Upland Game and Furbearer Open Houses Set

Expanding youth pheasant hunting opportunities and clarifying hunter orange requirements are just two proposals available for public comment at upcoming Fish and Game open houses. Fish and Game staff members will host an open house from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, December 6, at Fish and Game's Nampa office, 3101 S. Powerline Road. A second open house will be from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, December 10, at Fish and Game's McCall office, 555 Deinhard Lane. For more information, call the Nampa office at 208-465-8465 or the McCall office at 208-634-8137. One proposal calls for beginning the youth-only pheasant season on the first Saturday in October and extending it through the following Friday. "Recruiting new hunters is an agency priority," Fish and Game conservation educator Evin Oneale said. "This proposal will help with that effort by expanding hunting opportunities for young hunters from the current two day youth season to seven days." A second proposal continues the youth opportunity theme by calling for an increase in Game Management Unit 38 youth controlled hunt turkey permits from 40 to 60. "Turkey populations in this unit can sustain additional hunting pressure," Fish and Game regional wildlife manager Jon Rachael said. "The proposal also encourages new hunters to take to the field." A third proposal refines the hunter orange requirement while hunting upland game on Fish and Game wildlife management areas where pheasants are stocked. This proposal calls for a minimum size requirement of 36 square inches of visible hunter orange, such as a hunter orange hat, be worn above the waist. "This rule is about safety in areas popular with upland bird hunters," Oneale said. "Visible hunters are much less likely to have shots come their direction and this proposal would help with that effort." A questionnaire and a complete list of 2008-2009 upland and furbearer proposals will be available at each open house. Information about the proposed changes and an opportunity to comment also is available online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/public/. Public comments from across the state will be assembled and presented to the Idaho Fish and Game Commission for review at its next regular meeting. After evaluating the comments, commissioners will determine whether any rule or season changes are warranted.