F&G Plans Public Meetings on Sandhill Season

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is planning public meetings during the week of June 25-29 to gather comments on the 2012 sandhill crane seasons. An open house meeting will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 5, in the Upper Snake Region office in Idaho Falls to discuss sandhill crane permit levels and proposed nonbiological rule changes. Other locations and times will be announced when they are set. The Idaho allocation of cranes this year is lower than 2011, and the lowest since 2004. The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will set the 2012 sandhill crane seasons at the July 12 meeting in Coeur d'Alene. Season dates would fall between September 1 and January 31, with a daily bag limit of three birds. Sandhill crane tags are made available on a first-come first-served basis.