Wildlife biologists from the Magic Valley Region will be hosting a public open house on December 15, 2022, from 3 – 7:00 p.m. at the Magic Valley Regional Office to take public comments on proposed changes to moose, mountain goat and bighorn sheep seasons for the 2023 – 2024 hunting seasons.
The Magic Valley Regional Office is located in the Highway 93 Business Park at 324 South 417 East, Jerome.
Public comments will be accepted on proposals from December 13 – 29, 2022.
For more detailed information and to view short regional videos about species-specific proposals visit the Idaho Fish and Game website.
Proposed changes to hunts within the Magic Valley Region include:
MOOSE:
• Split Hunt Area 44 into two hunts to provide more hunting opportunity in line with existing moose abundance and better distribute tags and hunters.
Currently, Hunt Area 44 is a single hunt that includes all of units 44, 45, 48, 49, and 52, with three antlered tags in the hunt area. This proposal splits the hunt area into two areas, Hunt Area 44 and Hunt Area 48, with a combined total of 5 antlered tags.
o New Hunt Area 44 – Proposal is to reduce the hunt boundary to all of units 43, 44, and 45, and decrease tags to one antlered moose tag.
o New Hunt Area 48: Establish a new hunt boundary with four antlered tags which includes all of units 48, 49, and 52.
• Hunt Area 54-1: Change the current hunt area boundary to include all of unit 54. This antlerless hunt was implemented in 2021 in an attempt to better align moose numbers with available habitat in response to wildfire activity in unit 54 over the last decade.
BIGHORN SHEEP: – No proposed changes.
MOUNTAIN GOAT:
• Hunt Area 43 –Increase tags from five to six and maintain current hunt boundary and season dates. 2019 aerial survey resulted in an observation of 242 goats in Hunt Area 43. Following the Mountain Goat Management Plan direction this population of mountain goats can offer a total of six tags while maintaining a stable or increasing population.
• Hunt Area 50 – Increase tags from four to six. 2022 aerial survey data indicates a population increase of 18% in Hunt Area 50 since the 2017 survey with an observation of 209 goats. Following the Mountain Goat Management Plan direction this population of mountain goats can offer six total tags while maintaining a stable or increasing population.
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will take up the new 2023 – 2024 moose, mountain goat and bighorn sheep season setting at their January 26, 2023, meeting in Boise.
The controlled hunt application period for moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat will open April 1-30, 2023.
Please contact the Magic Valley Regional Office to provide public comments or with questions at (208) 324-4359.