Commission to Meet March 13-14 in Boise

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will meet March 13-14, 2003 at Fish and Game headquarters, 600 South Walnut in Boise. There will be a public hearing at that location at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 12. The regular meeting will convene at 8:00 a.m. Thursday and Friday. At this meeting, the commission will set seasons for deer, elk, antelope, black bear and mountain lions. In that process it will consider proposals to restrict motor vehicle use by hunters in 16 big game management units. The proposal reads motorized vehicle use for hunting is restricted to established roadways open to motorized vehicle traffic capable of travel by full-sized automobiles. A full-sized automobile is defined as any motorized vehicle with a gross vehicle weight in excess of 1500 pounds. Units proposed for this restriction include all or parts of units 32, 32A, 47,48,49,50, 51, 58, 59, 59A, 70, 72, 73, 75, 77 and 78. Vehicle use for retrieval of game would be allowed under existing land management travel regulations. The proposal was developed after a similar restriction used only in Unit 47 last year, which garnered many compliments from hunters and no complaints. Having a hunt interrupted by an ATV or other vehicle is the most common complaint received by Fish and Game. The Fisheries Bureau will present a proposed management plan for white sturgeon to the commission. If approved, it will be released for public comment. The bureau will also give an overview on westslope cutthroat trout and an update on salmon and steelhead, and will propose moving the steelhead boundary on the upper Salmon River which would open about two miles of stream to fishing. The Wildlife Bureau will provide reports on the Access Yes proposal, the fawn monitoring program and the Landowner Appreciation Program. The licenses section will report on vendor compliance on archery education certification.