F&G Proposes Limited Waterfowl Hunt on Hagerman WMA

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is seeking public comments on a proposed limited waterfowl hunt on a portion of the Hagerman Wildlife Management Area. The Hagerman Valley is an important area for wintering waterfowl in southern Idaho, and the Hagerman WMA provides secure resting habitat for these waterfowl populations. The goal of the hunt would be to provide a very limited amount of high quality public waterfowl hunting while maintaining the existing secure resting habitat. Currently, Fish and Game offers a mentored waterfowl hunt in November, which is limited to first-time license holders. Over the past several years, the mentored hunt has proven to successfully provide a high-quality hunting experience for the first-time waterfowl hunter without negatively affecting waterfowl populations. The newly proposed waterfowl hunt would expand upon the successes of the mentored hunt and offer additional limited hunting opportunity on the WMA for the general public. The following framework has been developed for the proposed hunt:

• Hunt Name: Hagerman WMA Limited Waterfowl Hunt.
• Hunt Location: Hagerman WMA - Anderson Ponds and Bass Ponds.
• Number of Hunts: 10 to15 hunts, with corresponding hunt numbers.
• Number of Permits: Three to five permits per hunt. Permit holders will be allowed one guest to accompany them during a hunt.
• Species Hunted: Ducks and geese according to all applicable seasons and limits.
• Hunt Blinds: Three to five permanently located blinds including one wheelchair accessible blind available upon request by qualified hunters.
• Season Dates: Wednesdays and Saturdays from December through the end of the waterfowl season.
• Hunting Hours: A half hour before sunrise to noon.

Application Instructions:

• An applicant would apply for the hunt day he or she wishes to hunt.
• Application forms would be available at the Magic Valley regional office and the Fish and Game website.
• Applicants would submit applications to the Magic Valley regional office.
• Applicants could submit an application only for themselves - no group applications - and only one application per season.
• Applicants may submit a first and second hunt choice on their application form.

• Application Period: October 3 through 24.
• Application Drawing Process: Successful applicants would be selected with a randomized drawing process.
• Successful Applicant Notification: Results of the random drawing will be available by November 5. Notification would be sent to successful applicants along with hunt instructions, rules, map, and other pertinent information.
• Hunt Permit Pickup: Hunt permits would be issued to successful applicants and would be available through the Magic Valley regional office.
• Blind Assignment: Successful applicants would receive a randomly assigned blind number when picking up their hunt permit.
• Blind Locations: Fish and Game would locate and construct blinds at fixed locations before the start of the hunting season.

Hunt Rules:

• All hunting seasons and limits apply.
• Hunters must complete a courtesy check-in and information service at a designated parking area before the start of each hunt.
• Hunters may hunt only from their assigned blind.
• No alternative blinds may be constructed or used.
• Hunters would be allowed to shoot only from their assigned blind, except to shoot crippled birds on the water during retrieval.
• No hunting would be allowed while traveling to and from the parking area and blinds.
• Permit holders may have one guest hunter or nonhunter accompany them in the blind.
• Each youth hunter (permit holder of guest) may have an additional nonhunting adult mentor.
• Blinds would accommodate a maximum of two people with the exception of the wheelchair accessible blind.
• With the exception of the wheelchair-accessible blind, only foot travel would be allowed between the parking area and blinds.
• A person may participate in the hunt only once per season either as a guest or a permit holder.
• Rotating hunting partners through the blind as a way to have more than two hunters hunting from a blind during the same day would be prohibited.
• Each hunter may possess no more than 50 rounds of ammunition while hunting.
• No boats are allowed on the WMA.
• Retrievers are strongly recommended for retrieval because of the limited areas suitable for wading.
• Hunters must complete a post-hunt information survey and provide biological survey data from their harvest as required by Fish and Game.

Fish and Game encourages the public to voice their opinion on this proposal and offer additional recommendations or modifications. Please provide comments to the Fish and Game's Magic Valley Region office by 5 p.m. August 19 at: Attention: Limited Waterfowl Hunt Proposal Idaho Department of Fish and Game 324 South 417 East, Suite 1 Highway 93 Business Park Jerome, Idaho 83338