Ask Fish and Game

Q. Why does the opening of deer season sometimes fall on Sunday? Some of us do not hunt on Sundays. A. Deer and other big game seasons have long been set to begin on a certain calendar date every year to cut down on the confusion that once reigned because of individual units opening on different dates around Idaho. Setting one opening date for popular seasons also served to prevent hunters from clumping up on opening day in several different areas. At the time the current date system was set, many hunters expressed a strong desire to have a date fixed from year to year so they could make long-range hunting plans. Depending on the calendar in any particular year, your favorite season might begin on a Sunday. Fish and Game regrets any inconvenience to hunters, but the current system was selected after heavy public comment and from many competing suggestions to make as many people as possible happy. State big game manager Brad Compton says he will look for ways to avoid Sunday openings.