Idaho Fish and Game investigating wasted deer and elk meat discovered in the Big Desert in eastern Idaho

Wed, 10/16/2024 - 14:37 | idfg-jjackson

On October 11, Idaho Fish and Game District Conservation Officer Tim Klucken received calls regarding several carcasses and wasted meat from both mule deer and elk found in Game Management Unit 68 in the Big Desert. 

Officer Klucken’s investigation took him to Winters Road just north of Crystal Ice Cave… more

Hunters: If your tag isn't properly notched, it's invalid

Wed, 10/16/2024 - 10:26 | idfg-cliess

Know your species before heading into the mountains this fall

Wed, 10/16/2024 - 10:13 | idfg-tjross

Is that a mule deer or a white-tailed deer? A moose or an elk? A black bear or a grizzly bear? These are questions asked and thoughts pondered by many a sportsman each hunting season.

While it may seem like an easy task, correctly identifying your target species can be challenging at times. Weather conditions,… more

Hunt safe with these 10 survival tips when hunting big game

Wed, 10/16/2024 - 09:54 | idfg-cliess

Every hunting season, hunters get lost in the woods, and while most escape no worse than tired, chilled, and hungry, the hazards of being lost in Idaho's woods shouldn't be underestimated.

Hunters can take precautions and prepare for unexpected situations in the woods.

Know the area you're hunting

Always… more

Upper Salmon River Fall 2024 Steelhead Fishing Update (10-15-2024)

Tue, 10/15/2024 - 13:11 | idfg-bbeller

Between the unseasonably warm weather and the smoke hanging in the valleys, last week did not feel like mid-October in Central Idaho. Despite these conditions, we did observe a noticeable increase in steelhead angler effort downstream of Salmon, ID. Normally, we would expect to see a larger increase in angler effort… more

Deadline alert: Apply by Oct. 31 for Magic Valley and Upper Snake Regions for Shooting Range Advisory Committee

Tue, 10/15/2024 - 08:16 | idfg-rphillips

Anyone from the Magic Valley and Upper Snake Regions has until Oct. 31 to apply to serve on a Citizens Shooting Range Advisory Committee that recommends to Fish and Game which public shooting ranges should receive a total of about $500,000 annually in grant funds.  

Applicants for the Citizens Shooting… more

Teton County residents reminded to keep the community safe by storing attractants to reduce human-bear conflicts

Fri, 10/11/2024 - 16:36 | idfg-jbrower

A recent report of bears getting into unsecured garbage in a Teton County neighborhood serves as a reminder for residents to properly store attractants to prevent unwanted bear encounters. Bears become very active in the fall as they search for easy calories to fatten them up for winter. This often drives bears to seek… more

Pheasant stocking continues in the Clearwater Region

Fri, 10/11/2024 - 13:46 | idfg-jbruns

In northern Idaho, the general pheasant season runs from Oct 12 through the end of December. You can find more information regarding seasons and rules in the Idaho Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer Regulation Book. 

Hunters, 18 years of age and older, intending to take advantage of stocked birds by… more

F&G announces closure of Willow-Oxarango Access Yes! parcels in Unit 32

Fri, 10/11/2024 - 12:35 | idfg-bpearson

Fish and Game announced this week that several Access Yes! parcels in Unit 32 will be closed to public access immediately in the wake of the Paddock Fire. 

The Willow-Oxarango Access Yes! parcels, located on the west slopes of Squaw Butte, were engulfed in the Paddock fire and currently have almost no… more

Idaho Fish and Game investigating elk meat dumped on roadside in Bear Lake County

Fri, 10/11/2024 - 11:26 | idfg-jjackson

On September 30, Idaho Fish and Game Senior Conservation Officer Kolby White received a call from an archery hunter who had discovered four quarters of a harvested elk alongside a road near Geneva in Bear Lake County.

Officer White investigated the report and confirmed that the quarters had been dumped on US… more

Wolf trapper education course offered in Salmon Nov. 2

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 15:41 | idfg-mdemick

An instructor-led wolf trapper education course will be offered in Salmon on Saturday, Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Idaho Fish and Game office located at 99 Highway 93 North.  

Wolf trapper education courses are usually offered just a few times a year locally - so if you need to complete the course,… more

Salmon Region irrigators asked to contact Fish and Game before turning water off this fall

Thu, 10/10/2024 - 10:49 | idfg-mdemick

With the irrigation season winding down and efforts to keep fish out of ditches, local irrigators who divert water from rivers and streams in Idaho’s Salmon Region are asked to call Idaho Fish and Game’s Fish Screen Program at 756-6022 several days before shutting off their water for the season.   … more

Seats available in Southwest Idaho for Trapper, Wolf Trapper certification courses

Wed, 10/09/2024 - 16:33 | idfg-bpearson

Idaho Fish and Game's Southwest Region has several upcoming instructor-led certification courses, including one Trapper Education class and two Wolf Trapper Education classes, with plenty of open seats. Find a date that works for you below, and follow the links to register for a class:

Trapper Certification

… more

Fish and Game to monitor impacts to fisheries from quagga mussel treatment

Wed, 10/09/2024 - 09:14 | idfg-tthompson

Quagga mussels have once again been detected in the Snake River near Twin Falls. The new detections were a result of extensive proactive monitoring done by the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), the state agency responsible for invasive species monitoring and management. 

While ISDA detected… more

Portion of Boise River WMA's Boise Front segment closed to all entry due to Valley Fire

Tue, 10/08/2024 - 10:29 | idfg-bpearson

Firefighting activities continue throughout the Boise Front segment of Boise River WMA. For the safety of the public and the efficiency of firefighting crews, all roads and trails on the Boise Front segment of the Boise River WMA west of Highway 21 and north of Warm Spring Avenue are closed to all entry until further… more

Upper Salmon River Fall 2024 Steelhead Fishing Update (10-08-2024)

Tue, 10/08/2024 - 08:44 | idfg-bbeller

Hi everyone, IDFG creel employees began interviewing steelhead anglers along the Upper Salmon River last Thursday (October 3rd). Angler effort and catch were low during the first weekend of monitoring, but both were at levels higher than what we have observed during the first week of October since 2015. 

… more

Winchester Lake waterfowl hunting opens Oct 19

Mon, 10/07/2024 - 17:21 | idfg-jbruns

Idaho Fish and Game along with Winchester State Park are excited to announce the second year of limited waterfowl hunting at Winchester Lake.  Fish and Game is teamed up with Winchester State Park to provide more opportunities for waterfowl hunters in the Clearwater Region.  Specific rules are in place to… more

Hunting/technology working group named, meetings to start in November

Mon, 10/07/2024 - 12:59 | idfg-rphillips

Idaho Fish and Game has named 24 members to its Hunting and Advanced Technology working group that will review current technology used in big game hunting and provide recommendations to the Fish and Game Commission if the working group feels changes to hunting rules are warranted. 

“We’re humbled that more… more