Press Releases and Articles
Will steelhead be stocked in the Boise River? We will know in early November
| idfg-rphillips
Every fall (and as early as late summer) phones start ringing at Idaho Fish and Game offices with anglers asking the same question: When are you stocking steelhead in the Boise River? The short answer is we don’t know yet when, or if, it will occur because we’re waiting to see how many fish return to the trap at Hells… more
All Closures Lifted at Andrus WMA
| idfg-eoneale
With the Woodhead Fire now in the final mop-up stages, all of Andrus Wildlife Management Area (WMA) has reopened to public access. Nearly 5,000 acres of the WMA north of Highway 71 burned as the Woodhead Fire swept across the WMA in early September, ultimately reaching 96,000 acres in size.
Visitors accessing… more
Habitat Improvement Efforts Continue at Fort Boise WMA
| idfg-eoneale
Efforts to enhance nearly 400 acres of wetland habitat at Fort Boise Wildlife Management Area (WMA) are in full swing and area closures are in effect. WMA visitors should be aware of current closures.
Crews are working near the east entrance road adjacent to both Whitefront and Redhead Ponds. The two public… more
The Snake River is an accessible and excellent place to hunt waterfowl
| idfg-rphillips
The Snake River in southern Idaho is a stopover and breeding area for tens of thousands of ducks and geese, which means it’s also a destination for waterfowl hunters. The river has hundreds of miles of publicly accessible waters and numerous access points, which means nearly anyone can find a hunting spot there and… more
Take a Virtual Tour of MK Nature Center
| idfg-sfocht
Can't make it in for a guided program? View this eight minute video of a guided tour of the MK Nature Center. Then, stop down any day from dawn to dusk to explore on your own. If you visit between 10 am and 3 pm Tuesday-Sunday, please stop in the visitor center and check out our gift shop and indoor displays (… more
Hunters at check stations provide samples that help test for CWD
| idfg-scassinelli
At check stations across the state, Idaho Fish and Game staff are collecting lymph nodes from harvested deer, elk, and moose to increase monitoring efforts for chronic wasting disease, a disease that has not been detected in Idaho.
Chronic wasting disease, or CWD, is a contagious and fatal neurological… more
Four bull moose illegally shot at, three killed in Valley County over the weekend
| idfg-bpearson
An illegally killed bull moose was discovered recently in Idaho Fish and Game's Southwest Region, and Fish and Game conservation officers are asking the public for information to bring the poacher to justice.
On Saturday, Oct. 17, a large bull moose was found dead and suspected of being poached … more
A Solo Elk Hunt in Southeastern Idaho
| idfg-vosborn
At a young age, Kebai Bills started hunting with her father. As an adult, she prefers hunting solo. It’s the full realization of her skills and understanding of the landscape and wildlife she is pursuing.
In this video, Bills shares a day of hunting solo for elk in southeastern Idaho. Describing the challenges… more
Oct. 19 Upper Salmon River Steelhead fishing report
| idfg-bbeller
Steelhead angler effort on the upper Salmon River continued to increase over the past week, especially upstream of North Fork in location code 16. Angler effort was highest downstream of North Fork in location codes 14 and 15. Jet boat anglers interviewed at Corn Creek accounted for the majority of effort downstream… more
Bull elk entangles in hammock near Ketchum
| idfg-tthompson
On Monday afternoon, October 12, 2020 dispatchers with Blaine County Sheriff began to receive numerous calls about a bull elk in distress near the Meadow’s Trailer Park south of Ketchum, Idaho. Two Blaine County Sheriff deputies arrived to find a large bull elk struggling to keep its head above water while standing in… more
Idaho Elk Camp
| idfg-vosborn
Hunting camp. The tents go up, wood is gathered and chopped, living quarters arranged and the stove installed to create a comfortable home.
While camp provides the jumping off point for hunting in southeast Idaho’s backcountry, for the Gamblin family it is where family traditions are forged and handed down to… more
F&G offering $555K for firearm and archery shooting range grants
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game enhances recreational shooting ranges through its Shooting Range Development Grant program to assist organizations or agencies to establish, upgrade, expand or otherwise improve public firearms and archery ranges in Idaho. Applications for grants are due Dec. 10, and can be found at the link below… more
Hunting for Salmon Redds
| idfg-sputnam
Written by Robert Hand, Clearwater Region
Every fall, fisheries crews from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and other agencies head out into the woods to hunt. Not for big game, but to look for spring/summer Chinook Salmon spawning in remote Idaho streams. These fish are ending an amazing journey that… more
Check out these F&G resources for a refresher on field dressing big game, upland birds
| idfg-bpearson
No matter what kind of game you’re hunting, the hunt doesn’t end after the harvest. Properly field dressing your quarry is the crucial next step in getting delicious wild game meat from the field to your table.
Field dressing can sometimes seem like the most challenging part of the hunt, especially among those… more
Preparation important for waterfowl hunting with a boat
| idfg-mdemick
Hunters using a boat to get to their island blind, and hunters shooting from their duck boats are going not only on a hunting trip. They are also going on a boating trip.
It is critically important that they have all of the safety equipment that a boating outing requires. In addition having safety gear, it is… more
Portions of Andrus WMA Reopen to Visitors
| idfg-eoneale
NOTICE: This original closure has been rescinded.
Learn more
Even while the Woodhead Fire continues to burn in the Hells Canyon area, portions of Andrus Wildlife Management Area (WMA) are reopening after weeks of fire-related closure. The extreme… more
Wildlife Express: Meet the Grouse
| idfg-scassinelli
Have you ever had a quiet hike interrupted by an exploding bird? If so, you encountered a member of the grouse family. These birds don’t really explode, but their sudden getaway right at your feet will seem like a feathered explosion.
Take a closer look at Idaho’s forest grouse in the October edition of… more
Make sure you know the difference between white-tailed deer and mule deer
| idfg-kcampbell
In the Panhandle region, white-tailed deer and mule deer ranges often overlap and there is no harvest of antlerless mule deer allowed. Hunters need to be extra vigilant about species identification before a shot is taken.
Since the rifle deer season opener on October 10th, Panhandle Conservation Officers have… more