Press Releases and Articles
Don't forget to pick up "trigger trash" when target shooting in a dispersed areas
| idfg-bflatter
Now that winter is upon us and holidays are over, many folks are anxious to go out and shoot their new firearms and some of that ammunition they were finally able to find in the store. For those shooters who chose to go out into the desert to sharpen their firearm skills on public land in “dispersed shooting… more
Southwest Winter Feeding Advisory Committee will meet Jan. 5
| idfg-bpearson
Southwest Winter Feeding Advisory Committee Meeting
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022 - 2:00 PM MST
Address: 15950 N Gate Boulevard Nampa, Idaho 83687
The Winter Feeding Advisory Committee is participating by a combination of in-person… more
F&G tries new strategy to increase bass size at Spring Valley Reservoir
| idfg-jdupont
A New Strategy to Increase the Number of Big Bass
written by Joe DuPont and inspired by Nicholas Hrdlicka
The Idaho Fish and Game's Clearwater Region manages seven lowland lakes that have Largemouth Bass in them. If you are an avid bass angler and have… more
Chill out. Ice fishing provides anglers an incredible opportunity to extend their fishing deep into winter
| idfg-cliess
Ice gets a bad rap this time of year. It glazes your windshield, covers your driveways and makes the highways slicker than snot. But when it comes to lake fishing during winter, ice is a bonus. One of the hottest opportunities (figuratively speaking) to catch fish is ice fishing. It's a fun and surprisingly… more
Lake Cascade and Horsethief Reservoir ice conditions - Dec. 30, 2021
| idfg-mthomas
On Thursday, December 30th we checked surface and ice conditions on Lake Cascade and Horsethief Reservoir. Ice conditions have improved substantially on Cascade over the past week, and there is now fishable ice (at least 4 inches) at both locations. We still observed ice thinner than 4 inches at both… more
Two white-tailed deer test positive for Chronic Wasting Disease in same area as previous CWD cases
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game officials received notice on Dec. 29 that two white-tailed deer bucks from the Slate Creek area north of Riggins have tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease. These are the third and fourth deer that have tested positive for CWD in the area. Idaho had its first CWD detections from two hunter-… more
Extreme winter weather temporarily closes Farragut Public Shooting Range Center
| idfg-cliess
Due to extreme snow and freezing rain, Farragut Public Shooting Range Center will be closed on Friday, Jan. 7. It will reopen at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 8.
Although winter hours for the range are Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., there may be days when it’s necessary to close the… more
St. Maries man sentenced to months in jail, thousands in fines and decade-long hunting ban for poaching convictions
| idfg-doverman
Paul D. Coward, of St. Maries was sentenced in December in the First District Court in Shoshone County for various wildlife-related crimes to months in jail, thousands in fines and a 10-year hunting revocation.
Early in 2021, Coward was charged with numerous misdemeanor and felony violations stemming from… more
Idaho Fish and Game attempted to rescue two bull elk from Treasureton Reservoir
| idfg-jjackson
Late afternoon on Sunday, December 26, Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers from the Southeast Region responded to a report of two bull elk that had broken through the ice on Treasureton Reservoir north of Preston.
Officers attempted to use a Fish and Game airboat to reach the elk with a plan to cut a… more
River otter trapping is closed for the season in the Southwest Region
| idfg-cliess
The 2021-22 river otter trapping season in the Southwest Region closed Dec. 27 after river otter harvest quota for Idaho’s Southwest Region was met. The Southwest Region consists of Ada, Adams, Boise, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, Valley and Washington counties.
Trappers can… more
Anglers are reminded that 2022-24 fishing seasons and rules take effect Jan. 1
| idfg-cliess
In November, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission approved the 2022-24 Fishing Seasons and Rules, and anglers will see about 23 changes that take effect on Jan. 1.
Steelhead bag limits have been modified for spring 2022 seasons, which are not reflected in the printed version of the… more
The birds and the seeds: Let’s talk about winter bird feeding
| idfg-cliess
We all know that neighbor that takes bird feeding to Olympic games-level extremes. With tree limbs sagging under the weight of countless feeders and a back lawn that looks like it was ripped straight from Augusta Country Club, they stand out on their back porch with arms outstretched as a myriad of birds swoop in to… more
Deer and elk netting and aerial surveys are brief disturbances for wintering animals
| idfg-rphillips
Every winter, helicopters take to the sky to help Fish and Game biologists count and radio collar deer and elk. It provides valuable data that helps the big game managers monitor how animals are doing during winter and also count herds to learn if they are growing, shrinking or remaining steady over time. And… more
Rainbow trout stocking schedule for January 2022 in the Magic Valley Region
| idfg-tthompson
Hatchery personnel from Fish and Game’s Magic Valley Region will be stocking approximately 1,900 10-12” catchable-sized rainbow trout in January. All stocking dates and numbers of fish are approximate and may change without notice due to water or weather conditions.
Body… more
Hells Canyon sturgeon are so big that anglers don't need to lie about how big they are
| idfg-jdupont
Being a fisheries biologist certainly can have its perks. We may not make the most money, but sometimes we get paid to do things that others would pay a lot of money to do. Jet boating Hells Canyon and fishing for sturgeon is one of those things.
Although it may look like we are just having fun when… more
Can We Get Juvenile White Sturgeon To Grow Faster?
| idfg-jdupont
Can We Get Juvenile White Sturgeon To Grow Faster?
By Nolan Smith and Joe DuPont
Fisheries personnel for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and… more
Helicopter surveys of big game to begin soon near Salmon
| idfg-mdemick
Beginning in early January, Idaho Fish and Game staff will take to the air to get a closer look at sheep and elk numbers, including several low-level helicopter surveys planned throughout the state.
"People may see and hear low-flying helicopters in Idaho’s outdoors throughout the winter,” said Fish… more
Fish and Game begins to feed elk at the Bullwacker feed site west of Ketchum
| idfg-tthompson
Staff from Fish and Game, Magic Valley Region began feeding elk at the Bullwacker feed site on December 23, 2021 as deep winter snows began to accumulate throughout the Wood River Valley. The site typically feeds over 125 elk each year.
Located west of Ketchum, the Bullwacker feed site is the only Fish and… more