Hunting, Fishing Seasons Open During Holidays

There's still time to bag that Christmas goose, or maybe a nice solstice-season steelhead. For hunters and anglers itching to get out in the field or to wet a line during the holiday season, several opportunities are available. For upland game hunters, the cottontail season is open through February 28, and snowshoe hare season through March 31. There is no season on pygmy rabbits. The pheasant season in Areas 1 and 3 is open through December 31. The forest grouse season also is open through January 31 in north Idaho's Area 1 and through December 31 in the rest of the state. Seasons for bobwhite and California quail in Area 2 are open through January 31. Chukar and gray partridge seasons are open statewide through January 31 as well. Waterfowl seasons are also open through the holidays - to January 14, in Area 1, northern and eastern Idaho; and to January 21 in Area 2, southwestern Idaho and Magic Valley. Hunters and anglers must have 2010 licenses and permits through December 31; on January 1, they will need new 2011 licenses and permits. Waterfowl hunters 16 or older must have a federal Migratory Waterfowl Stamp, available at Idaho Department of Fish and Game offices, local post offices and some vendors and good through the end of the season. Please consult the rules brochure for details and bag limits, or go to http://fishandgame.idaho.gov. For anglers with time off during the holidays, the fall steelhead season remains open through December 31. The spring steelhead season starts January 1, but anglers will need a new steelhead permit and a 2011 fishing license to fish after December 31. Many rivers and streams are closed to other fishing, though some are open under winter fishing rules for certain species, such as whitefish and brook trout. Most lakes and reservoirs as well as ditches and canals are open year round. Some lakes and reservoirs already have enough ice for ice-fishing. Consult rules brochures for exceptions and details. And remember, anyone planning to go hunting or fishing on or after New Year's Day must have a 2011 license.