Press Releases and Articles
New F&G process for hunters to exchange or buy returned elk tags starts April 23
| idfg-staff
Every year, a few hunters return and exchange their general season elk tag. Often the returned tags are highly sought-after tags, so Fish and Game has identified a more consistent and transparent way of handling them:
1) The exchange of over-the-counter elk tags for returned tags from sold-out capped zones. … more
Steelhead attempt to ascend Big Bear Falls in the Potlatch River drainage
| idfg-jbruns
Watch as steelhead repeatedly attempt to ascend Big Bear Falls in the Potlatch River drainage. Man-caused alterations in stream flow has made passage of this falls impossible for steelhead in most years. Plans are underway to modify these falls in 2021 so that steelhead can once again access areas where they were… more
Road washouts in the Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area may hamper travel
| idfg-jbruns
Recreationists should be aware that multiple rain-on-snow events in early February have taken a toll on roads throughout the Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area (CMWMA) east of Lewiston. The CMWMA is cooperatively managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG).
… more
Four MKNC Lessons Available ONLINE
| idfg-sfocht
Four of our most popular programs / presentations have been converted to movie files for your enjoyment. These presentations are designed for elementary-aged students. The Nature Center Grounds (fish viewing windows, garden, paths and bridges) are open. If you visit, PLEASE use social distancing guidelines to protect… more
Wildlife Express: Marvelous mayflies, toothed dragons, constructing caddisflies
| idfg-scassinelli
Some may think aquatic insects are an outdoor nuisance, but did you know they play an important role in our environment? Some help scientists study the health of our streams and can detect water pollution in advance. They also connect the links in food chains and webs as food for fish, birds, bats, spiders, and other… more
Spring black bear season opens April 15 in many hunting units
| idfg-bpearson
Hunters can get a chance to hunt big game in the spring with the opener of black bear hunting season on Wednesday, April 15 (some hunting units opened April 1).
Many parts of the state offer general hunting seasons for black bears, but hunters can not take any female bear with young. Here are the black… more
Repeat Spawning Steelhead - An Amazing Adventure
| idfg-tcopeland
Spring is spawning season for Idaho’s steelhead. These fish make an incredible journey to reach their home streams to spawn. Sometimes, it is not their first trip home.
Young steelhead live in Idaho for one to five winters. When they get big enough, they make their way to the ocean where they pass eight dams… more
Birds of Prey Webinar Available for Viewing
| idfg-sfocht
The Deer Flat Chapter of the IMNP hosted Corey Roberts from BLM for a Birds of Prey webinar. Corey works for the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey NCA near Boise, ID and covers a little bit about that are and elaborates on raptor I.D. Thanks for sharing, Deer Flat, Chapter!
https://drive.google.com/open?… more
Salmon Presentation Available for Viewing
| idfg-sfocht
A four-part recorded Power Point presentation by IDFG retired Fisheries Biologis,t Kim Apperson is now available for viewing. The total time of this presentation is 1.5 hours and it covers salmon life cycle, historical and current conservation challenges and mitigation. Thank you to the McCall Heartland Chapter for… more
F&G commission to meet via conference call April 16 at 9 a.m. MDT
| idfg-bpearson
The Idaho Fish and Game commission will meet via conference call April 16 at 9 a.m. MDT. The commission will consider setting migratory game bird seasons for 2020-21. See the agenda.
In accordance with the Governor's orders regarding COVID-19, public will not be allowed to attend the meeting in person, but may… more
Elk discovered crushed by haystack at Tex Creek WMA
| idfg-jbrower
A report from a concerned citizen prompted an investigation into several elk carcasses that were discovered within a Fish and Game stack yard in the Indian Fork portion of Tex Creek Wildlife Management Area this spring. It was determined that sometime during the winter months the elk busted through the high fence… more
Bumble Bee Ecology Training Videos Available for Viewing
| idfg-sfocht
The Pacific Northwest Bumble Bee Atlas is a multi-state effort to inventory and monitor native bumble bees. The first two training modules for the project have significant amounts of material about bees and their natural history.
To access, click the link below, then click on TRAINING MODULES, LOG ON (logging… more
Nearly 60 yellow perch left to waste in Pocatello neighborhood
| idfg-tpeterson
On April 6, Idaho Department of Fish and Game investigated the illegal dumping and waste of 57 yellow perch off the side of Foothill Boulevard in Pocatello. The fish were likely dumped sometime between the evening of April 4 and the morning of April 6.
“More than likely an angler or anglers kept the… more
Idaho Master Naturalist Chapters Adapt to Stay At Home Order
| idfg-sfocht
Seven of the eight Idaho Master Naturalist Chapters were underway with their educational programming and volunteering for 2020 when the Governor issued the "Stay-at-Home" order for Idaho on March 25th. Most chapters provide a syllabus of planned classes for their members that total or exceed the 40 hour educational… more
Row, Row, Row Your Smolt Gently Down the Stream: Barging Juvenile Salmon and Steelhead through the Columbia and Snake Rivers
| idfg-jdupont
Row, Row, Row Your Smolt Gently Down the Stream:
Barging Juvenile Salmon and Steelhead through the Columbia and Snake Rivers
By Allison Lebeda, Joe DuPont, Lance Hebdon, and Jonathan Ebel
… more
F&G Commission amends earlier decision and allows more nonresident license, tag and permit sales
| idfg-rphillips
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission on April 9 amended its previous decision to temporarily suspend sales of some nonresident licenses, tags, and permits to allow nonresident sales under specific situations, including:
Allow nonresidents who bought a black bear tag prior to the temporary suspension on April 4… more
F&G commission to meet via conference call April 9 at 8 a.m. MDT
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game commission will meet via conference call April 9 at 8 a.m. MDT. In accordance with the Governor's orders regarding COVID-19, public will not be allowed to attend the meeting in person, but may listen in.
Consistent with the Governor’s March 18 proclamation regarding Open Meeting Law… more
Netting non-native walleye aims to protect existing Lake Pend Oreille fisheries
| Anonymous (not verified)
A growing walleye population in Lake Pend Oreille poses a threat the lake’s ecosystem and multi-million dollar recreational fishery. Biologists are concerned that if left unchecked, walleye numbers will continue to increase to the point of collapsing the keystone kokanee population, also… more