-sfocht
The MK Nature Center received five steelhead and have placed them in the large outside viewing window for you to see!
Fish and Game staff from the Oxbow Hatchery were in town stocking steelhead in the Boise River and dropped these lucky five for you to visit. These steelhead were hatchery raised, released to… more
Fish and Game officers seek information about a wasted bull elk near Mackay
| idfg-jbrower
On November 27, Conservation Officers discovered a bull elk that was shot and left to waste just south of the Pass Creek Road near Mackay. The temperature of the carcass led officers to believe it had been shot earlier that same day. Remains of a second elk and drag marks were also found nearby. No bull harvest season… more
Habitat restoration efforts take advantage of local wildfires
| idfg-hdistad
The Lemhi River consisted historically of a large active floodplain containing complex fish and wildlife habitats. The Lewis and Clark expedition noted in their journals an observation of a fish weir constructed by Native Americans that spanned multiple channels, suggesting that the river system contained a… more
Magic Valley Region Winter Feeding Advisory Committee to meet on December 5, 2022
| idfg-tthompson
Members of the Magic Valley Region Winter Feeding Advisory Committee will meet to assist Fish and Game with the assessment of winter conditions and make recommendations about winter feeding based on local conditions. The committee is made up of five local citizens who monitor winter conditions and make recommendations… more
Southwest Idaho instructor team named State Instructors of the Year
| idfg-bpearson
The backbone of Idaho's hunter education training effort rests on volunteer instructors, who give their time, passion and energy to the program. Since 1991, the Idaho Hunter Education program has recognized an instructor who has continually made a significant contribution to the program. The recipient of the State… more
It’s time to winterize your home to protect Idaho’s wildlife
| idfg-tthompson
We all have a checklist we run through when winterizing our homes when fall turns to winter. But did you know that you need a checklist of items that need to be done to protect wildlife that might pass through your yards?
Residents across Idaho are encouraged to inspect their yards for items that can entangle… more