Ask Fish and Game: Duck Bag Limits

Mon, 10/31/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

Q. I'm confused about the bag limit on ducks. The rules say I can take seven ducks. Does that include all ducks, or seven of each? A. The bag limit is the total number you can take in one day. But the total may not include more than three scaup, two pintails, two redheads, two female mallards or one canvasback… more

Community Fishing Pond to Open in Pocatello

Thu, 10/27/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-nnokkentved

For more than a decade, the idea of a community fishing pond right here in Pocatello has been the dream of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Friday, October 28, it will be a long-awaited reality. Idaho Fish and Game welcomes the public to a grand opening of the community fishing pond at Edson Fichter Nature… more

Fall Chinook Harvest Season Closing Soon

Mon, 10/24/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

Salmon fishing in Idaho will be over for the year when the fall Chinook harvest season on the Snake and Clearwater rivers ends Monday, October 31. The season opened September 1 on the Snake River between Lewiston and Hells Canyon Dam and, this year, in the lower Clearwater River downstream of the U.S. Highway 12… more

Agricultural Programs Benefit Wildlife

Mon, 10/24/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

By Sal Palazzolo - Idaho Department of Fish and Game We are all aware of the heated battles taking place in Washington D.C. and around the nation regarding reducing federal spending and cutting government programs. The conversations are full of arguments and generalized statements that often miss the finer details… more

Public's Help is Critical in Fighting Wildlife Crime

Mon, 10/24/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

By Dave Beaver - Idaho Department of Fish and Game Someone is Stealing Idaho's Wildlife. This message is emblazoned across the Citizens Against Poaching exhibit trailer that displays some of the worst examples of illegal hunting and fishing violations occurring in Idaho. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game uses… more

Waterfowl Shooting Time Chart Correction

Mon, 10/24/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

The time chart on Page 11 in the 2011-2012 Waterfowl Seasons and Rules book has some incorrect times for five days in January. The opening times on January 22 through 27 in the column for Ada, Adams, Boise, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, Valley and Washington counties and part of Idaho County, all in the… more

Ask Fish and Game: Short-range Weapons

Mon, 10/24/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

Q. Can I use a pistol in a short-range deer season? A. Beginning last year, the use of handguns using straight-walled center-fire cartridges not originally developed for rifles was approved for use in big game short-range weapon hunts.

Rural Residents Urged To Prevent Conflicts With Bears

Mon, 10/17/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-nnokkentved

A bumper crop of apples means that rural residents in the Upper Snake Region need to care for their apple trees to avoid a bumper crop of bear conflicts. "So far, I've investigated four different sites where trees loaded with apples have had any limbs that bears could reach torn down," Senior Conservation Officer… more

F&G Commission to Meet in Coeur d'Alene next Month

Mon, 10/17/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will meet November 9, 10 and 11 in Coeur d'Alene. A public comment period begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 9. The commission's routine agenda includes appointing a commission representative to Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. A complete agenda will be posted… more

Lessons Learned from Ruffed Grouse Research in Idaho

Mon, 10/17/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

By David Musil - Idaho Department of Fish and Game Idaho is rich with a variety of game birds, but one that has taken the backseat in popularity to quail, chukars and pheasants is the ruffed grouse, relegated to "camp meat" by some big game hunters. Yet a growing number of us realize and appreciate the challenges… more

Boise Man Loses Hunting License for Life, Three Times

Mon, 10/17/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

By Matt O'Connell - Idaho Department of Fish and Game John Hoffman, 58, of Boise, was one of the first poaching offenders in Idaho whose hunting privileges were revoked for life for his involvement in the infamous 1997 Cascade area railroad case. The case involved several railroad employees who were investigated… more

October Issue of Wildlife Express Now Available

Mon, 10/17/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

When you think of a parasite, what jumps into your mind? The October issue covers parasites, from ticks to tapeworms, including a section on how Idaho's Wildlife Health Laboratory helps keep humans and wildlife healthy. Parasitism is a relationship in which one organism gets benefits from another organism often… more

Ask Fish and Game: Make the Call

Mon, 10/17/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

Q. What should I do if I think I see a hunter doing something illegal while I'm out hunting? A. Get as much information as possible, such as a description of the person or persons, a description and license number of any vehicles, and note the location. Then "Make the Call" to the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at… more

Salvage Order Issued for Jensen Grove

Fri, 10/14/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-nnokkentved

The Southeast Region ofice of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game has been notified by the cty of Blackfoot that water will no longer enter the pond at Jensen Grove Park during the last week of October. Fish in Jensen Grove's pond will not survive when water levels become unsuitable. Therefore, Fish and Game is… more

Horsethief Reservoir Camping Closed for the Season

Wed, 10/12/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

Camping at Idaho Fish and Game's Horsethief Reservoir Fishing Area in Valley County is closed for the season. Year-round day use fishing opportunity on the reservoir remains open, but camping is permitted only between May 1 and September 20 each year. Seasonal closures are not unique as many Idaho state parks and… more

Southwest Idaho Waterfowl Seasons Open October 15

Fri, 10/07/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

Waterfowl seasons open in southwestern and south-central Idaho on Saturday, October 15; seasons already are open in the rest of the state. Seasons are: Area 2: All or parts of Ada, Boise, Canyon, Cassia, Elmore, Gem, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, Owyhee, Payette, Twin Falls and Washington counties: For… more

Pheasant Hunt Opens Saturday in Northern Idaho

Fri, 10/07/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

The regular pheasant season opens Saturday, October 8, in northern Idaho Area 1. The season opens in the rest of the state-Areas 2 and 3-on Saturday, October 15. Shooting hours start one-half hour before sunrise and end one-half hour after sunset in all three areas, except on Fort Boise, C.J. Strike, Montour and… more

Deer Season Opens in October in Most of Idaho

Fri, 10/07/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

The regular deer season opens October 10 in most regions of Idaho. In some areas, a regular deer tag allows hunters to take either mule deer or white-tailed deer. A white-tailed deer tag allows hunters to take only a white-tail. Many areas across the state also offer antlerless youth hunt opportunities, but check… more