Magic Valley Big Game Meetings

The Department of Fish and Game will host three big game season planning meetings, Feb. 3, 4 and 5, from 5 to 8 pm. Feb. 3 - Burley City Hall Feb. 4 - KMVT Community Room in Twin Falls Feb. 5 - Blaine County Courthouse in Hailey Fish and Game host big game open house JEROME - Expanding motorized regulations, increasing cow elk harvest and improving buck to doe ratios are a few of the topics planned for next weeks Fish and Game big game seasons public meetings, Feb. 3, 4 and 5, in Burley, Twin Falls and Hailey. The meetings are designed to inform the public about the information biologist have gathered over the past year and allowing them to comment on proposed big game season changes for the coming year. "We are going to have a whole slug of department people there for the public to talk to," said Randy Smith, Fish and Game regional wildlife manager. "Hopefully we can learn what they are seeing when they are in the field and they will find out what we are seeing. "The more information we can glean from the sportsmen gives us an idea on how to meet our management goals," he said. One of the subjects to be discussed is how to reach buck to doe target numbers in hunting Units 54, 55, 56, and 49. "We have been below our target number for several years," Smith said. "We can reach our management goal in several ways, we just want to see how the hunters want to do it. Some of the options to improve buck numbers would include shorter seasons, controlled hunts, reducing permit levels, having a two-point regulation or implementing access restrictions like the ones in Unit 47 last year. "Any or a combination of these would help us reach our goals, we just want everyone working together to do it," said Smith. Other items to be scoped, include: á Possible motorized vehicle restrictions in Units 48 and 49, both to increase animal security and increase hunting quality. á Reduced antlerless deer permits in Unit 49 and other units after herd population counts in March. á Increase elk cow hunting permits in Units 43, 44, 48 and 49 to reduce the numbers animals located around feed sites. á Shift antlerless elk hunts in Unit 44 from Oct. 15 - Nov. 9 to Nov. 10 - Nov. 30 to increase harvest. á Expand either-sex elk hunt areas in Unit 43, to include the entire unit. á Include Unit 55 in elk hunt Unit 54 and consider adding a youth hunt. á New antelope hunt - During the past several years, antelope hunting in Unit 52 has been for youth only. A second hunt is being considered in Unit 52 for all hunters. In addition, the Unit 52 hunt area will be expanded to include a portion of Unit 48 south of the Croy Cr. Rd. á The doe/fawn antelope hunt in Unit 46 with 25 permits will be expanded to include Unit 54 and that portion of Unit 47 east of Salmon Falls Creek. á No major changes are being considered for bear and lion seasons. For lions, some adjustments may be made in what units are grouped together for female quota purposes. á Eliminate the general youth deer hunt in Unit 56 and add Unit 56 to the controlled 300 permit youth hunt that includes Units 46, 47, 54, 55, and 57. For more information on the meetings, call the Department of Fish and Game at 324-4359.