Boise River Elk Hunters Reminded of Cap

Hunters who bought the B-tag for the Unit 39 Boise River elk hunting zone last fall will be notified by post card that the number of tags available this year has been capped. About 4,000 elk hunters will see the card in the mail within 10 days. This form of special notification of a rule that has already been made and included in the current big game hunting rules booklet may be unprecedented but Fish and Game wildlife managers want to make sure hunters are fully aware of this important change in one of Idaho's most popular hunting units. Fish and Game commissioners voted in March to place a limit of 3,300 B-tagsÑtags that allow the taking of bull elk with riflesÑon the unit in an attempt to maintain quality elk hunting there. The harvest of bull elk has been too high in recent years to maintain management goals. Unit 39 borders the most populous area of Idaho and is generally easily accessible. Of the 3,300 tags, 269 were allotted to nonresidents and 18 to outfitters. Slightly more than 4,000 hunters bought B-tags for the unit last year. Resident hunters may buy tags or exchange their receipts for tags they have already bought beginning on August 1. Tags are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. When Idahoans were asked two years ago for Fish and Game fee increases, more information for hunters and anglers was frequently mentioned by license buyers as one aspect of service they wanted to see improved. This card mailing is an effort by the department to improve that service.