Frequently Asked Questions

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Battery operated sights, including those made by Eotech, are legal to hunt turkeys with in Idaho.  However, if the sight casts a light, including laser light, it is not legal to hunt with.

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To hunt during an archery-only season or archery-only controlled hunt, you will need an archery permit.  To purchase an archery permit, you must possess a valid Idaho hunting license and show proof you have completed an approved bowhunter education course or show evidence of having been licensed for an archery-only hunt in Idaho or another state, or complete an affidavit to that effect.  A copy of the bowhunter/archery affidavit form is on our website at https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/licenses/huntBowAffidavit.pdf

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No other permit is required.  More information: Spear Fishing in IdahoArchery and Spear Fishing is defined as: Fishing with a bow and arrow, crossbow, spear or mechanical device, excluding firearms. This type of fishing is permitted only in the taking of bullfrogs and unprotected nongame fish and only in those waters during the season set for the taking of game fish. You must have an Idaho fishing license; no other permit is necessary. Game Fish: these species, except for bullfrogs, may not be taken using archery or spear: Brook, brown, bull, cutthroat, golden, lake (Mackinaw), rainbow (including steelhead), splake and Sunapee trout; trout hybrids; Chinook, coho, Atlantic, and kokanee (blueback) salmon; grayling; whitefish; cisco; crappie; perch; bass; catfish; bullhead; sunfish; sturgeon; northern pike; tiger muskie; walleye and sauger; and burbot (Ling). Bullfrogs and crayfish are also defined as game fish. Nongame Fish: Any fish not specifically defined as a “game fish.” may be taken using archery or spear equipment.  Except protected nongame fish (Shoshone, Wood River, and Bear Lake sculpin, sand roller, northern leatherside chub, bluehead sucker and Pacific lamprey) may not be taken by fishing or archery or spear equipment.

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No.  A superhunt tag allows you to hunt in any hunt in Idaho for the species you draw, but you must abide by the rules we set in place for the hunt including legal weapons that can be used.  If the hunt as we set it up is archery-only, you can only hunt in it using archery equipment and you must have an archery validation.  You cannot use a rifle or muzzleloading weapon.

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No.  The age change (to 10 years old) doesn't go into effect until July 1, so a 10 year old cannot apply in May/June application period in 2014.    

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The daily bag limit for trout on C.J. Strike Reservoir is 6 fish per day.  You can keep all the yellow perch, crappie, and catfish that you can catch.

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No, if the parent is not fishing, they are not required to have a license.  

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Idaho Department Fish and Game's efforts to assist with fire rehab efforts are coordinated with private, state, and federal landowners/managers.  Usually rehab efforts happen during the first 3 years following a wildlfire.  During that period federal agencies have funding available for stabilizing burned areas, and it is also the most opportune time to try and establish desired vegetation prior to less desirasble vegetation gaining a foothold and then having a competitve advantage over plants that are seeded in the future. If the burned lands in the Hunt and Dietrich areas are on public lands, such as BLM or IDL, you can contact those agencies to see what options are available to rehab them.  If it is on private lands, the landowner can contact the local NRCS, or you can contact IDFG at the Magic Valley Regional Office in Jerome.  IDFG has some funding available via our HIP program for improving upland bird habitat on privately owned properties.  

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To hunt in an archery-only big game hunt in Idaho you must be able to prove that you have taken an archery-only education course or have hunted in an archery-only hunt in Idaho or another state.  If you have fulfilled either of these requirements but you no longer have the proof, you can sign a bowhunter affidavit (available online at https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/licenses/huntBowAffidavit.pdf) from a vendor).  At that time, you can purchase an archery validation on your license that allows you to participate in an archery-only big game hunt.    

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Here is some information on sage-grouse and hunting: In 2010 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) concluded that listing the greater sage-grouse range-wide as a threatened or endangered species was warranted, but precluded by higher priority listing actions.  Therefore, sage-grouse are a “candidate” species and remain a state-managed species.  Thus, hunting a candidate species is still legal.  When the USFWS evaluates a petition to list a species as threatened or endangered, they examine the best available data in relation to five factors.  These are:• Factor A.  Present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of the habitat of the species.• Factor B.  Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific or education purposes.• Factor C.  Disease and predation.• Factor D.  Inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms.• Factor E.  Other natural or manmade factors.  The USFWS concluded that Factors A and D were significant threats to sage-grouse, resulting in their conclusion that listing was warranted.  Hunting falls within Factor B.  The USFWS concluded that, “The present level of hunting mortality shows no signs of being a significant threat to the species.  However, in light of present and threatened habitat loss (Factor A) and other considerations (e.g., West Nile virus outbreaks in local populations), States and tribes will need to continue to carefully manage hunting mortality, including adjusting seasons and harvest levels, and imposing emergency closures if needed.”  The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) has been carefully reviewing and managing harvest of sage-grouse since 2008, when we began following the hunting season and bag-limit guidelines in the 2006 Conservation Plan for the Greater Sage-grouse in Idaho.  Each year IDFG evaluates population trends in 14 sage-grouse hunting zones and compares the data to these guidelines.  In addition, IDFG and 11 sage-grouse local working groups consider whether there are other issues of concern that may be currently impacting sage-grouse (for example, the current fire season and West Nile virus outbreaks).  The Commission sets the sage-grouse season in August after considering population trends, local issues, and public input.  Since implementing these guidelines, annual harvest has decreased significantly.  In the past three years, harvest has averaged 2,900 sage-grouse per year.  Compare that to 1985–1995 when an estimated 37,500 sage-grouse were harvested annually in Idaho.  IDFG’s sage-grouse hunting season process utilizes annual evaluations at the local level that considers circumstances that can change annually.  It allows for hunting opportunity in areas of healthy sage-grouse populations, while also closing areas to hunting where population numbers are low or are impacted by large fires or other habitat issues.  This past year, the sage-grouse hunting season was limited to seven days in 12 of the 14 hunting zones, with 2 zones being closed to hunting.  In the meantime, the state of Idaho, sage-grouse local working groups, and our federal partners continue to work cooperatively on sage-grouse habitat conservation issues throughout the state.  Projects such as re-seeding after wildfire, fire breaks, and weed control are critical for maintaining sage-grouse and the sagebrush ecosystem.  For more information on sage-grouse and cooperative conservation, visit the sage-grouse pages on the IDFG website:http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/wildlife/sageGrouse/

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Turkey drawing results are online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/licenses/controlledHunts/?getPage=81.