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Idaho Fish and Game

Press Releases and Articles

Drawdown scheduled for McArthur Lake Wildlife Management Area

| idfg-edehamer

McArthur Lake, a shallow reservoir between Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry managed by Fish and Game, will undergo a summer-long drawdown beginning June 1. The lake level will be dropped as low as possible over the course of four to six weeks and remain at that level throughout summer, which will render the fishing dock… more

Early bird gets the worm-- free worms to anglers while supplies last

| idfg-jjackson

Attention anglers! It may be a little rainy this Memorial Day weekend, but sometimes that makes for the best fishing. To help you get ready for some fishing fun this weekend and the days that follow, the southeast regional office of Idaho Fish and Game and Ace Hardware/Element Outfitters in Pocatello are giving away… more

See a summary of the white-tailed deer plan and learn how to review and comment

| idfg-bpearson

Idaho Fish and Game is asking deer hunters to look at its draft management plans for mule deer and white-tailed deer and provide feedback to the department on the overall concepts of the plans and whether topics are missing that might improve them. The plans describe statewide management directions and strategies.… more

See a summary of the mule deer plan and learn how to review and comment

| idfg-rphillips

Idaho Fish and Game is asking deer hunters to look at its draft management plans for mule deer and white-tailed deer and provide feedback to the department on the overall concepts of the plans and whether topics are missing that might improve them. The plans describe statewide management directions and strategies.… more

Long-billed curlew research continues in Island Park

| idfg-jbrower

Fish and Game biologists recently assisted the Intermountain Bird Observatory team to capture female long-billed curlews in Island Park. Using spotting scopes, biologists locate curlew nests when male and female birds switch incubation duties shortly after sunrise.

When a nest has been… more

Gone Fishing Idaho!

| idfg-vosborn

So Many Possibilities

Idaho is graced with 26,000 miles of streams and rivers, more than 3,000 natural lakes, and a quarter-million acres of ponds and reservoirs. Inhabiting those waters are 42 game fish species, from giant white sturgeon to wild trout, catfish to kokanee, and smallmouth bass to salmon and steelhead… more

Chinook fishing will remain closed on the Clearwater River and tributaries

| idfg-rphillips

Spring Chinook returns to the Clearwater River hatcheries are below forecast and no fish are available for sport harvest, so fishing on the Clearwater, Middle Fork Clearwater, North Fork Clearwater and South Fork Clearwater rivers will remain closed effective May 24, 2019 and will not reopen for the spring season. … more

Chinook Salmon update for the Clearwater River, lower Salmon River, and Little Salmon River fisheries (5/22/19)

| idfg-jdupont

Hi Everybody.  It is time for the weekly spring Chinook Salmon update for the fisheries in the Clearwater River Basin and in the lower Salmon and Little Salmon rivers (Rapid River Run) (5/22/19).  

Run Update

At this point, we think the runs of Chinook Salmon over Bonneville Dam that are… more

Spring bear hunters reminded of baiting rules

| idfg-mdemick

With spring black bear hunting season well underway, Idaho Department of Fish and Game reminds hunters that using bait comes with easy to follow rules. Yet each spring, some run afoul with the law when their blunders could easily be avoided.

Here are a few reminders every bear baiter should follow:… more

Freeman Lake campground closed

| Anonymous (not verified)

Camping is no longer available at the Freeman Lake Access Site, located five miles north of Oldtown in Bonner County. The site will remain open for day use and access to the public boat launch is still available.

Located off of Freeman Lake Access Road on the west side of the lake, the site offers a dock, boat… more

Summer fishing guide

| idfg-rphillips

Memorial Day weekend for many Idahoans is the unofficial kick off to the summer camping and fishing season. If you’re doing the first and not the latter, you’re missing out on a fantastic opportunity. May is among the best months for Idaho’s ponds, lakes and reservoirs, and some rivers will also be good for fishing.… more

Shedding light on a new depredation tool: Landowner Permission Hunts

| idfg-jbruns

Three new hunts called Landowner Permission Hunts in Game Management Units 10A and 14 of the Clearwater Region have been eliciting many questions from landowners and sportsmen alike. Landowner Permission Hunts are a type of depredation hunt designed to address multiple depredations over a large area.

Conflict… more

Pintail Point at Henrys Lake opens to the public through Access Yes! program

| idfg-jbrower

Pintail Point, a piece of private property along Henrys Lake, has enrolled in Idaho Fish and Games’ Access Yes! program. Access Yes! is a program designed to improve access to private land or through private land to public land by compensating willing landowners who provide access. The Pintail Point … more

Idaho Fish and Game Partners with the Western Native Trout Challenge

| idfg-staff

Idaho anglers of all skill levels are invited to participate in the Western Native Trout Challenge and earn bragging rights  while helping the Western Native Trout Initiative conserve 21 species of native trout.

“No one appreciates the beauty and value of wild, native trout more than anglers,” said Jim… more

Youth-only controlled hunts offer exclusive opportunities for big game

| idfg-bpearson

Idaho offers lots of opportunity for kids interested in big game hunting, and young hunters have until June 5 to apply for tags for deer, elk, pronghorn and black bear controlled hunts set aside exclusively for youth. 

Controlled hunt tags are available for many of Idaho's best hunts, including… more

Grizzly bear family observed feeding in Island Park

| idfg-jbrower

 

 

A female grizzly with cubs was observed digging gopher caches near Harriman State Park May 14. This is the third year in a row bears have been observed in this location and is likely the same mother grizzly returning to a known food source. “The sow put her legendary… more

Timber companies and F&G agree to leases for public access to private timber lands 

| idfg-rphillips

A new partnership between Idaho Fish and Game and PotlatchDeltic will provide and preserve public access for hunting, fishing and trapping on 567,002 acres of private land in Benewah, Clearwater, Idaho, Latah and Shoshone counties through a lease agreement. 

A second agreement expected to be finalized by early… more

Moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat results now available

| idfg-rphillips

Results of the moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat controlled hunt draw have been posted through Fish and Game’s licensing system. Hunters who already have an account can check to see if they drew controlled hunt tags at https://idfg.huntfishidaho.net/login.

Those without an online license system account… more