Press Releases and Articles
Chinook spawning in the Lemhi is something to be thankful for this year
| idfg-mheller
This year represented a spawning season that gave fisheries staff in the Salmon Region excitement for the future of Chinook Salmon here in Idaho.
November’s ‘Wildlife Express’ tries to catch up with the American pronghorn, the Porsches of the plains
| idfg-cliess
Pronghorn are unlike any other animal in the American West. Not to be confused with their African lookalikes — the antelope —pronghorn occupy a mix of landscapes across southern and eastern Idaho and into the central Idaho mountains (and grace the cover of this month’s Wildlife Express.)
These iconic ungulates… more
Don't let a lack of gear stop you from waterfowl hunting
| idfg-bpearson
Waterfowl hunting has a reputation for being expensive, but hunters don’t need to shell out tons of money on a boat or a truckload of waterfowl gear to be successful. That’s especially true in a state with as much public land as Idaho.
Jump shooting is a low-cost option for public land hunts, but it is not the… more
More steelhead to be stocked in the Boise River on Wednesday, Nov. 23
| idfg-bpearson
The good news keeps on coming for anglers. Approximately 100-125 more steelhead will be transported and released into the Boise River on Wednesday, Nov. 23. The fish are trapped at Hells Canyon Dam on the Snake River and will be released in equal numbers at five stocking locations:
Glenwood Bridge Americana… more
Fish and Game and University of Idaho Fisheries Students Team up to Study Hells Canyon’s White Sturgeon
| idfg-sputnam
Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the University of Idaho have a long history of cooperation. This is especially true in the Clearwater Region, where the university resides.
Idaho Department of Fish and Game provides the students ample opportunity to participate in fieldwork which helps them understand… more
Watch for wildlife on highways and avoid costly collisions
| idfg-cliess
Winter is already tough for deer, elk and other big game animals, and being near busy roads and highways can be deadly, so drivers are asked to keep a sharp eye out and avoid costly and potentially dangerous collisions.
Hitting a deer or an elk is hazardous to drivers and passengers, and often results in… more
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) sampling continues across the Clearwater and elsewhere in the state
| idfg-jbruns
Idaho Fish and Game staff will be continuing to collect samples from deer at hunter check stations and head barrel drop-off locations as part of a statewide surveillance program for chronic wasting disease.
Chronic wasting disease was detected for the first time in Idaho in 2021 after more than 20 years of… more
All 2023 nonresident general season deer and elk tags go on sale Dec. 1
| idfg-rphillips
Nonresident deer and elk tags for the upcoming 2023 hunting season go on sale starting at 10 a.m. MST on Dec. 1. Licenses and tags can be bought online at GoOutdoorsIdaho.com, through the Idaho Fish and Game mobile app, or by phone at (800) 554-8685. They can also be bought in person at a license vendor location, or… more
Southwest Winter Feeding Advisory Committee will meet Dec. 2
| idfg-staff
Southwest Winter FeedingAdvisory Committee Meeting
Date: Friday, Dec. 2, 2022 at 2 p.m. MST
Address: Idaho Department of Fish and Game Southwest Regional Office: 15950 N Gate Boulevard Nampa, Idaho 83687
The Winter Feeding Advisory Committee is participating by a combination of in-… more
Three white-tailed deer shot and left near Rock Creek Road south of Potlatch
| idfg-jbruns
Fish and Game is seeking information regarding three whitetail deer that have been shot and left to waste near Rock Creek Road south of Potlatch.
The first deer was found on Sept. 18, 2022; the second and third deer were found on Nov. 14. It is believed the same person was involved with killing all three of the… more
Kokanee are making a comeback in Payette Lake
| idfg-jmessner
By Gavin Aguilar – Fisheries TechnicianPayette Lake in McCall is a deep, cold natural lake that has supported a kokanee fishery for well over a century. In fact, kokanee and their anadromous cousins, sockeye salmon, are native to Payette Lake, and historical documents suggest that commercial fisheries on Payette Lake… more
Fish and Game sponsors a mentored youth waterfowl hunt in Hagerman
| idfg-tthompson
Each year, as bird seasons open, Idaho Fish and Game staff from the Magic Valley Region organize three mentored hunts for a small number of recent graduates of in-person hunter education classes. These hunts provide opportunities for youth to experience a day in the field hunting upland birds or waterfowl. In 2022, the… more
Bald eagle illegally shot in Bear Lake County
| idfg-jjackson
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is seeking information regarding the illegal shooting of a bald eagle in the community of Bern in Bear Lake County.
On Nov. 6, Senior Conservation Officer Kolby White with Idaho Fish and Game received a report of a dead bald eagle in the middle of a field in the small… more
Craig Mountain WMA Mountain Lion hunting route access program-discontinued
| idfg-zswearingen
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game will be discontinuing the trial lion hunting route access program on the Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area. The routes were opened during the 2021-2022 season with the goal of increasing harvest of mountain lions on the WMA. No mountain lions were harvested under the access… more
A Fisheries Biologist Reflects
| idfg-tcopeland
At times it is good to look back and see what is in the water behind you. In this podcast, Scott Putnam considers his 30 years with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game in an extensive interview. He describes the work he has done and offers some good advice for those who are looking for a career in fisheries. Most of… more
Idaho Master Naturalist FALL Newsletter is Available
| idfg-sfocht
The Fall edition of Idaho Naturalist News (the seasonal newsletter of the Idaho Master Naturalist Program) is available for viewing! Read about what Idaho Master Naturalists are doing all across the state.
Information sought about a mule deer buck left to waste in Lincoln County
| idfg-tthompson
On Thursday, November 10, 2022, conservation officers from the Magic Valley Region received a report of a mule deer buck that was found dead lying next to a BLM road in Lincoln County. The deer was found on the eastside of Black Butte in Unit 52 which had an open controlled muzzleloader hunt at the time of the… more
Henrys Lake Quarterly Newsletter – Fall 2022
| idfg-ntillotson
Big news Henrys Lake anglers! The new Idaho catch-and-release state record hybrid trout (Rainbow Trout X Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout) was caught out of Henrys Lake this fall, and it’s a whopper. Hailey Thomas of Rigby caught this 36-inch hybrid, which easily beats the prior catch-and-release state record by 6… more