Press Releases and Articles
Hunters: Mule Deer needed for chronic wasting disease testing
| idfg-snass
Idaho Fish and Game needs help from hunters. New protocols have been introduced for sampling deer for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and hunters will play a critical role. Although the disease has not been found in Idaho, the prevalence of CWD has been expanding in some neighboring states. In response, Idaho Fish… more
2017 Proposal to open a steelhead harvest fishery in the Snake, Salmon, and Clearwater Rivers.
| idfg-pperkins
Idaho Fish and Game Commission will entertain a proposal to open a steelhead harvest fishery in the Snake, Salmon, and Clearwater River drainages.The proposal follows an increase in steelhead return numbers that have crossed Bonneville Dam in recent weeks. Fisheries staff monitors steelhead returns to the Snake… more
No antlerless harvest in Southeast Region during general, any-weapon deer season this fall
| idfg-jjackson
General deer opener is just around the corner on Oct. 10, and hunters are reminded that due in part to a difficult winter, there will be no antlerless deer hunting allowed this fall during the general any-weapon season in the following units: 66A, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 73A, 74, 75, 76, 77, and 78.
This is… more
Waterfowl forecast: Duck numbers down from last year but above long-term average
| idfg-rphillips
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's annual North American waterfowl breeding and population habitat survey showed 2017 habitat conditions were similar to, or improved, compared to 2016, with a few exceptions. In the traditional survey areas across North America, the total duck population estimate was 47.3 million… more
Poached deer remains found
| idfg-khatch
EDEN - The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is requesting information on a mule deer doe found on Monday, September 25, 2017, North of Eden, ID.
The deer was shot and left to waste. The deer was found just South of the Northside canal off Eden Rd. Evidence was collected… more
Fish & Game Commission to meet via conference call October 2
| idfg-mdemick
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will meet by conference call Monday, October 2 to discuss a proposal to re-open steelhead fishing to harvest with a length limit in place to protect steelhead stocks returning to Clearwater Hatchery facilities.
Steelhead returns were late this year prompting Fish and Game… more
Lost Valley Reservoir Trout Improvement Project Planned
| idfg-eoneale
Lost Valley Reservoir, located 16 miles north of Council Idaho, is nearly dry and Fish and Game plans to take advantage of that condition to improve trout populations at the popular fishing hole.
The Lost Valley Reservoir Company has lowered the reservoir to the lowest pool possible for outlet valve repairs… more
Hunters convicted and sentenced in conspiracy poaching case
| idfg-eoneale
The first four of eleven defendants named in an Adams County wildlife poaching conspiracy case have recently been found guilty or pleaded guilty to charges against them.
Tyler Dutton (23) of Caldwell was convicted by a jury of his peers in July and sentenced in August. Misdemeanor charges against Dutton… more
Sept. 26: Updates on fires, controlled burns planned for SW Idaho
| idfg-rphillips
Wet weather throughout Idaho, including snow at higher elevations, has largely ended the active fire season, but some closures could still remain in some areas, particularly the Clearwater Region, which had the most fires this summer.
Please follow links for more details.
F&G has more… more
Fall Chinook fishing on Clearwater and Snake rivers. (9/26/17)
| idfg-vosborn
On the Snake River at the Confluence, there has been an increase to the number of fall Chinook harvested this week. The majority of the harvest has been un-clipped jacks, a few hatchery jacks, and this week we checked several hatchery adults. The greatest fall Chinook fishing effort has been at the Confluence, but… more
Chukar hunters get off to good start in the Clearwater and Southwest regions
| idfg-rphillips
Upland bird hunting has started in many areas of the state and reports are trickling in about fair to good hunting for chukars in a couple of popular areas: Lower Hells Canyon and the Owyhee Desert.
Chukar season opened Sept. 16, and upland game currently available for hunters include forest grouse,… more
Sharp-tailed grouse season opens October 1
| idfg-mdemick
The sharp-tailed grouse season opens October 1 and runs through October 31, with a daily bag limit of two birds and a possession limit of six.
The season is open only in eastern Idaho in these areas: Bingham and Clark counties east of Interstate 15, Franklin, Fremont, Jefferson County east of Interstate 15,… more
Decoys to be used to nab poachers
| idfg-mdemick
Hunters have long used wildlife decoys in pursuit of game. Wildlife officers also use decoys to detect wildlife violations.
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game reminds hunters that in areas where the department receives complaints or reports of suspicious activity, officers may use ‘artificial simulated… more
Wildlife CSI - Panhandle elk mortality study
| idfg-lwolf
The Panhandle region placed 172 GPS radio-collars on 6-month old elk calves in the Coeur d’Alene and St. Joe River drainages since 2015. A couple reasons we collared so many elk was to determine survival rates and for those elk that didn’t make it, find out why they died.
The GPS collars have a signal… more
Sockeye return slightly exceeds expectations, but second-lowest in a decade
| idfg-rphillips
In a challenging year for salmon and steelhead returns, Idaho's most endangered salmon fared a little better than expected with 157 of them trapped in the Sawtooth Basin this summer.
"We are very pleased with this return given the estimate of only about 400 Idaho sockeye made it to… more
Rainbow Trout Stocking Schedule
| idfg-eoneale
Personnel from Fish and Game's Nampa Hatchery will be releasing more than 28,500 catchable-sized rainbow trout at the following locations during October. Local ponds are the primary focus of this stocking effort due to milder weather and correspondingly cooler water temperatures.
LOCATION WEEK STOCKED… more
Where can I hunt with my extra antlerless white-tailed deer tag?
| idfg-kcampbell
There were 1,600 extra antlerless white-tailed deer tags issued through controlled hunts in the Panhandle in units of 1, 2, 3,… more
Youth Pheasant Clinic planned in Genesee
| idfg-jbruns
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is pleased to host an annual youth pheasant clinic on Saturday, October 7, 2017, in Genesee, ID. This event is open to youths aged 10-16 that have completed hunter education and possess a valid 2017 hunting license.
Participants will meet at 8:30 a… more