Frequently Asked Questions

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If a person has a depredation tag, then yes you can also purchase a general season tag. A depredation tag is similar to having an extra controlled hunt tag. If you have a landowner permission controlled hunt, then the answer would be no. However, you can purchase the nonresident general season discounted tag as the second tag. The landowner permission controlled hunt tag is similar to all other controlled hunt tags and is not an extra tag.

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The lake will be stocked with rainbow trout when all the Tiger Muskie are gone. A few remain and we will try and remove them this fall still. There were still some brookies left in 2013.

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As found on page 98 of the Big Game 2014 Seasons and Rules brochure:  It us unlawful to: Hunt any game animal by means of baiting with the exception of applicable rules for black bear baiting permit (See pages 69 and 70).  Bait is defined as any substance placed to attract game animals, except liquid scent for deer and elk. Water is considered "any substance" and cannot be placed for the purposes of attracting big game..  However, there is nothing wrong locating an existing water hole and setting a blind to hunt.

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Hi Josh, The mountain goat that you observed with red ear tag 13 was captured last winter in Wyoming near Alpine.  During this capture effort, nannies were radio collared and billies were ear tagged.  I passed the waypoint and observation information on to the Wyoming biologist working on this project. These mountain goats are part of a larger study looking at both mountain goats and bighorn sheep in Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.  If you are interested in learning more about the study, check out this website. www.gyamountainungulateproject.com Thank you for reporting your observation to us.  It provided Idaho and Wyoming additional information about mountain goats that winter in Wyoming and possibly summer in Idaho. Hollie

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Idaho Statesman Outdoor Editor Roger Phillips recently published an interesting article relevant to your questions.  Here's the article: Outdoors Q&A: A long-winded answer to what were Idaho's 'native' wolves By Roger Phillips August 14, 2014 Q: I recently read an article about the native Idaho wolf. I had previously never heard of this wolf species, which is said to be 40 to 60 pounds smaller than the wolf we reintroduced into Idaho. Is there such a wolf, and is it endangered? IRENE ANDERSON, Meridian A: Get comfy, Irene, this may take a while. The short version is there's no definitive answer to what Idaho's "native" wolf is for many reasons, but I will make an educated guess that the wolves we have now are similar to what we used to have. Some people claim Idaho's "native" wolf was the "plains" wolf, which is a slightly smaller subspecies of the gray wolf, and those transplanted from Canada were larger "timber" wolves. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, gray wolves once ranged from coast-to-coast and from Alaska to Mexico, and they were one of the most wide-ranging animals on the continent. There were, and are, numerous subspecies, of which the "plains" wolf is one. Despite its name, it's also found in the Great Lakes. If you could track down the DNA of an Idaho wolf from hundreds of years ago, it would likely show you it's a gray wolf, but not a particular subspecies. If you look at the evidence, it points to Idaho's previous wolves being similar to those in Canada based on Idaho's geography, terrain and climate. The ancestors of Idaho's current gray wolf population came from south central Alberta and British Columbia in 1995-96. The fact that they're from Canada does not make them a subspecies, as some people claim. The weight range of the transplanted wolves was 72 to 126 pounds, according to Idaho Fish and Game records. F&G's recent harvest statistics show Idaho wolves killed by hunters average about 90 pounds for females and about 100 pounds for males. That may skew a little small because young wolves are more likely to get shot than older wolves. The largest wolf killed in Idaho since reintroduction was about 135 pounds. As to whether the wolves imported from Canada are a different subspecies, evidence based on geography and other species doesn't support it. From North Idaho, there's only a few hundred miles from where the transplanted wolves originated, and the farthest distance from the current population's original home would probably be fewer than 1,000 miles. According to Mark Drew, veterinarian at Fish and Game's Wildlife Health Laboratory, a thousand miles is not enough distance to trigger what's known as Bergmann's rule. That's a widely accepted zoological principle that individual animals of a certain species tend to be larger at higher latitudes and colder climates than those closer to the equator and in warmer climates. White-tailed deer are a classic example. Whitetails in southern states are diminutive compared to whitetails in northern states and Canadian provinces. Also, if you subtract the weight you mentioned (40 to 60 pounds lighter) from the average size of today's wolves, you'd have a wolf about the size of a coyote, which isn't likely. But you could make an argument that wolves inhabiting Idaho a century or more ago were different than what we have now simply because Idaho was different. Wolves, like all animals, are a product of their environment and highly adaptable. Their size relates to their habitat and prey. Jon Rachael, F&G's state big game manager, said current wolf weights vary throughout the state. Packs adjacent to each other may have larger or smaller individuals, simply because one pack is healthier than the other. But to more directly answer your question about what was Idaho's "native" wolf, Rachael forwarded me a copy of "An account of the Taxonomy of North American Wolves from a Morphological and Genetic Analysis." It's a scientific paper that discusses many subspecies of wolves across North America, and here's your scientific smoking gun: "Recognition of the northern timber wolf Canis lupus occidentalis and the plains wolf Canis lupus nubilus as subspecies is supported by morphological data and extensive studies of microsatellite DNA variation where both subspecies are in contact in Canada. "There is scientific support for the taxa recognized here, but delineation of exact geographic boundaries presents challenges. Rather than sharp boundaries between taxa, boundaries should generally be thought of as intergrade zones of variable width." If you understood all of that, you're probably smarter than I. But here's my take: Because Idaho has both mountains and desert, it likely falls into the category of an "intergrade zone." It's possible a desert subspecies existed that was smaller than their northern cousins. But considering most of the state is mountainous and cold, most of Idaho's previous "native" wolves were probably similar to what we have now.      

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Thanks for your question on the Big Lost River access at the Mine Hill Bridge.  We've been dealing with this particular issue for well over a decade, and have been unable to find documentation that there is a highway easement on the private property that encompasses three of the four corners of that bridge.  As such, the landowner may have the right to restrict access through his property.  That said, IDFG went to significant effort to work with the landowner at the fourth corner of that bridge to develop a public access to the river.  This access was completed in 2012, and does provide a place where the public can get to the river, or launch (or take out) a small, portable watercraft.  Because of the generosity of the landowner on that fourth corner, the public will be able to access this particular area forever. We recognize that maintianing public access on the Big Lost is and will be a continued struggle for the forseeble future.  We are actively engaged at obtaining public access on this river, and have secured two new public access points in the past 4 or 5 years.  We will continue to work towards protecting the public's ability to get to the water in this area in the future.  If you have additional questions or comments, I can be reached at 208-525-7290. Dan Garren Regional Fisheries Manager

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This is a question that may have several answers and depends on what kind of a closed area you are trying to access. If the area is on public land such as Forest Service or BLM lands, and the roads or trails you are trying to access are closed for all public access that will require you contacting that particular agency. Lands and or roads/trails closed to all motorized vehicles by the Forest Service and BLM are generally closed to all travel without exception but you will need to check with that agency. If you are trying to access trails that are closed to the use of motorized vehicles as an aid to hunting then you might be eligible for a "disabled person’s motor vehicle hunting permit". This permit can be found at the following link and will require a doctor’s signature.  http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/licenses/disVehicle.pdf You can find additional information about the Motorized hunting rule on pages 103-106 in the 2014 Big Game regulations.

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The Idaho Department of Fish and Game Commission is not considering this proposal at this time. The Commission is interested in reviewing technology at a date to be determined. 

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Yes, it it legal to use a cow decoy.

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Her application will be included in next years first drawing which is held in early June of 2015.

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It is your US Constitutional right to keep and bear arms.  Long ago we used to require a hunting license to possess a firearm in the field in Idaho. It was challenged and recinded.  Current Idaho Code restricts the carry of 'concealed' weapons.  If your handgun is not concealed you are in compliance with the law. If you wish to carry a weapon concealed you must obtain a Concealed Weapon Carry permit.