Commission Plans Caps on Three Elk Zones

Meeting in Pocatello October 2, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission served notice that they may cap the number of elk B tags in three hunting zones for the 2002 season. The Commission took the action to avoid having sold too many nonresident B tags, which go on sale December 1, if they go ahead in March with caps on tags in those zones. If the new zones are capped, this brings to six the number of zones with limited tags. The commission announced its intent to review the question of caps in the Boise, Elk City and Dworshak zones after studying winter herd census data. If caps are imposed, the Boise River zone will have 3,013 B tags for residents and 287 for nonresidents; Dworshak zone 2,118 for residents and 262 for nonresidents; and Elk City zone 1,323 for residents and 352 for nonresidents. The numbers are based on historic use. Commissioners are concerned that a lot of bulls are being taken in these zones. They face a choice between limiting participation in rifle hunts or having the number and age of the bulls in the herds reduced. The other capped zones are the Lolo, Selway and Middle Fork zones. They were capped at the same levels as in previous years.