The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is seeking public comments on proposed changes to the 2020 and 2021 upland game, turkey and furbearer seasons.
Season proposals are available for review and comment on the Fish and Game website at http://idfg.idaho.gov/comment. Furbearer and upland game proposals are split, with upland game proposals listed by region.
Proposed changes to seasons include:
Upland game and turkey
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Add units 7 and 9 to list of units open to general turkey hunting seasons – spring and fall.
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Expand special unit turkey tag use to all units in the Panhandle Region
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Extend fall turkey general hunt season end date from December 31 to January 31 in the Panhandle Region.
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Create archery-only upland game animal/bird seasons in Farragut State Park/Wildlife Management Area concurrent with archery white-tailed deer season (November 1 – December 1).
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Create an archery-only spring turkey hunt in Farragut State Park/WMA (April 1–30), and an archery-only fall turkey hunt concurrent with archery white-tailed deer season (Nov. 1–Dec. 1)
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Convert turkey controlled hunt 9021 to a fall general hunt in GMUs 22 and 31, August 30 – October 9; OR convert hunts 9021 and 9023 to a fall general hunt in units 22, 31, 32, and 32A outside the national forest system boundary, August 30 – October 9.
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Extend end date of fall turkey controlled hunt in units 22, 31, and 32 outside the National Forest System Boundary 9022 to December 31 (currently ends November 30).
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Convert spring controlled turkey hunts to general season opportunity in Unit 38 and that portion of Unit 32 in Payette County; OR add an additional 50 permits each to hunts 9003 and 9004, and, implement spring turkey Landowner Permission Hunts in portion of GMU 38, private land only (50 tags, either-sex, April 15–May 25.)
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In the Southeast Region, add Unit 70 to the list of spring general turkey hunting seasons.
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In the Southeast Region, eliminate fall controlled hunts 9019 and 9026 in Unit 71, and add Unit 71 to the general fall turkey season framework with units 73, 74, 75, 77, and 78.
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In the Southeast Region, extend general fall turkey hunt season end date from October 31 to November 30 for units 71, 73, 74, 75, 77, and 78.
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In the Southeast Region, add fall turkey Landowner Permission Hunts (Oct. 1–Dec. 31) to units 68A, 69, 70, 71, 73, 74 and 77.
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In the Southeast Region add a 50-tag turkey controlled hunt to Unit 70 from September 15 – November 30.
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In the Salmon Region, add new spring turkey controlled hunt in units 21, 21A, 29, 30, and that portion of Unit 28 downstream from the Hat Creek drainage (10 tags).
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In the Salmon Region, increase the number of tags from 5 to 15, for fall turkey controlled hunt in units 21, 21A, 29, 30, and that portion of Unit 28 downstream from the Hat Creek drainage.
Furbearer
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In the Magic Valley Region, lift beaver closures in Hunter Creek (Elmore County) and Little Smoky Creek (Camas County).
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In the Magic Valley Region, implement beaver closures on public lands within the Little Wood River drainage above Little Wood Reservoir (Blaine County).
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In the Southeast Region, remove controlled beaver trapping unit permits for 205 (Logan River), 206 (Cottonwood Cr), and 207 (Cottonwood Cr). Delete language under exceptions relative to these controlled hunts.Increase the individual river otter bag limit from two to three otters statewide.
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Extend the closure of the river otter season from March 15 to March 31 in the Clearwater, Southwest, Magic Valley, Southeast, Upper Snake, and Salmon Regions.
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Increase the Panhandle Region river otter harvest quota from 40 to 45.
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In the Southeast Region, remove river otter closures on the Portneuf River downstream from Lava Hot Springs.
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In the Upper Snake Region, lift river otter trapping closures on: South Fork Snake River (Palisades Dam to Heise Cable); mainstem Buffalo River; mainstem Warm River; and mainstem Henry’s Fork River from Big Springs to Del Rio Bridge.
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Remove marten trapping closures from Bear Lake and Franklin counties.
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Move the start date of beaver, mink, muskrat, and river otter trapping from October 22 to October 15 in the Southeast Region.
In addition to commenting online, interested individuals may also provide comments by attending one of several open houses where they can view the proposals and speak directly with local biologists. Open houses currently scheduled include:
Cambridge: Monday, Dec. 2, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Cambridge Community Library, 120 Superior St., 208-634-8137
Jerome: Tuesday, Dec. 3, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. (MST), Magic Valley Region office, 324 South 417 East, 208-324-4359
Ponderay: Wednesday, Dec. 4, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (PST), Ponderay Events Center, 401 Bonner Mall, Suite E, 208-769-1414.
Lewiston: Monday, Dec. 9, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (PST), Clearwater Region office, 3316 16th St., 208-799-5010
Nampa: Monday, Dec. 9, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (MST), Southwest Region office, 15950 N. Gate Blvd, 208-465-8465
Idaho Falls: Monday, Dec. 9, 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (MST), Upper Snake Region office, 4279 Commerce Circle, 208-525-7290
Pocatello: Tuesday, Dec. 10, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (MST), Southeast Region office, 1345 Barton Road, 208-232-4703.
Coeur d’ Alene: Thursday, Dec. 12, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (PST), Panhandle Region office, 2885 W. Kathleen Ave., 208-769-1414.
Salmon: Thursday, Dec. 12, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (MST) Salmon Regional Office, 99 Highway 93 North. (208) 756-2271. (Note: This open house will also be an opportunity to comment on Fish and Game's proposed moose plan, which will be released in December.)
If a meeting is not listed in your area, visit the nearest Fish and Game office where copies of the proposed seasons and comment forms are available.
Written comments may also be mailed to "2020 & 2021 Upland Game Comments, P.O. Box 25, Boise ID 83707." Comments can be submitted through Friday, December 13.
All comments received will be summarized and presented to the Idaho Fish and Game Commission for consideration before seasons are set at the January 23, 2020 meeting in Boise.