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Idaho Fish and Game

Press Releases and Articles

“Talk Shop with Idaho Fish and Game” launching in Jan. in the Panhandle Region

| idfg-tjross

Beginning in Jan. 2024, Idaho Fish and Game in the Panhandle Region will be launching “Talk Shop with Idaho Fish and Game”. The title says it all, but this is a great opportunity for folks to come out for some free food and soft drinks and to meet and mingle with many Fish and Game staff from the Panhandle Region.… more

Feeding backyard deer and elk does more harm than good

| idfg-cliess

Seeing a herd of deer outside your door or a herd of elk may seem idyllic, and during winter they can almost seem tame. But truth is they’re wild animals that need to remain wild animals, and feeding them can quickly create a variety of problems.

Here’s how a simple well-meaning act can lead to a neighborhood-… more

Potential wolf trappers must attend and pass course prior to trapping

| idfg-cliess

A head's up for all potential wolf trappers

All wolf trappers in Idaho are required to attend and pass a wolf trapper education course prior to trapping wolves. Idaho Fish and Game has recently posted wolf trapper classes in all 7 regions of Idaho.  

These classes will be taught during January… more

Steelhead Habitat Restoration in the Potlatch River: Part 4- Monitoring Stream Restoration Projects

| idfg-jbruns

The Potlatch River basin in north-central Idaho is home to an endangered population of wild steelhead. Due to a variety of factors, including historic land use practices, wild steelhead numbers in the Potlatch River have been declining. Idaho Fish and Game and partner organizations have been conducting a large-scale… more

Boaters: Be prepared and take extra precautions in winter weather

| idfg-cliess

Temperatures (and snow) are falling across much of the state. With the onset of cold air and water temperatures, anglers and waterfowl hunters are encouraged to take precautions and practice boating safety this winter.

Nearly every year, there is a boating accident in Idaho involving duck hunters or winter… more

Fill every crevice of your freezer by hunting these small game species this winter

| idfg-cliess

Small game hunting through winter is a great way for hunters young and old to develop their skills and confidence without breaking the bank. You don’t need specialized or expensive gear to hunt them, just a .22 long rifle and/or any shotgun, warm clothes and boots suitable for hiking. The skills learned while… more

Fish and Game amends hunting, fishing and trapping closure in the Snake River previously closed due to presence of quagga mussel larvae

| idfg-tthompson

Idaho Fish and Game has lifted the hunting, fishing and trapping closures in the previously closed reach of the Snake River upstream of “broken bridge” (Yingst Grade) to Pillar Falls. The closure was in response to the detection and treatment of the Snake River for quagga mussels and larvae earlier this year.

On… more

Habitat Connectivity by Design: How Engineering Shapes Idaho’s Streams

| idfg-kgilliesrector

Engineers working for the Department of Fish and Game juggle many projects like designing buildings, hatcheries, and fishing access areas. But a few engineers get to design in-stream structures and habitat restoration projects to help fish move through the Idaho landscape. 

One of these engineers is Jared… more

Fish and Game to provide trapper and wolf trapper education classes in Glenns Ferry

| idfg-tthompson

Trapping is an age-old tradition, especially in the West. Today, that tradition continues as regulated trapping plays an important role in wildlife management. 

Today’s trapper has to attend an 8-hour trapper education class before being allowed to purchase a trapper license, unless the trapper has a… more

The birds and the seeds: Let’s talk about winter bird feeding

| idfg-cliess

We all know that neighbor that takes bird feeding to Olympic games-level extremes. With tree limbs sagging under the weight of countless feeders and a back lawn that looks like it was ripped straight from Augusta Country Club, they stand out on their back porch with arms outstretched as a myriad of birds swoop in to… more

Steelhead Habitat Restoration in the Potlatch River: Part 3- Private Landowners

| idfg-jbruns

In Parts 1 & 2 of the video series, we provided an overview of how we implement a stream restoration project. Part 3 of this series focuses on the importance of private landowners in the success of the steelhead habitat restoration program. Check out this third video, “Partnering with Private Landowners”!… more

Orphaned Black bear cub found along Salmon River Road will be rehabilitated

| idfg-mdemick

Thanks to several concerned citizen reports, an orphaned black bear cub discovered near Salmon is now on his way to a wildlife rehabilitator. 

USFS and BLM announce annual winter travel restrictions for the Palisades Ranger District, Stinking Springs and Egin-Hamer areas to protect wildlife

| idfg-jbrower

 BLM Press Release: 

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho–The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Upper Snake Field Office, in collaboration with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, will temporarily close the Stinking Springs area near the South Fork of the Snake River to all motorized vehicles and human entry to support… more

Mentoring hunter education graduates to grow the next generation of Idaho hunters

| idfg-tthompson

Hunter education is a mandatory education class for anyone born on or after January 1, 1975, if they want to purchase a hunting license and hunt in Idaho. In the first eight months of 2023 over 400 students of all ages from across the Magic Valley Region were taught and passed the in-person course.  

more

River otter trapping closes for the season in the Upper Snake Region

| idfg-jbrower

The river otter harvest quota for Idaho’s Upper Snake Region was reached on Monday, December 11. The otter trapping season for the entire region closes 72 hours after the harvest quota has been met. As a result, the otter season for the Upper Snake closes at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, December 14.

Any otter… more

Steelhead Habitat Restoration in the Potlatch River: Part 2- Implementation

| idfg-jbruns

The Potlatch River basin in north-central Idaho is home to an endangered population of wild steelhead. Due to a variety of factors, including historic land use practices, wild steelhead numbers in the Potlatch River have been declining. Idaho Fish and Game and partner organizations have been conducting large-scale… more

Give the gift of the outdoors this holiday season

| idfg-cliess

Share your love for the outdoors by buying an Idaho resident hunting license, fishing license or Sportsman’s Package for friends and family this holiday season. 2024 licenses are now on sale.

Fishing and hunting provide a good excuse to get outside, see the beauty of Idaho's wildlife and spend quality time with… more

Big game can handle most Idaho winters, but Fish and Game is ready if emergencies arise

| idfg-cliess

Humans aren’t the only ones who can find it a bit of a struggle when extremely frigid weather or unusually deep snow hits Idaho. Our state’s wildlife — specifically deer, elk and pronghorn — has adapted over thousands of years to withstand fairly harsh winter conditions, but sometimes conditions are so harsh it leads… more