Trophy Game Open House Slated

Bighorn sheep, moose and mountain goats - Idaho's premier trophy species - will be the subjects of an upcoming open house hosted by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The open house is slated for Thursday, December 21, from noon to 6:00pm at Fish and Game's Nampa office - 3101 S. Powerline Road in Nampa. While no major changes are anticipated for 2001 moose and mountain goat hunting seasons, several changes to bighorn sheep hunting seasons in Southwest Idaho are being proposed. "We're looking for the public's input regarding these proposed changes," Fish and Game wildlife manager Lou Nelson noted. "And we'll be happy to take comment on any other aspect of trophy game management as well during the open house." A drop in bighorn sheep numbers in Owyhee County has prompted Nelson and his staff to propose reducing the number of hunt permits available. Another proposal involves combining four hunt areas in Owyhee County into two, allowing permit holders to range over a larger area in pursuit of a trophy ram. "These recommendations are the result of our flight census data for the Owyhees," Nelson said. "The drop in sheep numbers dictates that we recommend reducing the number of tags available, and we've also learned that these sheep are ranging much further than suspected, leading to the proposal to combine the hunt areas." One last proposal, that of limiting nonresidents to no more than 10% of all trophy tags would apply across the entire state if adopted by the Fish and Game Commission. For more information regarding trophy game proposals, contact Nelson at Fish and Game's Nampa office, 465-8465.