Press Releases and Articles
Fish and Game to offer two hunter education classes in the Magic Valley Region
| idfg-tthompson
Are you or someone in your family in need of a hunter education class? Anyone born after January 1, 1975, is required to successfully pass a hunter education class before they can purchase a hunting license and hunt in Idaho.
The Magic Valley Region will be offering two hunter education classes in February… more
Lake Cascade Fishery Update for 2025
| idfg-anthony.dangora
As we enter the new year, the ice fishing season on Lake Cascade is off to a strong start. Winter arrived early this year, and we have received reports of people catching some nice perch, trout, and coho through the ice already. Ice depths are reportedly reaching up to 8 inches on the lake's southern and northern ends… more
Southwest Region rainbow trout stocking schedule - January
| idfg-bpearson
Fish and Game staff will be stocking more than 1,600 catchable-size (10 to 12 inch) trout at the following locations across the Southwest Region in January.
All fish stocked are rainbow trout. Stocking of all waters is tentative and dependent on river/lake/pond conditions (angler safety concerns… more
F&G flying Weiser River Elk Zone survey in early January
| idfg-bpearson
Starting in early January, Idaho Fish and Game staff in the Southwest Region will begin an aerial survey of the Weiser River Zone elk population – one of many survey efforts taking place around the state this year that help game managers understand population numbers and trends.
This survey is… more
Application period for Disabled Veterans and Children with Special Needs Special Big Game Tag program runs Jan. 2-31
| idfg-cliess
The application period for Disabled Veterans and Children with Special Needs Big Game Tag programs is Jan. 2 through Jan. 31 of the calendar year of the hunt.
Disabled Veterans Special Big Game TagThe Disabled Veterans Special Big Game Tag program allows a qualified organization to apply for a special big game… more
Fish and Game begins to feed elk at the Bullwhacker feed site west of Ketchum
| idfg-tthompson
Fish and Game, Magic Valley Region has announced that they will begin feeding elk at the Bullwhacker feed site starting the week of January 5, 2025, as snow has started to accumulate, and temperatures are dipping.
Historically, the site feeds over 125 elk each year.
An update on 2024 rainbow trout suppression along the South Fork Snake River
| idfg-Sage.Unsworth
This year marks the fourth year of the five-year evaluation into whether the manual removal (hereafter suppression) of Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (RBT) can positively benefit the abundance and genetic structure of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout O. virginalis bouvieri (YCT) in the South Fork Snake River (SFSR… more
Henrys Lake Newsletter – Winter 2024/2025
| idfg-Nathan.Ti…
Henrys Lake anglers, let’s get you caught up on recent happenings, this year’s stocking report, and much more. We’ve been busy this season, and there’s a lot to share. Let’s get into it! But first, a brief fishing report.
Fishing Report
The lake ice-capped this year on November 19, and we’ve been building… more
Idaho Fish and Game to host open house in Jerome on season-setting process for moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goats
| idfg-tthompson
Idaho Fish and Game, Magic Valley Region, will be hosting an open house on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at the Magic Valley Regional Office to gather public input on the 2025-2026 moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat season proposals. Wildlife biologists will be available from 3 – 7 p.m. to provide information and… more
Oxbow Hatchery: Redesigned for the future
| idfg-jbruns
Overview:
Oxbow Hatchery, owned by Idaho Power Company (IPC), was built in 1961 after the completion of Oxbow Dam on the Snake River. Oxbow is the first of four mitigation hatcheries constructed by IPC to help in the restoration of salmon and steelhead runs on the Snake and Salmon Rivers in the northwest.
… more
2025-'27 Fishing Seasons and Rules booklet has a new look, and here are helpful hints on how to use it
| idfg-rphillips
Here’s to a happy 2025, and surely the top of your New Year’s resolutions is reading the new 2025-27 Idaho Fishing Seasons and Rules.
No? Oh well, hopefully you will read the new fishing regulations booklet at some point during the year, and you may notice they look different.
But before we get into that… more
Statewide trout stocking highlights for January 2025
| idfg-cliess
A couple of Idaho’s lakes and ponds are soon going to be bolstered with Idaho Fish and Game stocking roughly 2,500 catchable-sized rainbow trout this January. Wondering if the stocking trucks are going to be backing up to your favorite fishing hole? We asked our Fish and Game hatchery staff to boil down some of the… more
Cassia County infant attacked and injured by a raccoon in his home
| idfg-tthompson
On the evening of December 23, 2024, Idaho Fish and Game officers received a report from the Cassia County Sheriff that an infant had been attacked and injured by a raccoon in his parents’ home. Officers from both agencies responded and determined the infant was in an infant carrier while the mother was settling in… more
Rainbow trout stocking schedule for January 2025 in the Magic Valley Region
| idfg-tthompson
Hatchery personnel from Fish and Game’s Magic Valley Region will be stocking approximately 900 10-12” catchable-sized rainbow trout in January, all in Filer Kid’s Pond and Filer Pond. The stocking date and numbers of fish are approximate.
Stocking of all waters is tentative and dependent on river/lake/pond… more
Important dates to help plan your January
| idfg-cliess
From tags sales to season closures, there’s a lot happening in Idaho during January that you should be aware of. Staying in the loop can be the difference between applying for that coveted controlled hunt tag and watching from the sidelines.
Be sure to stay up to date on all Fish and Game happenings. Here are… more
It's a new year, so time for a new salmon/steelhead permit (and new rules)
| idfg-rphillips
Along with a new Fishing Seasons and Rules booklet for 2025, anglers who purchase a paper salmon permit will notice they have a new look. The following changes have been made to the paper permits:
1) Anglers are no longer required to physically remove a “notch” from the permit when a fish is harvested
2… more
Fish and Game euthanizes a mountain lion near Ketchum that had killed a family pet
| idfg-tthompson
On the morning of December 18, 2024, a Fish and Game conservation officer received a report of a pet cat that had been killed by a mountain lion in the backyard of a residence south of Ketchum. The attack occurred within a 6-foot tall, fenced backyard. The owner had just let the cat outside, and within minutes, the… more
New 2025-2027 Fishing Seasons and Rules booklets now available
| idfg-cliess
Idaho Fish and Game's 2025-2027 Fishing Seasons and Rules are available digitally on our website and printed booklets will arrive at Fish and Game regional offices in early January and at license vendors in mid January. The new seasons and rules take effect Jan. 1, 2025.
Remember, you can share your love of the… more