Big Game Rule Books are Available

The 2014 Big Game Seasons and Rules brochures are back from the printer and should be available at license vendors and Fish and Game offices in most locations. They are also available online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/rules/?getPage=63. Elk hunters will notice changes to several elk management zones. The Owyhee-South Hills zone has been split into two separate zones. Unit 56 has been moved from the Bannock to the South Hills zone. The Smoky Mountains zone and Bennett Hills zone have been combined into the Smoky-Bennett zone. The Teton zone has been dissolved, with unit 62 moved to the Island Park zone and unit 65 now in the Palisades zone. Wolf hunters will notice that bag limits have been standardized to five wolves per year statewide. The hunting season was also extended to year-round on private land in Units 8, 8A, 10, 10A, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 16A, 17, 18, 19, and 20. The wolf trapping bag limit has also been standardized to five wolves per season in all units open to wolf trapping. There are new trapping seasons in 10 game management units, and legally-salvaged roadkill may be used for trapping wolves statewide. Effective July 1, 2014 - the minimum age to hunt big game will be lowered from 12 to 10 years of age. Normally a hunter who will be of legal age at the time of a hunt can apply before reaching that age. However, because this law does not take effect until July 1, 2014, hunters who are 9 or 10 cannot apply for big game controlled hunts in the first controlled hunt application periods (April 1 to April 30; May 1 to June 5.) After the law is enacted in July, 9 and 10 year-olds who will turn 10 or 11 during the season can apply in the second application period in August. Idaho's trespass law and use of aircraft law related to hunting have been updated. Hunters will notice adjustments to seasons have been made in all regions of Idaho, so attention to the current seasons and rules is important.