Public Meeting on Waterfowl, Sage-grouse in Pocatello

Idaho Fish and Game is seeking public comments on proposed 2010 seasons and limits for waterfowl and sage-grouse. An open house, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.on Tuesday, August10,will be at the Fish and Game office, 1345 Barton Road, Pocatello. Anyone interested may submit comments on the proposed seasons at the open house or online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/public/. Written comments may be sent to either Sage-grouse Season Comments or Waterfowl Season Comments, c/o Idaho Fish and Game, P.O. Box 25, Boise ID 83707. Comments for waterfowl and sage grouse must be sent in separately. The public comment deadline is Wednesday, August 11. Biologists will present the proposals to the Idaho Fish and Game Commission during a special meeting August 16 in Idaho Falls. A complete list of the proposed waterfowl and sage grouse seasons and limits for 2010 can be found online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov ; or those interested may contact the Southeast Region office at 208-232-4703 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily through August 11. Among the proposals affecting southeast and east Idaho hunters, a two-part season is proposed for light geese - blue, snow and Ross's geese - in the Southeast and Upper Snake regions, with a 10-goose daily bag limit. Fish and Game is also considering expanding light goose hunting in Area 3 to include that part of the Upper Snake Region within Bingham County in game management unit 63 south of Highway 20 and west of the west bank of the Snake River, and that part of the Southeast Region within Bingham and Power counties in unit 68A west of the west bank of the Snake River and American Falls Reservoir. The proposed seasons for light geese would be as follows.

• Area 1: October 2 to January 14
• Area 2: October 29 to January 21 and February 19 to March 10
• Area 3: October 22 to January 14 and February 19 to March 10
The proposed sage-grouse seasons and limits are:
• Restrictive: Seven-day, one-bird limit statewide within sage-grouse range, except in designated closed areas. Open areas include parts of the Southwest, Magic Valley, Salmon and Upper Snake regions and the Curlew Grasslands and the Big Desert. The season would be September 18 through September 24.
• Closed: East Idaho Uplands area in southeastern Idaho; Washington and Adams counties; and Eastern Owyhee County and western Twin Falls County. The closure in western Twin Falls County is a new recommendation based on a large decline in the number of birds counted at leks.
Recommendations follow the hunting season and bag-limit guidelines as laid out in the state plan for sage-grouse. Sage-grouse is on the list of candidates for the federal endangered species list. Earlier in 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found listing sage-grouse was warranted but precluded by other, more pressing, needs. Candidate species are still state-managed species and hunting is legal. Hunting sage-grouse is allowed in nine of the 11 states where the birds are found.