Should Motorized Hunting Be Regulated?

Mon, 01/31/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-lfrench

By Mark Gamblin - Idaho Department of Fish and Game The 2010 big game hunting season is now history, with stories of success, near misses, and golden memories for families and friends. Last hunting season was also the first year of implementation for the motorized vehicle hunting rule (MVR) in the Diamond Creek Zone (… more

Ask Fish and Game: Lifetime Licenses

Mon, 01/31/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-nnokkentved

Q. If I buy a lifetime license and leave the state, do I have to pay nonresident tag fees? A. Yes. The lifetime license is valid regardless of where you live. Over years, you will save serious money on the license itself. But tag fees for nonresidents would apply if you become a resident of another state or country… more

Lake Pend Oreille Fishery Meeting Scheduled

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-nnokkentved

The Lake Pend Oreille Fishery Recovery Task Force and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game have scheduled an informational "State of the Lake" public meeting. Topics of discussion include the status of fish populations in Lake Pend Oreille; and, progress of the fishery recovery effort. The meeting is scheduled for… more

Fish and Game Looking for Information on Poached Moose

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-nnokkentved

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is looking for any information regarding a bull moose that was found shot and left to waste near Masson Butte, northwest of Orofino. Officers responding to a call from a concerned citizen, found a bull moose near marker 10.5 on the Mason Butte Road. The moose was a large bull that… more

Deer and Elk Outlook Good for Fall Hunts

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-lfrench

Deer and elk numbers are meeting management objectives in most parts of the state, but hunter numbers are down. White-tail deer are meeting management objectives for buck harvest throughout the state. Mule deer exceed management objectives for buck to doe ratio. Statewide fawn survival last winter was about 70… more

Family Ice Fishing Clinic and Derby Planned at Spring Valley Reservoir

Mon, 01/24/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-nnokkentved

Break out of your winter hibernation! Bring the whole family to Spring Valley Reservoir near Moscow for a Family Ice Fishing Clinic and Derby from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, January 29. Idaho Fish and Game will provide free bait as well as rods and reels for loan on a first-come-first-serve basis. Volunteers from the… more

Apply Now for Spring Turkey, Black Bear Controlled Hunts

Mon, 01/24/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

The application period for spring turkey and black bear controlled hunts is open and runs through February 15. Spring turkey and spring black bear seasons start April 15 - some controlled hunts open later. Leftover tags for spring turkey and bear controlled hunts go on sale April 1. Information on spring hunts is… more

Fish & Game Commission Calendar for 2011

Mon, 01/24/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-lfrench

Additional meetings may be set on short notice. January 26, 27 / Annual Meeting Location: Boise Public Hearing: 7 p.m. January 26 Routine Agenda Items: Season setting: moose, sheep, and goat (biennial 2011); JFAC budget preview; big game briefing. March 28, 29 / Special Meeting Location: Boise Public… more

Ask Fish and Game: Wildlife Plates for Trailers

Mon, 01/24/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

Q. I have wildlife plates on my pickup, but can I get wildlife plates for my camping trailer? A. Yes, you can. They have been available since January 1, 2003. Because no rules prohibited such plates, the Transportation Department decided it was allowed to issue some special interest plates for such towed vehicles.… more

Bald Eagle Days Feature Raptor Viewing, Education

Mon, 01/24/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

The 12th annual Bald Eagle Days, January 29, will feature events for all ages, including viewing bald eagles and other wildlife along the Boise River. Bald Eagle Day, the signature event of the annual festivities, runs from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, January 29, at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, 5657 Warm Springs… more

Sportsmen Against Hunger Event to Benefit Idaho Food Bank

Mon, 01/24/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-nnokkentved

Sportsmen and sportswomen in southeast Idaho are joining forces to help with an important cause - fighting hunger. The fifth annual Sportsmen Against Hunger event is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, January 29, at the Cal Ranch Store in Pocatello. Those who attend the event can help raise money for the… more

Grizzly Bear Committee to Meet in Missoula in January

Fri, 01/14/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-nnokkentved

The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee's annual winter meeting will be January 19 and 20 in Missoula, Montana. The multi-agency committee is responsible for grizzly bear recovery in the continental United States and adjacent Canadian provinces. The meeting will take place at the Hilton Garden Inn at 3720 North… more

Don't Forget to File Hunter Reports

Fri, 01/14/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

Hunter reports are trickling in a little slower than the same time last year - but this year more are coming in online. All deer, elk and pronghorn hunters must complete and submit a report for each tag issued within 10 days of harvest or within 10 days of the close of the season for which the tag was valid. Last… more

Winter Feeding is No Simple Solution

Fri, 01/14/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

Few wildlife issues are as complex or as emotionally charged as feeding big game during the winter. As soon as the snow begins to fly, questions about feeding big game animals start. People feed birds in the winter; so why not deer? But the decision to feed big game animals during winter is anything but arbitrary.… more

Ask Fish and Game: Two-Pole Permit for Ice Fishing

Fri, 01/14/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

Q. Can I use a two-pole permit for ice fishing in Idaho? A. It depends. In most of the state, there are no restrictions on the number of holes, but an ice angler can fish with up to five poles or lines at a time, and up to five hooks per line. A two-pole validation does not allow more than five lines while ice fishing… more

Poacher Pleads Guilty in Felony Elk Case

Fri, 01/14/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-mcoleman

A Montana man entered a guilty plea before Fourth Judicial District Judge Patrick Owen in Boise County court Thursday, January 13. Gary A. Parrett, 36, of Great Falls, Mont., was charged with taking two bull elk in a closed season, the wanton waste of two bull elk, and hunting elk without the proper tag. He pleaded… more

Fish and Game Commission to Meet in Boise in January

Mon, 01/10/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-lfrench

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will set seasons for moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat for 2011 and 2012 during the annual meeting January 26 and 27 in Boise. Commissioners will meet with the Senate Resources and Environment Committee at the Statehouse Wednesday afternoon, January 26, followed by an executive… more

Tax Check-off Supports Wildlife

Mon, 01/10/2011 - 00:00 | idfg-nnokkentved

Folks getting ready to file their tax returns might consider supporting Idaho's wildlife. Taxpayers may check the square on their Idaho tax forms to donate any amount of their refund to the Nongame Wildlife Conservation Fund administered by Idaho Fish and Game. Other Fish and Game programs aimed at game animals and… more