At their meeting on Aug. 26, Idaho Fish and Game commissioners unanimously decided to suspend rulemaking to allow using bait to hunt wolves. Commissioners also discontinued rulemaking to restrict use of game cameras and two-way electronic communications as aids to taking big game.
Those were among several other proposals the commission considered. The following proposals were approved and must be upheld by the 2018 Legislature before they can be implemented:
- Commissioners approved a drawing in which special big game tags can be allocated through a random drawing for organizations representing disabled military veterans and children with life-threatening medical conditions.
- Commissioners changed existing rule to prevent both the auction tag holder and the lottery tag holder from being able to hunt in the new expanded portion of Hunt Area 11 during the same year.
- Commissioners directed staff to proceed with a proposal to limit nonresident tags in unlimited controlled hunts.
- Commissioners reclassified red squirrels as a game animal, which could allow Fish and Game to open a hunting season in the future.
In other regular business, commissioners set the sage-grouse hunting season for 2017, which will run from September 16 to September 22, with a daily bag limit of one bird, and a possession limit of two birds. The season will take place in the same areas as last year's hunt.
The Sage-grouse Seasons and Rules brochures, including a map of areas open to sage-grouse hunting, will be available soon at all license vendors, Fish and Game offices and website at https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/upland.