April 2014

Fish and Game's fishing trailer will soon be making an appearance at local ponds across the region, promoting the sport of fishing as part of an active outdoor lifestyle. Staff will be available at the trailer to provide fishing instruction and to hand-out loaner rods, bait and other fishing gear.

To learn more about the trailer, contact the Fish and Game Lewiston office at 799-5010. More information regarding the fishing trailer is available on Fish and Game's website at

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov.

The trailer's 2014 schedule will kick off at Hordemann Pond in Moscow on Saturday, May 3rd followed by a stop at Kiwanis Park in Lewiston Saturday, May 10th. A fishing license is not needed by any participant that registers at the trailer for the duration of the event, regardless of age or residency.

2014 Clearwater Region Fishing Trailer Schedule

- Saturday, May 3 - Hordemann Pond (Moscow) - 8:00am-12:00pm

- Saturday, May 10 - Kiwanis Pond (Lewiston) - 10:00am-1:00pm

- Saturday, May 17 - Spring Valley Reservoir (Troy) - 10:00am-1:00pm

- Saturday, May 24 - Mann Lake (Lewiston) - 10:00am-1:00pm

- Saturday, May 31 - Deyo Reservoir (Weippe) - 10:00am-1:00pm

- Saturday, June 7 - Moose Creek Reservoir (Bovill) - 10:00am-1:00pm

- Saturday, June 21 - Elk Creek Reservoir (Elk River) - 10:00am-1:00pm

- Saturday, June 28 - Winchester State Park (Winchester) - 10:00am-1:00pm

A cow moose that was carrying a fetus a little more than a month away from birth was found dead along Penny Lane off Sanders Rd. The location is about three miles north of Emida in Benewah County.

According to Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) Senior Conservation Officer Rob Morris, the moose was shot on the afternoon of April 22, 2014. No meat was taken from the cow and there were no apparent indications that anyone made an effort to retrieve the animal.

"The person who did this took not only the cow moose from the people of Idaho, they also killed her unborn calf," said Officer Morris.

Anyone with any information on this or any other wildlife crimes is asked to contact the IDFG Panhandle Region Office at (208)769-1414; or, contact Sr. Conservation Officer Rob Morris (208)993-0283. Concerned citizens can also call the Citizens Against Poaching hotline, (800)632-5999.

The chance at Idaho's ultimate hunting opportunity is up for grabs, as Fish and Game is once again selling tickets for the Super Hunt drawings. Entries in the first Super Hunt and Super Hunt Combo drawing must be received by May 31 with the drawing set for June 10. All entries received after May 31 will go into the second drawing scheduled for mid-August. All entries for the second drawing must be received by August 10.

Winners can participate in any open hunt in the state for deer, elk, pronghorn or moose. That includes general hunts and controlled hunts. Hunters can take an animal or animals on their Super Hunt or Super Hunt Combo tags in addition to any general season or controlled hunt tags they also hold. All other regulations of individual hunts apply.

During the first drawing in June, tags will be awarded for eight elk, eight deer, and eight pronghorn hunts as well as one moose hunt; one Super Hunt Combo ticket also will be drawn that will entitle the winner to hunt for one each: elk, deer, pronghorn, and moose.

In August, another Super Hunt Combo tag will be awarded, along with Super Hunt tags for two elk, two deer, and two pronghorn and one moose hunt.

The special drawings began in 2004 as a way to raise money for the Access Yes! program, which helps assure hunter and angler access to and across private lands by compensating willing landowners

The first entry costs $6; additional entries for the same species cost $4 each when purchased at the same time. Super Hunt Combo entries cost $20 for one; additional entries are $16 when purchased at the same time. You don't need a license to enter and you may enter as many times as you like:

- Online with a credit card;

- At License Vendors with a credit card;

- By Phone: 1-800-554-8685 with a credit card;

- At Fish and Game offices with a debit card;

- By mail, send a Super Hunt order form with a check.

Summer in Idaho means camps for kids. If you are 10 to 12 years old and want to learn outdoor skills, become certified through hunter education and experience a wide variety of other fun outdoor activities, consider attending the Youth Conservation Camp, August 11-15, at Trinity Pines Camp and Conference Center in Cascade, ID.

Campers participate in hands-on learning activities in firearm safety and shooting, wildlife conservation and identification, fishing techniques, archery fundamentals, introduction to trapping, and much more in a scenic outdoor setting. The camp also includes a fun float down the Payette River.

Idaho's Youth Conservation Camp is sponsored and directed by the Idaho Conservation Officer's Association and Idaho Department of Fish and Game - the same people who manage Idaho's fish and wildlife. Conservation officers and biologists direct the camp and lead learning opportunities in the classroom and in the field.

The overall goal is to help young people learn about and cultivate a respect for Idaho's natural resources and the people who work to protect, preserve, and perpetuate those resources.

Registration is first come first served to the first 36 youth. Cost per camper is $265.00; which includes food, lodging and equipment for the week. An informative video from the first camp in 2010 is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0unF3ejo0GQ

To learn more or to register, visit the Idaho Conservation Officer Association's Facebook page at, https://www.facebook.com/#!/idahoconservationofficersassociation, or contact your nearest Idaho Fish and Game office.

Spring is baby season for all things wild, with most birds and animals busy with the task of raising their offspring. It's also the time of year when well-intentioned folks find "abandoned" critters and bring them by our office or call with questions about how to care for their new discoveries. We offer this simple solution: leave them alone.

Most young wildlife picked up by well-meaning, concerned citizens die in captivity. Their dietary and other needs are highly specialized and difficult to mimic sufficiently. Should they beat the odds and survive, they face a hostile world with no survival skills. A lifetime of captivity is likely their fate.

The list of young animals brought to our office this time of year is nearly limitless: baby robins, young red-tailed hawks, fawn mule deer, calf elk, baby raccoons, and baby rabbits just to name a few. The unfortunate part of these well-intended "rescues" is that in most cases, the animal was not lost, abandoned, or orphaned.

As baby birds mature, they often leave the nest in their efforts to hone their flying skills. Adult birds continue to feed their offspring until such time that the young birds can survive on their own. Mammals (including deer and elk) routinely leave their young ones in a secure location, moving off to feed and returning later (sometimes hours later) to retrieve their youngster(s). So in your forays afield, should you be fortunate enough to encounter a wild baby, appreciate it and then leave it alone. Chances are very good that its parents are nearby, waiting for you to leave.