Frequently Asked Questions

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It depends if you are a resident of Idaho or a nonresident, and which hunting license you purchased.    Resident youth with appropriate an hunting license can hunt without adult supervision.  However, nonresident youth who purchase a Junior Mentored Hunting license must be accompanied in the field by an adult license holder close enough to be within normal conversation or hearing range without shouting or the aid of electronic devices.   In addition, the accompanying adult mentoring youth with Junior Mentored licenses must also have a tag valid for the same species.

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You're interpretation is correct.  You can use up to 5 barbless hooks per line while fishing through the ice at Daniels Reservoir.  Only one line is allowed while ice fishing on this reservoir.   F08

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The migratory bird permit must be added to the Sportsman's Package.

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Yes, you can hunt coyotes and upland birds on the Boise River WMA.  The sign you referred to is outdated and will be taken down.

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You can hunt coyotes on the Boise River WMA.  Restrictions apply to big game hunts. There is a motor vehicle closure in effect from November 16th through April 30th and we also remind hunters to be mindful of the primary purpose of the WMA is to minimize disturbance to wintering wildlife. 

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There are waterfowl hunting opportunities on the Sterling Wildlife Management Area (WMA), at the American Falls Reservoir, McTucker Ponds area, as well as the Portneuf River near Pocatello.  Be aware that the Fort Hall Indian Reservation land is close by and that it cannot be hunted without a special permit from the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe.

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There are several ponds on Sterling WMA that provide good duck hunting.  However many of them freeze up pretty early most years.  Call the Southeast Regional office (232-4703) and ask for Dean Rose, the WMA manager.  He can give you up-to-date information on the conditions and give you advice on where to hunt.

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Are you referring to the Super Hunt and Super Hunt Combo?  If so, both are available for Idaho residents and nonresidents, and hunters may enter both drawings as many times as they like.  Tickets are available from Fish and Game offices, license vendors and over the phone at 1-800-554-8685 or at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/buy_online.  

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Why Manage Wildlife in Wilderness By Virgil Moore, Director, Idaho Fish and Game Recent media coverage about Idaho Fish and Game sending an employee to try to remove two of the wolf packs in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness has raised questions and concerns.  Many Idahoans have strong feelings about wolves – and wilderness.  I’ve heard from those who believe we should take a hands-off approach and “let nature take its course” in wilderness, while others feel Fish and Game’s actions are not aggressive enough to recover elk herds in the area.  Since their introduction into Idaho, we have come to understand that wolves are very prolific at reproducing and colonizing new territory and they can withstand relatively high mortality levels.  In 2002, the Idaho State legislature adopted a state wolf management plan to ensure that Idaho’s wolf population would remain on the Idaho landscape and off the federal endangered species list.  Part of keeping wolves in Idaho is managing them to reduce conflicts.  Idaho law says that wildlife throughout our state belongs to the citizens and that Fish and Game will manage to preserve, protect, perpetuate such wildlife, and provide for the citizens continued supplies for hunting, fishing and trapping.  Wildlife management often involves action:  reducing crop damage from deer and elk herds through special hunts, reducing traffic collisions with big game animals, removing mountain lions from cities, preventing nuisance bear behavior by improving public awareness about sanitation, addressing overpopulation by increasing harvest, and recovering populations in decline by improving habitat, and in this case, reducing predation. Fish and Game seeks to manage large predators (black bears, mountain lions, and gray wolves) in balance with their prey.  The pack behavior of wolves is different than more solitary predators.  The rapid growth of the wolf population disrupted the predator-prey balance in some areas and is a major factor in preventing some elk populations from rebounding.  The wilderness is a special place but it is different from a national park.  Backcountry hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing are treasured opportunities, and Fish and Game has actively managed wildlife in central Idaho since before the area was designated wilderness. Aerial surveys tell us that in the Frank Church wilderness, elk populations have dropped 43 percent since 2002 and wolf populations are too high in relation to elk numbers.   Our research in other backcountry areas indicates that wolf predation is a major factor preventing elk populations from recovering.  We know there are at least six documented packs in the Middle Fork Salmon zone, and several more packs throughout the wilderness area.  Recent back country wildfires have increased elk forage but may take a few years for habitat to fully recover. Wolf hunting and trapping by sportsmen in the Middle Fork zones have not been sufficiently effective in reducing elk predation.  Even if successful, this action will in no way come near to eliminating wolves.  That is not, and never will be our goal.  More information about the Middle Fork zone elk population trends is included on page 97 of Fish and Game’s new 10 year Draft Elk Management Plan posted on the Fish and Game website.  Here’s the link: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/wildlife/?getpage=324 .

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Yes!  All hunters must have an Idaho hunting license to hunt in Idaho.  If you are only interested in coyotes and jackrabbits, you can purchase a nongame license for $35.50.  If you are interested in hunting any game animals, the license you purchase to hunt them will also allow you to hunt coyotes and jackrabbits.

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You can now look up your Idaho Hunter Education (or Bowhunter Education number) and print out the information from our Website at: https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/hed/public/duplicateprintcards.aspx.   Idaho residents--if you need the information for a concealed weapon permit, some Idaho counties may not accept the printout from our website.  Check with them to see if they will accept the card that you print out at home.      If you have problems, call IDFG at 208-287-2872.