Hunters should check out Fish and Game's wildlife areas and Access Yes! spots

By Roger Phillips, IDFG public information specialist Looking for a new hunting spot? It may be easier than you think. Idaho Fish and Game's Wildlife Management Areas and Access Yes! properties provide lots of hunting opportunities for new or novice hunters looking to easily find a place to hunt, and for veteran hunters to have a guaranteed hunting spot if they're traveling to a new area. With lots of time left in the hunting season, WMAs are typically easily accessible places with everything from game birds to big game hunting opportunities. If you want more options, check out Fish and Game's Access Yes! properties. These are areas leased from private landowners to allow public access for hunting on their land or to allow the public to cross their lands to hunt on public lands that might otherwise be difficult to reach. "These are great opportunities to see a new area and learn what the terrain is like, and you also know you will have a place to hunt," said Fish and Game's Andrew Mackey, who coordinates Access Yes! properties in the Clearwater area. Landowners offer up their lands and set an asking price, then a panel of sportsmen in each region helps determine which provides the best opportunity for sportsmen and women, and those lands are accepted into the program. The landowner is also allowed to set stipulations for access, so each parcel might be managed differently. Hunters should remember that Access Yes! properties change from year to year, so where you hunted in years past may not be available, but new areas may be. The best way to learn about Access Yes properties is to go to Fish and Game's website at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov and scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the green Access Yes! logo. Fish and Game owns or manages 32 Wildlife Management Areas that range from 275 acres to 85,000 acres. They are located throughout the state and managed for wildlife habitat, hunting and fishing. You can find information about each one, including directions to get there and maps, by going to Fish and Game's website and under the "Hunting" tab click on "Hunting Access/Maps. Here are some options: Craig Mountain WMA: Located south of Lewiston and east of Grangeville, this area offers diverse terrain that ranges from the rim of Hells Canyon down to the Snake River. It's popular for upland bird hunting, including chukar and Hungarian partridge. It's also popular with turkey hunters in the spring. Sterling WMA: Located along the northwest shore of American Falls Reservoir near Aberdeen, this WMA has pheasant hunting through Nov. 30, waterfowl and gray partridge hunting into January, and rabbit hunting into February. There are also some late-season controlled hunts for big game. C.J. Strike WMA: Located south of Mountain Home and along the Snake River, Bruneau River and C.J. Strike Reservoir, this WMA attracts thousands of ducks and geese, and Fish and Game stocks pheasants for hunters. Nearby, Idaho Power Company's Turner Ranch offers a place set aside for youth hunters. Market Lake: Located north of Roberts, this WMA features a large marsh that attracts lots of waterfowl. Fish and Game also stocks pheasants. The last batch of pheasants was stocked Nov. 15, but some should remain into winter. There is also rabbit hunting available. Niagara Springs: Located along the Snake River south of Wendell, there's waterfowl hunting along the river and the ponds on the WMA. Upland bird hunting is typically centered around stocked pheasants, which will be released weekly through Dec. 20. This is only a sample of the WMAs and the opportunities available for hunters. They can provide fun, convenient places for hunting, and also a springboard to locate other places to hunt in the vicinity. Don't forget to check out Fish and Game's Hunt Planner at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/ifwis/huntPlanner/, and if you're new to hunting, Fish and Game's beginner's guide at https://idfg.idaho.gov/hunting/beginners-guide.