Frequently Asked Questions

A: 

.223 caliber centerfire weapons are legal.  It is unlawful to pursue or kill big game animals with any rimfire rifle or rimfire handgun. Idaho does not have a magazine capacity restriction.

A: 

You didn't mention where your property is but the beaver season begins Oct. 22 or Nov. 1 and runs through March in most of Idaho.  You can get a trapping license and trap beavers on your property or contact a local trapper to do that if beaver trapping is allowed in your area.  You may contact the regional Fish and Game office closest to you for some assistance in locating trappers, assistance in determining how to remove the dam, and other information.  If you wish to shoot them, you will need to contact the regional office to get a kill permit.  Hunting beaver is not allowed but trapping is.  For more information on seasons and rules and for the phone number of the regional office nearest you, please visit our website at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/?getPage=141

A: 

No.  The only time you need an archery permit is when you are hunting with a bow in an "Archery Only" hunt.  However, please be aware of the archery equipment restrictions, which can be found on page 100 of the 2014 Big Game Seasons and Rules brochure. 

A: 

You can fish most public waters with a bow for nongame fish like carp and sucker.  There are however exceptions to protect the public - including within City Limits where they have ordinances prohibiting the discharge of weapons and high use areas where an arrow possess a risk if it skips.  Within City Limits - check with local law enforcement for weapons restrictions.  Outside City limits, most waters are posted if there are weapon discharges restrictions for safety reasons. Make sure you have a fishing license when bow fishing for nongame fish.

A: 

You can purchase an unsold general season nonresident elk tag as a second tag at a reduced price of $301.75.

A: 

This response is overdue and I apologize for that - it was my own oversight - I let it get buried and didn't get back to it until today. Year-round hunting on private lands was in effect in 5 of our 13 wolf management zones during 2014.  All wolves killed by hunters and trappers are included in the harvest totals on the web, and later in the annual report.  Since you've waited so long for this answer, I thought it only reasonable to try to provide you some insight that I suspect you may be seeking.  In looking at the 2014 wolf harvest data through early December, I come up with the following, 172 wolves have been taken through hunting and trapping from the start of the year through December 9th, 102 of these have been taken by hunters 13 were killed during the period when only private lands are open to wolf hunting (April though late August). These numbers are tentative until the database is proofed at the end of the year, but I really don't expect the numbers to change very much beyond December harvest yet to come.  Anyhow, I hope this clarifies and hopefully gets to the gist of your question.   Sincerely, Jim Hayden Staff Biologist

A: 

The ideal candidate for a Conservation Officer will have a Bachelor’s degree or higher in Fish and/or Wildlife Management and some field experience.  However, you do not have to have a college degree to minimally qualify for the position of Conservation Officer. To minimally qualify for the classification, an applicant is required to have completed at least four (4) upper level college courses (300 level or above) in Wildlife/Fish Management from an accredited college or university.   

A: 

Yes, you can hunt the wounded animal.  However, you will need to comply with all relevant hunting rules such as: open elk season where you are at, correct zone elk tag, lawful hunting hours, don't shoot from or across a public road, and when the animal is harvested, it must be tagged with a properly validated and attached elk tag. Please note that if you do kill a game animal through a vehicle collision you can now salvage all, or part of the animal.  If you do salvage any part of the animal you will need to report it to Idaho Fish and Game in person at a regional office or on-line at the following website: https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/species/roadkill.

A: 

This is a good question.  Cottontail rabbits are classified as Upland Game animals and it is illegal to trap all upland game animals.  Cottontail rabbits habitually tend to travel using a maze of trails, usually beneath brush and other obstructions. Their habits make them very vulnerable to trapping.  Cottontails also frequent the same type of habitat often used by Pigmy rabbits.  There is no season on Pigmy rabbits, another reason trapping would not be allowed for rabbits in general. It’s all about ethics and sportsmanship.  Controlling methods of take and restricting those methods to the use of lawful firearms allows a rabbit hunter to identify their target, something a trapper would be unable to do.  We hope this helps you.   

A: 

Thank you for asking. Those panels remain property of Idaho Department of Fish and Game. If you contact your local Fish and Game Office to let them know, our Landowner Sportsmen Coordinator will arrange to have them picked up so they can be distributed elsewhere.    

A: 

This is a great question and unfortunately, especially with young hunters, it occasionally happens that they have either lost their license, washed it or just simply cannot find it. Although the license number is on the tag, Idaho Code 36-1201(c) requires that your "License must be .......on his (your) person at all times when hunting, fishing or trapping and (you must be able to) produce the same for inspection upon request of a conservation officer or any other person authorized to enforce fish and game laws." So, the answer to your question is yes he needs to have both his license and his tag on his person while hunting. You can solve your problem easily a couple of different ways. First you may go to any Regional Office or Vendor and purchase a duplicate license for your son. Another option would be, if your son intends to purchase any other type of validation for his license such as a two pole validation, archery or muzzleloader validation, migratory bird validation or Sharp-tail validation he can make those purchases and a new copy of his combination license will be generated along with the validation.  Good Luck on your hunt!