Frequently Asked Questions
We get a lot of questions. We post here answers to questions we're being asked frequently. If you have a question not answered here, please contact us. Urgent questions should be directed to your nearest office. Some answers change over time; please take note of the "answered" date.
Displaying 3151 - 3175 of 3534 questionsA:
Duck stamps are no longer available directly from Fish and Game. They are available at U.S. post offices, and they can be ordered by buying a receipt good for 45 days from Fish and Game offices, license vendors or on the Internet at: https://id.outdoorcentral.us/.Anyone 16 or older who hunts migratory game birds, such as ducks, geese or brant, must have a valid Federal Migratory Bird Stamp in their possession and signed in ink by the holder. The stamp costs $15 and is in effect from July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2009.answered 7/27/2008
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Idaho hunter education and bowhunter education are offered in all parts of the state, but availability varies by region. To find out when classes are offered, check the Idaho Fish and Game Website, click on the bar labeled "Hunter and Bowhunter Education" below the picture in the center of the page. Then click on the bar labeled "Register/View Courses Here" below the map. Scroll down and pick the course and then select the nearest town from the list provided to find out what's available.answered 7/20/2008
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Yes. In the Snake River Basin, a Nez Perce Tribal member may sell hatchery Chinook salmon only, as indicated by a missing adipose with healed scar. Nez Perce Tribal regulations require a receipt for all sales. Receipts must include name and identification number of Nez Perce Tribal member selling fish, name of the fish buyer, number and species of fish sold and where it was caught and the Nez Perce Tribe Conservation Enforcement phone number 208-843-7143. The buyer of salmon is required to have this valid receipt and present the fish and receipt for inspection when requested by a conservation officer or other authorized persons.answered 7/13/2008
Q: I'm a resident and I didn't draw in any controlled hunt; when can I pick up a general season tag?
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Most resident general season deer, elk and pronghorn tags can be picked up after the controlled hunt drawings are over, except for seven elk zone tags that are subject to a quota and go on sale August 1. Quota elk tags are Lolo B, Dworshak B, Elk City B, Selway A and B, and Middlefork A and B.answered 7/6/2008
Q: With spring salmon season closed in the Clearwater, can I still fish catch-and-release for salmon?
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You can't fish for salmon in areas closed to salmon fishing - not even catch-and-release. You can fish for other species that are open for fishing in waters that have salmon. But if you unintentionally hook a salmon it must be released immediately. If you fish with salmon gear in a closed area, conservation officers may think you are fishing for salmon and cite you for it.answered 6/29/2008
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Idaho Fish and Game is compiling big game controlled hunt applications. Results of the drawings for deer, elk and pronghorn controlled hunts will be available by July 10. Fish and Game will announce when the results are available. Winners will be notified by mail. Hunters also may check the Fish and Game Website for drawing results at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/apps/ch/results.cfm.answered 6/23/2008
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The application deadline is June 30. Applications that come in after June 30 are added to the list but have little chance of being selected. Applicants must have a valid Idaho hunting or combination license. Depredation hunts, if needed, are usually held on short notice, in small areas and involve only a few hunters. Hunters may apply in different regions, but only once each year for deer, once for elk and once for pronghorn. To sign up or to get an application, contact your local Fish and Game office.answered 6/15/2008
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Anyone interested in what fishing waters Fish and Game has stocked can find out on the Fish and Game Website: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov. Click on "Fishing," scroll down to "stocking records" under "Fish Stocking." Then pick a region. The "current year" and "all fish types" will already be highlighted, so just hit the "next" button. This will bring up a list of waters. Select one and see whether it has been stocked, when and with what kind of fish.answered 6/8/2008
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The second controlled hunt application period for 26 leftover moose hunt permits runs from June 15 through June 25. There are no leftover sheep or goat permits. The application period for leftover tags for deer, elk, antelope and fall black bear hunts will be August 5 to 15.answered 6/1/2008
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All applicants in the moose, mountain goat and bighorn sheep controlled hunt drawings will get either a permit and tag or a refund check by mail no later than June 10. Those who used credit cards to apply will get credit to their cards by July 1. If you do not receive one of these by July 1, please call Idaho Fish and Game at 208-334-2592, or write to P.O. Box 25, Boise, ID 83707. To check whether your name was drawn, go to the Fish and Game Website at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/apps/ch/msg.cfm.answered 5/22/2008
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Many Idaho streams are generally high and may be difficult right now. It's not just about whether the fish will bite; it's also a safety question. Keep a close eye on young children around fast moving water. The best advice is to decide where you want to go and call Fish and Game or local tackle shops to check on conditions before heading out. The U.S. Geological Survey also provides a report on streamflows at this site http://waterdata.usgs.gov/id/nwis/current/?type=flow. For help in finding a place to go fishing, try the Idaho Fish and Game Fishing Planner at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/ifwis/Fishingplanner/.answered 5/18/2008
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Yes, license numbers have 11 digits - a set of three digits, then two and then six. Until application forms are updated, this year simply enter the "8" in the single space on the mail-in form instead of the "08" in the license number. Fish and Game will add the zero.answered 5/4/2008
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The river location code in the brochure is wrong. The lower Clearwater mainstem Section 03 is from the Camas Prairie Railroad Bridge upstream to the Orofino Bridge. Section 04 continues from the Orofino Bridge to the South Fork Clearwater River. You can fish for Chinook salmon in all of Section 03 and 04, from the Railroad Bridge to the South Fork Clearwater River.answered 4/27/2008
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The application period for elk controlled hunts, as well as controlled hunts for deer, pronghorn and fall black bear, runs from May 1 through June 5. Applicants have to pay a $6.25 nonrefundable application fee in addition to tag and license fees.answered 4/7/2008
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Fish and Game takes applications for moose, mountain goat and bighorn sheep controlled hunts April 1 through April 30. Applications for elk, deer, pronghorn and fall black bear controlled hunts are accepted from May 1 through June 5. It's too late for spring bear and turkey controlled hunts - the drawings for those already are over.answered 3/24/2008
Q: When does Fish and Game start stocking fish, and how can I find out where they are being stocked?
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Fish and Game stocks some waters all year round. Other waters are stocked at various times during the year. For a current stocking report contact the regional Fish and Game office, or go online to: https://idfg.idaho.gov/fish/stocking/.
answered 3/9/2008
Q: What's up with radio controlled toy boats that have fishing gear attached? Are they legal in Idaho?
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Yes, they are legal. Idaho Fish and Game rules require that a fishing line or lines must be attended by and under the immediate surveillance of the person fishing. But they are not required to hold it. The boats may not be legal in waters closed to motors or boats. A valid Idaho fishing license is required; anglers should check the current rule book for any restrictions or special rules on the water they are fishing.answered 2/14/2008
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Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers have teamed up with Ada County deputies and the Idaho State Troopers in an educational effort designed to reduce deer-auto collisions. Over the next couple of weeks, officers will be patrolling east Warm Spring Avenue from Barber Drive to U.S. Highway 21, and on Highway 21 from Warm Springs to Hill Top, stopping drivers in an effort to make them aware of the problem and get them to slow down. On these stretches of road, vehicle collisions kill an average of 200 to 300 deer annually, and many people are also injured as well. The effort will stress safety for humans as well as wildlife and will involve patrols over the next several weeks.answered 2/10/2008
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It depends. In most of the state, there are no restrictions on the number of holes, but an angler can fish with up to five poles or lines at a time, and up to five hooks per line. A two-pole validation does not allow more than five lines while ice fishing. All lines must be attended by the angler. One exception is on Bear Lake, where a two-pole permit is required year around, for anglers to use two poles - even when ice fishing. Another exception is on Daniels, Springfield, Treasureton and Twenty-Four Mile trophy-trout reservoirs. On these catch-and-release waters only one rod is allowed for ice-fishing. Check fishing rules book for exceptions.answered 2/3/2008
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Yes. Many reservoirs are now ice-covered. Some have enough for ice fishing.Though all reservoirs but one in the Southeast Region have ice, they may not all be safe yet for ice fishing. Ice also is expected to be thick enough soon for ice fishing on Cascade Lake, Magic Reservoir and other high-elevation lakes and reservoirs in most regions of the state. Anglers must use their own discretion when deciding whether or not the ice is thick enough for ice fishing. Early season ice anglers should check ice before walking far from shore. Drill a hole and measure thickness. Four inches of solid ice - not mushy or porous - is generally considered safe.Fish with a partner, take extra dry clothes and take a throw rope along just in case. Some experienced ice fishers suggest carrying a knife or other sharp instrument on a lanyard around the neck. It would give a person who has fallen through something to grip the ice to help pull themselves out, or at least something to hang onto as they await help.Anglers also should pay attention to weather trends. If the weather warms up, ice may become less safe for fishing. And remember the reservoirs are filling through the winter, so be careful around the shoreline, as the ice is often thin on the edges. Check with local Fish and Game offices for updates on ice fishing.answered 12/16/2007
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Seems like a contradiction - but in an unlimited controlled hunt the number of hunters is limited to those who apply during the regular controlled hunt period. Only those who apply during the application period get a permit. Some hunters hedge their bets by listing an unlimited controlled hunt as a second choice on their controlled hunt application. But hunters may participate in only one hunt for that species.answered 11/18/2007
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No, the archery validation is only required when you are hunting big game during an archery-only season. It isn't required during short-range seasons or when you are not hunting big game.answered 11/8/2007
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Get as much information as possible, such as a description of the person or persons, a description and license number of any vehicles, and note the location. Then Make the Call to the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999. It is staffed 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Or fill out the report form on the Idaho Fish and Game Website at: https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/about/enforcement/report_poacher.cfm. Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward if the information they provide leads to a citation. Or folks can contact a local Fish and Game conservation officer, the Idaho State Police or local law enforcement.answered 10/14/2007
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It depends. In addition to a valid 2007 Idaho hunting license, hunters need a permit to hunt sage-grouse and sharp-tailed grouse. Any person hunting sage- or sharp-tailed grouse must have in possession their license with a sage/sharp-tailed grouse permit validation, available from license vendors at $1.75. No permit other than a hunting license is required to hunt forest grouse, including blue, ruffed and spruce grouse. Check rule brochure for seasons and bag limits.answered 9/9/2007
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The simple answer is that generally A tags favor archery and muzzleloader hunts, and B tags favor centerfire rifle hunts. The A-B zone tag system was established as an effort to offer elk hunters the most general season choices. An example: an archery hunter in central Idaho's Sawtooth Zone, with an A tag, can hunt any elk in the four units of the zone during September. If unsuccessful, the archer still has the opportunity to hunt spike elk during a short any-weapon season in October. (There is also a short muzzleloader A tag season on antlerless elk in November.) With a B tag, the early archery season would be about two weeks shorter and for spikes and cows only. But the later any-weapon season for a bull would be longer, running from mid-October into November. This example doesn't hold for all elk management zones, and some have no general hunts for elk. In the end, hunters should decide what they want to hunt and where and find the hunts that suit them, be that an A tag or B tag.answered 8/6/2007