Turkey hunters will get an increased daily bag limit for turkeys in the spring to two bearded turkeys, and for fall hunts, the daily bag limit will align with the number of tags a hunter possesses.
Previously, bag limits were one per day in the spring and one per day in the fall, except in some units in the Panhandle.
The application for spring controlled hunts for turkeys is Feb. 1 through March 1, and information about 2018 controlled hunts are posted online, and that information will also be available at regional offices for those who don't have internet access. New rules booklets are expected to be out in mid-to-late February.
Other rule changes for 2018-19 include:
Statewide
Extend the closing date for cottontail rabbits from February 28 to March 31.
Turkeys
Panhandle
Increase the length of the fall turkey season by 16 days - move the season opener to August 30 from September 15.
Clearwater
Eliminate the break in the fall turkey season (Units 8, 8A, 10A, 11, 11A, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 18), remove the limitation to hunt only on private lands, and move the season opener to August 30 from September 15. In the past there has been a split during which hunting was closed between October 10 and November 20.
Increase the length of the fall turkey season (Units 10, 12, 16A, 17, 19, and 20) by 16 days - move the season opener to August 30.
Southwest
Add a new fall controlled hunt in portions of GMUs 22, 31, 32 (except that portion in Payette County) outside the National Forest System boundary. There will be 75 tags and the season will run October 10–November 30.
Increase tag numbers by 15 in each of the four spring controlled hunts in Hunt Area 38-1 (all of Unit 38 and that portion of Unit 32 in Payette County) - a total increase of 60 tags.
Increase fall tag numbers for Hunt Area 38-1 by 20 tags.
Southeast
Close general spring turkey season in Unit 70.
Salmon
Add new spring youth controlled hunts in Units 21, 21A, 29, 30, and that portion of Unit 28 downstream from the Hat Creek drainage.
Add new fall controlled hunt in Units 21, 21A, 29, 30, and that portion of Unit 28 downstream from the Hat Creek drainage.
Add new fall controlled hunt in Units 36A, 36B, 37, 37A, and that portion of Unit 28 upstream from and including the Hat Creek drainage.
Increase the number of tags in existing controlled hunts in all of Units 36A, 36B, 37, 37A, and that portion of Unit 28 upstream from and including the Hat Creek drainage.
Trapping rules changes
Foxes
Southwest
Eliminate existing area closure to allow hunting and trapping of foxes on private land in that portion of Adams County within the Little Salmon River drainage.
Eliminate existing area closure to allow both trapping and hunting of foxes throughout Valley County, including on private land.
Beavers
Southeast
Eliminate existing closure to allow beaver trapping in Miner and Cedar creeks.
Add two Controlled Beaver Trapping Units for the Cottonwood Creek drainage within Bannock County (five beavers each).
Split existing Controlled Beaver Trapping Unit 202 into two separate Controlled Trapping Units, one in Pebble Creek and one in Toponce Creek in Caribou County. Each Controlled Trapping Unit would allow take of five beavers.