Press Releases and Articles
Fill every crevice of your freezer by hunting these small game species this winter
| idfg-cliess
Small game hunting through winter is a great way for hunters young and old to develop their skills and confidence without breaking the bank. You don’t need specialized or expensive gear to hunt them, just a .22 long rifle and/or any shotgun, warm clothes and boots suitable for hiking. The skills learned while… more
Fish and Game amends hunting, fishing and trapping closure in the Snake River previously closed due to presence of quagga mussel larvae
| idfg-tthompson
Idaho Fish and Game has lifted the hunting, fishing and trapping closures in the previously closed reach of the Snake River upstream of “broken bridge” (Yingst Grade) to Pillar Falls. The closure was in response to the detection and treatment of the Snake River for quagga mussels and larvae earlier this year.
On… more
Habitat Connectivity by Design: How Engineering Shapes Idaho’s Streams
| idfg-kgilliesrector
Engineers working for the Department of Fish and Game juggle many projects like designing buildings, hatcheries, and fishing access areas. But a few engineers get to design in-stream structures and habitat restoration projects to help fish move through the Idaho landscape.
One of these engineers is Jared… more
Fish and Game to provide trapper and wolf trapper education classes in Glenns Ferry
| idfg-tthompson
Trapping is an age-old tradition, especially in the West. Today, that tradition continues as regulated trapping plays an important role in wildlife management.
Today’s trapper has to attend an 8-hour trapper education class before being allowed to purchase a trapper license, unless the trapper has a… more
Steelhead Habitat Restoration in the Potlatch River: Part 3- Private Landowners
| idfg-jbruns
In Parts 1 & 2 of the video series, we provided an overview of how we implement a stream restoration project. Part 3 of this series focuses on the importance of private landowners in the success of the steelhead habitat restoration program. Check out this third video, “Partnering with Private Landowners”!… more
Orphaned Black bear cub found along Salmon River Road will be rehabilitated
| idfg-mdemick
Thanks to several concerned citizen reports, an orphaned black bear cub discovered near Salmon is now on his way to a wildlife rehabilitator.
USFS and BLM announce annual winter travel restrictions for the Palisades Ranger District, Stinking Springs and Egin-Hamer areas to protect wildlife
| idfg-jbrower
BLM Press Release:IDAHO FALLS, Idaho–The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Upper Snake Field Office, in collaboration with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, will temporarily close the Stinking Springs area near the South Fork of the Snake River to all motorized vehicles and human entry to support… more
Mentoring hunter education graduates to grow the next generation of Idaho hunters
| idfg-tthompson
Hunter education is a mandatory education class for anyone born on or after January 1, 1975, if they want to purchase a hunting license and hunt in Idaho. In the first eight months of 2023 over 400 students of all ages from across the Magic Valley Region were taught and passed the in-person course.
… more
River otter trapping closes for the season in the Upper Snake Region
| idfg-jbrower
The river otter harvest quota for Idaho’s Upper Snake Region was reached on Monday, December 11. The otter trapping season for the entire region closes 72 hours after the harvest quota has been met. As a result, the otter season for the Upper Snake closes at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, December 14.
Any otter… more
Steelhead Habitat Restoration in the Potlatch River: Part 2- Implementation
| idfg-jbruns
The Potlatch River basin in north-central Idaho is home to an endangered population of wild steelhead. Due to a variety of factors, including historic land use practices, wild steelhead numbers in the Potlatch River have been declining. Idaho Fish and Game and partner organizations have been conducting large-scale… more
Give the gift of the outdoors this holiday season
| idfg-cliess
Share your love for the outdoors by buying an Idaho resident hunting license, fishing license or Sportsman’s Package for friends and family this holiday season. 2024 licenses are now on sale.
Fishing and hunting provide a good excuse to get outside, see the beauty of Idaho's wildlife and spend quality time with… more
Big game can handle most Idaho winters, but Fish and Game is ready if emergencies arise
| idfg-cliess
Humans aren’t the only ones who can find it a bit of a struggle when extremely frigid weather or unusually deep snow hits Idaho. Our state’s wildlife — specifically deer, elk and pronghorn — has adapted over thousands of years to withstand fairly harsh winter conditions, but sometimes conditions are so harsh it leads… more
F&G conservation officers seeking information about swan killed in Southwest Idaho
| idfg-bpearson
On November 9, 2023, a Fish and Game officer took a report of a dead juvenile swan at the 7-mile Slough Access near Emmett, Idaho. Based on the wounds on the swan, it was determined that the swan had been shot. Based on the body condition of the swan when it was recovered, officers believe the swan was shot… more
River otter trapping closes for the season in the Southwest Region
| idfg-bpearson
The river otter harvest quota for Idaho’s Southwest Region was reached on Thursday, Dec. 7. As a result, the otter season for the Southwest closes at 11:59 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11.
Any otter trapped in the Southwest Region after 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 11 must be surrendered to the Idaho Department… more
Winter wildlife work in the Clearwater Region
| idfg-jbruns
You may have been wondering, what do wildlife biologists do this time of year?! Well, even though we typically think of the 'field season' as the spring/summer, a large portion of wildlife work is conducted throughout the winter season. Wildlife staff will be busy conducting aerial surveys and capture work throughout… more
Big game population surveys to occur through early January throughout the Magic Valley Region
| idfg-tthompson
Over the next several weeks wildlife biologists from Fish and Game’s Magic Valley Region will be flying mule deer surveys across many of the region’s game management units. The purpose of these surveys is to gather abundance and herd composition information which is used by game managers to evaluate population trends,… more
The State of Deer and Elk: Elk Nutrition (VIDEO)
| idfg-cliess
In the eighth episode of Fish and Game’s ‘State of Deer and Elk’ series, Fish and Game Regional Wildlife Habitat Biologist, Deborah Monzingo, discusses the importance of elk nutrition and the role it plays in population management.
Itchin’ for some fishin’? Now is a great time to go after this ‘mountain’ fishing opportunity
| idfg-cliess
Looking for an excuse to wader up and tie on some flies or jigs? Look no further than one of Idaho’s native unsung heroes: the mountain whitefish.