Upland Game/Furbearer Open Houses Slated

New shooting hours for opening day of pheasant season and requiring non-toxic shot on Idaho Fish and Game wildlife management areas are just two proposals available for public comment at upcoming upland game/furbearer open houses. Fish and Game employees will host an open house from 1 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, January 6, at Fish and Game's McCall office, 555 Deinhard Lane. A second open house will be from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, January 7, at Fish and Game's Nampa office, 3101 S. Powerline Road.) For more information, call the McCall office at 634-8137, or the Nampa office at 465-8465. For those persons unable to attend one of the meetings, the entire package of proposals is available for viewing and comment on the Fish and Game Web site at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/public/. Comments may be submitted at either open house or via the Web site. Written comments may also be sent to Upland Game Comments, Idaho Fish and Game, P.O. Box 25, Boise, ID 83707. The comment deadline is January 15. One proposal calls for consistent shooting hours on opening day of pheasant season in southwest Idaho. "Currently, shooting hours on the opening day of pheasant season begin at noon for much of the state," wildlife manager Steve Nadeau said. "Changing these hours to one half hour before sunrise would make the rule consistent across the state and consistent with every other day of the pheasant hunting season." A second proposal would require nontoxic shot on all Fish and Game wildlife management areas where game-farm pheasants are released, regardless of the quarry being pursued, whether upland game, wild turkeys or waterfowl. "Pheasant hunters are depositing a considerable amount of lead in areas where waterfowl production remains a priority," Nadeau said. "Eliminating the use of lead shot on these lands will reduce the threat of lead poisoning to waterfowl." A third proposal calls for starting the youth-only turkey season - general and controlled hunts - seven days in advance of the general turkey season opener. "Recruiting new hunters is an agency priority, "Fish and Game conservation educator Evin Oneale said. "This proposal will help with that effort by providing a consistent turkey hunting season for young hunters." A questionnaire and a complete list of 2010-2011 upland and furbearer proposals will be available at each open house. 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, commissioner will determine whether any rule or season changes are warranted. Individuals with disabilities may request meeting accommodations by contacting Kim Cox at the Fish and Game Nampa office 208-465-8465, or Judy Wallace at the Fish and Game McCall office 208-634-8137, or through the Idaho Relay Service at 1-800-377-3529 (TDD).