Press Releases and Articles
Hunters should check for wildfires in their hunting areas before their trips
| idfg-rphillips
Hunters planning their first trips want to pay close attention to fire closures and be prepared to alter their plans if necessary.
Large fires are currently burning in Central and North Idaho and are likely to be burning when archery season opens at the end of August. Fires have created large closure areas… more
Attend the Hunt and Fish Idaho Expo Aug. 24-25 in Lewiston
| idfg-jbruns
Dust off your firearm and come ready to expand your hunting and fishing knowledge! Idaho Fish and Game is hosting the Hunt and Fish Idaho Expo on Friday, August 24th from 2pm-7pm at the Lewis-Clark Wildlife Club Shooting Range at 27007 Tom Beale Road near Lapwai and Saturday, August 25th from 8am-4pm at the Idaho Fish… more
Snorkel surveys show stable fish populations in the North Fork of the Boise River
| idfg-jcassinelli
The North Fork of the Boise River is a popular trout stream that originates on the west side of the Sawtooth Mountains and flows roughly 50 miles before joining the Middle Fork of the Boise River upstream from Arrowrock Reservoir. The North Fork flows through the granitic soils of Idaho's Batholith, resulting in the… more
Fires May Affect Your Hunting Plans
| Anonymous (not verified)
Fires May Affect Your Hunting Plans
Forest fires and hunting season seem to have been hand-in-hand in recent years, and this year may be more of the same. The hot dry summer is resulting in increased fire activity in the Panhandle and it seems more likely than not that wildfires will be active, especially… more
One Flying Object Searches for Another - Drone Aids Grebe Study
| idfg-devansmack
Biologists are faced with a problem when it comes to nesting birds, especially birds nesting on the ground --- how do we get close enough to count active nests without disturbing birds off their eggs or leaving a scent trail for predators to follow? One solution -- Drones. A collaborative study on western grebes, led… more
New rules in effect to prevent chronic wasting disease from entering Idaho
| idfg-rphillips
At its July 26 meeting in Idaho Falls, Fish and Game Commission approved several new rules to prevent chronic wasting disease from entering Idaho, or managing the disease if it ever is found in Idaho.
New rules include:
Ban the import into Idaho of the carcass or any part of a wild deer, elk, or moose… more
Punch Cards/Annual Passes Available at BCR
| Anonymous (not verified)
If you're a regular shooter at BCR, you can trim your shooting costs by purchasing a BCR punch card or annual pass. The 6-4-5 punch card gets you six visits for the price of five ($50), while the 10-4-8 punch card doubles that value, ten visits for $80. Both cards are transferable and never expire - pass them… more
Young grizzly trapped and relocated in Eastern Idaho
| idfg-jbrower
On Aug. 8, Idaho Fish and Game personnel captured a yearling grizzly bear in a research trap near Big Springs. Grizzly bears typically stay with their family group until they are two years old. Biologists were uncertain why this young bear was not with its mother, but it was in good condition… more
Habituated black bear lethally removed from Island Park area in Eastern Idaho
| idfg-jbrower
Idaho Fish and Game officials lethally removed a black bear on Aug. 9 at Bill’s Island in Island Park. The bear had been spotted by residents for at least two weeks and could not be safely relocated because it had become habituated to searching for food at residences. It was also … more
Get your hunter education course completed in time for fall hunts
| idfg-rphillips
Many Idahoans are looking forward to the fall hunting season, and new hunters have several options to complete the hunter and bowhunter education certifications that allow them to buy a hunting license.
Most new hunters opt for the traditional instructor-led course, which takes about two weeks and includes a… more
Application period is Aug. 10-17 for second controlled hunt drawing for deer, elk, pronghorn and bear
| idfg-rphillips
Didn't draw a tag in the first round? It's not too late to apply for the second controlled hunt drawing for over 2,250 unclaimed, controlled hunt tags for deer, elk, pronghorn and bear. The application period for the second drawing runs from Aug. 10 through Aug. 17.
A list of available tags by hunt number is… more
Chinook salmon season near Ellis ends August 12
| idfg-mdemick
Idaho Fish and Game recently announced that the Chinook salmon season on the upper Salmon River near Ellis will close at the end of fishing hours on Sunday, August 12.
The river section of the upper Salmon River to close to salmon fishing is from the posted boundary at the Colston Corner Boat Ramp… more
F&G seeks comments on proposal to extend check times for winter wolf snaring in two units
| idfg-rphillips
The proposed rule would extend the time period by which any person must visit every snare placed for gray wolves to not exceed 192 hours (8 days) for that portion of Game Management Unit 7 including and upstream from the Gold Creek and Mosquito Creek drainages, and in Game Management Unit 9.
If approved, the… more
Spring/summer Chinook seasons end, but fall Chinook starts Aug. 18
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game announced Tuesday, Aug. 7 that all remaining Chinook salmon fisheries on the Snake, Clearwater, South Fork Clearwater, Middle Fork Clearwater and Upper Salmon rivers will close at the end of fishing hours on Aug. 12 to protect hatchery broodstock and naturally spawning fish.
The Boise… more
Low oxygen levels responsible for fish kill below American Falls Dam
| idfg-jjackson
Representatives from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and Idaho Power have concluded that the cause of a recent fish kill in the Snake River immediately below American Falls Dam was a lack of sufficient oxygen in the water.
Over the weekend,… more
Expanded Hours and Sight-in Day Coming to BCR
| Anonymous (not verified)
Expanded shooting hours are coming to Black's Creek Public Shooting Range (BCR) in mid-August.
Beginning Thursday, August 16th, gates open at 8:00 am, giving shooters a chance to beat the heat. Early hours will continue at least through the month of September.
On September 8th, the Idaho Hunter… more
Mackay angler sets new Arctic Grayling catch/release record
| idfg-mkoenig
Lanson Stavast with the latest catch-and-release Arctic Grayling.
Congratulations to Lanson Stavast of Mackay, Idaho for his new catch-and-release state record Arctic Grayling. Lanson caught the fish at Rough Lake, an alpine lake in the Copper Basin area… more
Payette Lake produces monster Lake Trout
| idfg-mkoenig
Dylan Smith of Boise shows off a trophy Lake Trout from Payette Lake. The 41.5-inch monster earned him a new catch-and-release state record.
Congratulations to Dylan Smith for setting the newest catch/release state record for Lake Trout! Dylan caught this monster from Payette Lake … more