The Idaho Fish and Game Commission on Thursday, January 16 set the 2014 and 2015 upland game, turkey and furbearer seasons and rules.
The Commission delayed their decision on two trapping season proposals: changes to Idaho's reciprocal agreement with other states and the reduction of the statewide bobcat trapping season length. Commissioners requested additional information and time to review the public comments. The Commission will re-evaluate the information at their March meeting.
The commissioners approved changes to turkey, upland game and furbearer rules, including:
Panhandle Region:
- Increased the river otter quota to 40, from 30.
Clearwater Region:
- Changed beaver trapping closure and exception in Nez Perce County to include: All northern tributaries to the Salmon River downstream from but excluding Maloney Creek, and all tributaries to the Snake River to the Clearwater River, below the mouth of the Salmon River, excluding the Clearwater River drainage.
- Clarified that corporate timber lands are not considered private lands for the purposes of Fall Turkey General Hunt (late season only) in Units 8, 8A, 10A, 11, 11A, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 18, which runs November 21 - December 31 and is open on private land only.
Southwest Region:
- Split the controlled youth-only spring turkey hunt in Unit 38 into two separate hunts and increased the number of permits by 40.
- Reduced the regional otter quota to 20, from 30.
- Extended the closures on river otter trapping on the Boise River to include: From Lucky Peak Dam to the confluence of the Snake River; extended the closure on the Payette River from the confluence of the Middle Fork and South Fork Payette River downstream to Banks; North Fork of the Payette River from Cabarton Bridge downstream to Banks; and Banks downstream to the confluence with the Snake River; closed the Snake River from Grandview to Farewell Bend.
Magic Valley Region:
- Added Niagara Springs Wildlife Management Area to the list of areas where upland game bird shooting hours begin at 10 a.m. to help further distribute stocked pheasants and reduce conflicts between waterfowl hunters and pheasant hunters using the same property.
- Reduced the number of permits for each of the controlled spring turkey hunts in Unit 54; and eliminated the Unit 54 controlled fall turkey hunt.
Southeast Region:
- Removed the East and West forks of Mink Creek from Controlled Beaver Trapping Unit 201.
- Added Sterling Wildlife Management Area to the list of areas where upland game bird shooting hours begin at 10 a.m.
- Increased permit numbers for each of the controlled spring turkey hunts in Unit 71.
- Increased the number of permits for each of the controlled fall turkey hunts in Unit 71.
The changes will appear in the Upland Game, Furbearer and Turkey rules book available mid-February at Fish and Game offices and license vendors. The 2014 spring turkey information, including controlled hunts, is available online now at
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/rules/?getPage=67.
