Press Releases and Articles
Processing wild game: Beyond burger, five options for deer and elk meat
| idfg-rphillips
We love deer and elk steaks, but you can only get so many off an animal. That means lots of wild game meat is ground into burger, but there are other options that make tasty meals and snacks.
Many hunters have their big game animals processed by professional butchers. If that’s the case, chances are… more
Information sought on killed cow & bull moose found south of Elk River
| idfg-jbruns
On October 20, 2017, Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers located a cow moose and a bull moose that had been shot near the 21-mile marker on the Aquarius road, hunt unit 10A in Clearwater County. The Aquarius road connects Elk River to the Grandad Bridge area.
The scene suggests that the moose were killed… more
Clearwater Region weekly Chinook, coho, and steelhead reports (10/24/17)
| idfg-vosborn
The Snake River this week had the greatest amount of angler effort in the sections above Couse Creek to Heller Bar. Anglers fishing Heller Bar reported the greatest number of fish harvested, along with the most concentrated effort. Anglers were able to harvest some fall Chinook but steelhead were the fish that anglers… more
Review hunting rule books before heading out
| idfg-mdemick
Parents of young hunters in southwest Idaho are reminded that general antlerless mule deer seasons in most units were shortened by one week this fall, following the tough winter of 2016-2017.
Unit 39 general antlerless mule deer season for youth hunters ends Oct. 24.
A careful review of the rule books… more
Buck shot and left in Shoshone Basin
| idfg-khatch
On or about October 17, 2017 in Shoshone Basin, a 4-point mule deer was shot and left to waste. Any person with information about this incident is encouraged to call, the Magic Valley Regional Office at 208-324-4359.
The Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) is offering a reward for information in the case and… more
Bats get their due as important wildlife species Oct. 24-31
| idfg-rphillips
Don’t expect a spotlight in the sky over Gotham City, but do expect furry, flying critters to get their due respect Oct. 24-31 as it’s proclaimed National Bat Week in Idaho by proclamation of Gov. Butch Otter.
“Bats provide important biological services that contribute substantially to the economy of the… more
Steelhead fishing on upper Salmon River (10/23/17)
| idfg-vosborn
Steelhead fishing on the upper Salmon River improved over the past week, but effort remained low for this point in the season. This past weekend, interviewed anglers downstream of North Fork in location code 15 averaged 29 hours per steelhead caught and 108 hours per steelhead kept. Interviewed anglers upstream of… more
Steelhead Harvest
| idfg-dmegargle
In response to several hundred people who provided comment on the proposed hatchery steelhead harvest season, Jim Fredericks, the Chief of Fisheries provided the following message.
"Dear Angler:
Thank you for providing input to IDFG regarding the proposed fall 2017… more
Processing Big Game on Your Own
| idfg-snass
Autumn, even the word seems to carry the fragrance of wood smoke…and the aroma of a delicious wild game dinner. It is the time to gather your friends around the table and tell tall tales. But what will you be serving? Elk roast from your freezer that you processed yourself? Or big game burger spaghetti made with the… more
Fish and Game asking for angler opinions
| idfg-mdemick
Anglers from across the state are encouraged to take part in a survey about fishing in Idaho.
The survey, offered every five or six years, covers a variety of topics including how often people fish and their preferred fish species, what types of fishing regulations they support, and what important conservation… more
Another wasted buck found north of Riggins
| idfg-vosborn
A mule deer buck was shot and left to waste in the vicinity of Dairy Mountain north of Riggins over the weekend. This is one of many deer that are shot and wasted every year. This deer was shot within a mile of a bull elk killed and left to waste in the Slate Creek drainage, possibly by the same individual(s). … more
Report Wildlife Crimes
| idfg-snass
Celebrity outdoorsman Jim Shockey and his daughter, Eva, are well known for their hunting adventure television shows. But these days, you will find their images on billboards all over Idaho reminding folks to call the Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) hotline to report wildlife crime.
Citizens… more
Pheasant season opened in southern, eastern Idaho on Saturday, Oct. 21
| idfg-rphillips
Pheasant season is the last upland game bird season to open for the fall, and hunters will get more opportunity for stocked birds at nine of Fish and Game's Wildlife Management Areas.
Hunters will get 37 percent more pheasants stocked during fall thanks to the license and tag fee increase. Fish and Game will… more
Trapper education course coming to Lewiston
| idfg-jbruns
Starting in July 2018, trapper education will be required for all trappers who purchased their first trapping license after June 2011. Individuals that have taken wolf trapper education are not exempt from this requirement.
To help meet the new requirement, Fish and Game will be hosting a… more
Idaho Climate Summit will be held in Boise, Pocatello and Moscow Nov. 16-17
| idfg-rphillips
The summit will be held at Boise State University, University of Idaho and Idaho State University and live streamed to other locations.
The summit is an Idaho-grown, Idaho-driven effort to build understanding of how Idaho’s climate is changing and a way to help Idahoans build solutions to Idaho’s changing… more
New steelhead rules explained
| idfg-vosborn
Clearwater fish manager Joe DuPont encouraged steelhead anglers to comment on a proposed harvest season for steelhead and you responded. DuPont provides some insight into the results.
Hi everybody,
In my last e-mail, I asked all of you to let me know your opinion on a steelhead rule… more
Clearwater weekly report on coho, steelhead and fall Chinook fishing. (10/17/17)
| idfg-vosborn
Fishing in the Clearwater Region had a fairly significant increase this week with fall Chinook and the recent opening of coho and steelhead for harvest.
Anglers on the Snake River had a successful week catching steelhead, although many of them were caught before the harvest season opened. There were a… more
Upper Salmon weekly steelhead report (10/16/17)
| idfg-vosborn
As of Sunday, October 15th, anglers on the upper Salmon River are allowed to harvest two adipose fin-clipped steelhead per day with no length restrictions. Additionally, the possession limit was reduced to six steelhead, and the season limit remained unchanged at 20 steelhead per season.
Steelhead… more