Frequently Asked Questions

A: 

The answer depends on the elk tag you currently posses. Any exchanges must be completed prior to any open seasons for the elk tag you currently possess. If the elk tag you currently possess does not have an open season until after the drawing, you can exchange your general seasons tag to the controlled hunt tag. You will need to take your tag to the nearest regional office or the headquarters office to complete the exchange.

A: 

Channel catfish adults were transferred to multiple ponds in Southwest Idaho during 2013 and 2014.  The lack of 2013 records in the stocking database is an oversight and will be corrected shortly, whereas the 2014 events have yet to be entered. It should be noted that we no longer stock fingerling channel catfish in smaller waters in this portion of the state as they did not create or contribute to fisheries. The annual stocking of Lake Lowell will continue for the forseeable future, though at a slightly reduced level of 5,000 fingerlings annually.  Past stocking has produced a good yet underutilized fishery with some very large individuals present.    

A: 

During a Muzzleloader Only season no person shall take big game animils with any firearm, muzzleloading pistol or other implement other than a muzzleloading rifle or musket in accordance with weapon restrictions listed in the Big Game Seasons and Rules; for 2014 seasons listed on page 100.

A: 

I'll try to help you out.  I think it helps if you know why we have this controlled hunt.  The intent was to harvest antlerless elk where we are having some problems with too many elk on private agricultural land.  That is why the hunt is restricted to "on and within one mile of private land ..."  You are not restricted from all federal land, but the federal land must be within one mile of private land.  We know that not everyone likes to knock on doors to get permission to hunt a private alfalfa field, for example.  By allowing hunters to kill an elk on public land within one mile of the private land we are likely still killing some of those elk that are hitting the private fields. So in short, the hunt includes all of Unit 3 and the western portions of Units 4 and 6.  You can hunt on all private land, with landowner permission of course.  You can also hunt on non-private (i.e., Forest Service) land - but you must be within one mile of private land to do so.  I hope this helps, and good luck!

A: 

No, the Idaho Deparment of Fish and Game does not maintain a list of licensed guides and outfitters.  Please contact the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board at (208) 327-7380 or visit their website at: http://oglb.idaho.gov/.

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There will be no rainchecks offered for this hunt.  There is still much unburned land in the unit and the fire is now out.  For more information, please contact ther Clearwater Regional Office at: 208-799-5010.

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No. The application period for the second draw is August 5th through August 15th. There is no limit to the number of applications we will accept during that time following the appropriate application rules as listed in the 2014 big game proclamations on page 108 through 111.

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No.  In early July, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission approved the earliest and most liberal mourning dove season allowed. The 2014 dove season will last 60 days, from September 1 through October 30. The daily bag limit will be 15 birds and the possession limit will be 45. The information from the website was taken from the rules rooks which were printed in January.  The website will be updated soon to reflect these changes.

A: 

A number of lakes were stocked many years ago with rainbow and cutthroat trout that established natural reproducing populations.  When we inventory the fish populations in the lakes, if they are being sustained by natural reproduction, we often discontinue stocking or stock less frequently.  Most mountain lake stocking that currently takes place is with sterile fish so we can better control spread and population numbers in the various lakes. Most mountain lake stocking in Idaho is done by fixed-wing airplane.  There are some lakes that may not have a map name but we have a drainage numbering system and GPS coordinates that remain on our stocking schedule.  Some of these lakes without names may also have been inadvertently stocked prior to GPS technology and a self-sustaining population of fish resulted. Species of fish stocked in a mountain lake depends on the type of habitat available, the availability of westslope cutthroat, and the preference of our Regional Fisheries Managers.  Over the years, by trial-and-error, we've discovered rainbow trout do better in some lakes than rainbow trout and vise-versa.  We've also made changes based on angler preference, as well.  There are even a number of lakes that receive both rainbow and cuttroat in the same year.  Additionally, there are some years where we don't have enough cutthroat to meet stocking requests so we substitute sterile rainbow trout - just to maintain a fishery in lakes without natural reproduction. By all means - please send us fishing reports from your mountain lakes fishing trips.  Because of the amount of time required to access the lakes from the ground, our sampling crews visit them once every 10 - 12 years.  Your information if invaluable in helping us make adjustments to our management of mountain lakes fisheries.  

A: 

The trapper education course we offer suggests that trappers use a .22 caliber firearm to dispatch the animal.  If a person cannot carry a firearm, another method recommended is to strike smaller furbearers with a small club at the base of the skull.  The other methods you described above are not recommended in the course but are not specifically illegal in Idaho code.  We always recommend humane treatment of the animals.

A: 

Youth hunts that are not filled in the second drawing can be purchased by those with a senior license or a disabled license through the leftover tag sale starting August 25th at 10 am mountain time. See page 108 in the 2014 big game proclamation booklets.