Supervised Hunts Planned For Lewiston/Clarkston-area Canada Geese

LEWISTON - In efforts to reduce conflicts with the abundant resident Canada goose population, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will temporarily allow hunting at several sites in the valley during two closely managed hunts. Personnel from the three agencies will supervise the hunts that are planned for six locations in the Lewiston/Clarkston Valley in areas normally closed to hunting. The scheduled dates are November 19 and December 23, 2003. One Idaho hunt site on December 23 will be dedicated to youth hunters. IDFG will only accept names of goose hunters interested in applying for the special hunts during the week of November 3-7. Hunters will be asked to designate which State they wish to hunt. Hunters will be selected using a computerized random drawing, and then provided more specific instructions about the hunt. Youth ages 10-17 can apply individually, but will grouped with three other youth during the hunt. All youth who are successful in the drawing will be required to posses the proper licenses and permits for the State if Idaho. Decoys are not required, but young hunters will be expected to be properly camouflaged. Adults applying for the hunt must meet the following requirements: - Arrange to have 3 other members in your group - Possess all State licenses and permits required for the State in which you will be hunting - Federal Waterfowl Stamp and Federal Migratory Game Bird Harvest Information Program Validation - Minimum of 5 dozen decoys per group - Steel shot only (no bismuth, tungsten or lead) - Several sites will require a boat. On each hunt date, four hunters will be allowed at each site from a half-hour before sunrise until 1:00 p.m. Special arrangements will be made for disabled hunters. For more information, interested hunters can call the Clearwater Region Office at 208-799-5010.