Press Releases and Articles
Herd of elk raising concern near Rexburg/Sugar City
| idfg-jbrower
On Feb. 4 a herd of about 100 elk wandered into a rural area between Sugar City and Rexburg. The elk have been easily sighted from both Highway 20 and Highway 33 and are a cause for concern to passing motorists. Madison County Sheriff’s office and Idaho Fish and Game are aware of the situation and are… more
Lewis and Clark Master Naturalist Chapter seeks new members
| idfg-jbruns
A certified Master Naturalist completes 40 hours of hands-on, experiential classroom and field training about Idaho ecology, plants, animals and natural systems. Participants also complete 40 hours of volunteer work for local conservation agencies; hours can be divided between agencies such as IDFG, US Forest Service… more
Juvenile mountain lion attacks dog in Mackay
| idfg-jbrower
Early on the morning of Jan. 30 a woman responded to what she thought was a fight between her dog and another dog outside of her Mackay home. As she pulled the two animals apart, she realized that in one hand she held a juvenile, male mountain lion about 35 pounds, and not another dog as she expected.
… more
Anglers are hooking into burbot, the Panhandle’s newest fishery
| Anonymous (not verified)
It’s been a little while since the Kootenai River burbot fishery reopened on Jan. 1, after a 26-year closure. Biologists didn’t know what to expect, and they were unsure how accessible about 45,000 burbot in the river would be to anglers.
“People who have never fished for burbot, and some who have never… more
Elk Hit by Train in Southeast Idaho
| idfg-jjackson
In the early morning hours of Friday, January 25, a herd of elk was hit by a train traveling between Montpelier and Soda Springs. No people were injured in the collision.
Conservation officers from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game arrived at the scene and dispatched injured animals as well as coordinated… more
Idaho Master Naturalist Highlight: Kevin Drews
| idfg-sfocht
Idaho Master Naturalist, Kevin Drews, works at a variety of volunteer tasks each year. In the past year, he performed mussel surveys for the Nez Perce Tribe/IDFG, helped at Ponderosa State Park with an owl program and a skiing day, and most recently, helped kids learn to ice fish at Horsethief Reservoir. The ice… more
Spring controlled turkey hunt application period runs Feb. 1 through March 1
| idfg-bpearson
Hunters who are hoping to participate in a spring controlled turkey hunt have the rest of February to apply. The application period opened on Friday, Feb. 1, and runs through March 1. Results will be made available by March 20.
Hunters may apply at any hunting and fishing license vendor or Fish and Game office… more
Controlled hunt application period for black bear closes on Feb. 15
| idfg-bpearson
Hunters who are looking to apply for controlled bear hunts during spring are running out of time to do so: The application period for spring controlled black bear hunts closes on Feb. 15.
Under new rules, Fish and Game will not be accepting mail-in applications for the controlled hunts. Hunters may apply at… more
F&G officers serve warrants in Franklin County in Southeast Idaho
| idfg-swright
On January 31, officers from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game assisted by the Preston Police Department and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office served two search warrants in the Preston area of Southeast Idaho.
One of the locations was a residence in Preston and the other was a residence in the Treasureton… more
Trappers invited to check in bobcat pelts at Boundary County Gun and Horn Show on Feb. 9
| Anonymous (not verified)
Trappers will have the opportunity to check in their bobcat pelts when visiting the Boundary County Gun and Horn Show on Feb. 9 at the Boundary County Fairgrounds in Bonners Ferry. Fish and Game staff will be on-hand from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to allow trappers to meet the mandatory check and report requirement for bobcat… more
Mule deer surveys begin over Tex Creek in Eastern Idaho
| idfg-jbrower
Beginning Jan. 31 through Feb. 9 biologists with the Idaho Fish and Game will be counting mule deer in game management units 66, 66A, 69, 71, 72 and 76. Biologists will utilize low flying helicopters to systematically spot and count the animals.
“I am particularly excited to see what’s happening… more
Upland game hunters have until Feb. 18 to comment on new management plan
| idfg-bpearson
Hunters have through Feb. 18 to give input on Fish and Game’s updated draft of its Upland Game Management Plan. The plan is a six-year document that describes the direction for Idaho’s upland game program, outlining the department’s management priorities, conservation goals and recreational goals through 2024.… more
Hunters have until Feb. 18 to comment on updated management plan for mountain goats
| idfg-bpearson
Hunters have until the end of the day on Feb. 18 to offer their input on Fish and Game’s newly proposed draft of its Mountain Goat Management Plan for 2019-24
The Mountain Goat Management Plan is a six-year document that guides the department in managing mountain goat populations and habitat statewide, and… more
Southwest Region F&G Staff Release Mountain Lion Caught in Bobcat Trap
| Anonymous (not verified)
A local bobcat trapper contacted Fish and Game last Friday morning to report he'd caught a young mountain lion in one of his bobcat traps. Fish and Game responded to a remote area in Owyhee County later that day.
They located the young lion and determined darting the cat was the… more
F&G Commission sets 2019-20 moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goats seasons and rules
| idfg-bpearson
During their annual meeting on Jan. 24, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission adopted new rules for moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat for the 2019-2020 hunting seasons. Statewide, the new rules included a reduction in the number of moose tags available to hunters, an increase of two big horn sheep tags, and… more
Conservation Officers stay busy in the winter with trapping compliance checks
| idfg-mhaag
As a Conservation Officer, I am sometimes asked during the winter, “What keeps you guys busy this time of year?” There is no down time for COs, even during the winter. With the population of Idaho hitting 1.8 million people, the demand on officers’ time is increasing every year
One of the primary… more
Mountain lion dispatched in Ketchum after killing dog in subdivision
| idfg-bpearson
Idaho Fish and Game officials on Saturday, Jan. 26 dispatched a mountain lion that was spotted in a Ketchum subdivision after killing a dog. The six to seven-year-old, non-lactating female cat was tracked to a nearby area and dispatched for public safety.
“We euthanized the lion safely, quickly and humanely,… more
One strange day for a mule deer provides months of data for F&G biologists
| idfg-bpearson
From a mule deer fawn’s perspective, Idaho Fish and Game’s winter trapping must be something like an alien abduction. The fawn is chased by something hovering in the sky, captured, briefly restrained and blindfolded, then tested and measured before being released as if nothing ever happened.
From Fish and Game… more