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Idaho Fish and Game

Press Releases and Articles

Youth pheasant hunt scheduled Oct. 7 in Salmon

| idfg-mdemick

Idaho Department of Fish and Game will host a youth pheasant hunt in Salmon on Saturday, October 7.   

Idaho Chronic Wasting Disease Awareness Week is Sept. 11-18, 2023

| idfg-scassinelli

As hunting season gets underway, Idaho Fish and Game is raising awareness about chronic wasting disease (CWD); an infectious, incurable, and fatal disease that affects deer, elk, and moose that was first detected in Idaho in 2021.

Gov. Brad Little has proclaimed Sept. 11-18, 2023, as Chronic Wasting Disease… more

10 tips for hunters during fire season

| idfg-cliess

With many hunting seasons underway (or set to begin soon) and dry conditions across parts of the state, hunters are reminded to be extra careful and pay close attention to current fire restrictions.

While recent rainfall, shorter daylight hours and cooler temperatures have reduced fire danger across most of the… more

Snorkel crews endure nature's cold plunge

| idfg-Alexa.Ballinger

Recent health and wellness science implies that a “cold plunge” may be good for the human brain, body and bragging rights. But why spend money on a kiddie pool and 40 pounds of ice when you can spend it on another fly rod and an elk tag?

Idaho is chock-full of natural cold plunges. Just ask your regional Idaho… more

Reports of mountain lions and black bears on the increase in Ketchum and Sun Valley

| idfg-tthompson

Residents in the northern part of the Wood River Valley are reporting numerous sightings of mountain lions and black bears to Fish and Game staff in the Magic Valley Region. The most recent lion reports are primarily coming in from Ketchum and Sun Valley and are typically of a solitary mountain lion, but there have… more

Archery hunters kill grizzly bear in self-defense

| idfg-jbrower

 

On the evening of Sept. 1, two archery hunters shot and killed a large adult male grizzly bear in self-defense while hunting for elk west of Island Park Reservoir. 

The hunters were moving through thick brush when a large grizzly charged directly towards them from a short distance away. Both… more

Two grizzly bears trapped and euthanized outside of Ashton after months of conflicts with humans

| idfg-jbrower

On Aug. 31, after consulting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Idaho Fish and Game trapped and euthanized two, 1 ½ year old grizzly bears in the Squirrel area east of Ashton. The two bears, a male and a female, received many food rewards, consistently showed no fear of humans, and acted aggressively towards… more

Private land access agreements set to reopen in North Idaho

| idfg-tjross

With the recent rains and cooler weather, private land managers in North Idaho have set dates to rescind recent land closures and allow normal public access. Below are the dates parcels will open, as well as a news release directly from North Idaho Timber Group.

Godde Family/Kroetch Land and Timber Company is… more

The 2023 Upland Game Bird Outlook

| idfg-cliess

Idaho, with one of the most rugged landscapes in the union, offers a ton of upland game bird hunting opportunities. Whether you find yourself in the high-mountain timber or the lowland-sagebrush steppe, there’s a good chance you’re in upland bird country.

Upland game birds are sensitive to environmental factors… more

Fall Chinook Salmon Update (8/31/2023)

| idfg-jdupont

Idaho’s fall Chinook Salmon season opened on August 18, so I figured I better put out an update to let people know what is going on with this fishery. In this update, I will try to answer the questions people have been asking most frequently including what is the run looking like, what percent of the run is being… more

The State of Deer and Elk: EHD vs. CWD (VIDEO)

| idfg-cliess

It’s no secret. Epizootic hemorrhagic disease and chronic wasting disease have both reared their ugly heads in the last couple years and have impacted Idaho’s deer and elk in localized areas. While both diseases affect members of the deer family, there are some pretty significant differences between the two.

In… more

Be sure to brush up on your wildlife identification skills before your fall hunt

| idfg-sross

Fall is approaching! Once again it’s time to dust off the hunting gear, lace up, load up and head out to the hills. Hopefully before Thanksgiving most of us will have notched a tag or two and be enjoying some well-earned woodland meals shared with family and friends. Many of life’s fondest memories come from time spent… more

Idaho's Steelhead Update 8/30/2023

| idfg-jdupont

Hi everybody. Idaho’s steelhead harvest season starts on September 1 or September 10, depending on where you fish, so I thought it was about time that I let people know what the runs are looking like and remind people of what the regulations are.

Idaho’s Early Summer Run (Upper Salmon, Little Salmon and Snake… more

Important changes to remember for cow elk hunting in the Panhandle in 2023

| idfg-tjross

Idaho Fish and Game prioritizes the simplification of hunting, fishing and trapping seasons and rules whenever possible. However, due to variability in the status of fish and wildlife populations across the state, special rules and exceptions must sometimes be implemented to ensure future opportunity remains for… more

Southwest Region rainbow trout stocking schedule - September

| idfg-bpearson

Fish and Game staff will be stocking around 18,000 catchable-size (10 to 12 inch) trout at the following locations across the Southwest Region in September.

All fish stocked are rainbow trout. Stocking of all waters is tentative and dependent on river/lake/pond conditions (angler safety concerns);… more

Idaho takes home national award for hatchery trout study

| idfg-mkoenig

Hatchery-raised trout are hugely important part of managing Idaho’s fisheries. They often provide instant fishing opportunity when stocked in Idaho’s lakes, reservoirs, ponds and streams, especially where natural populations or habitat can't meet fishing demand. Idaho's trout stocking program includes 10 hatcheries and… more

Deer hunters in Owyhee units reminded that antlerless harvest was eliminated for general archery season

| idfg-bpearson

With archery deer hunting set to kick off on Aug. 30 for Units 40, 41 and 42, Fish and Game staff in the Southwest Region are reminding hunters that they can no longer harvest an antlerless animal during the general archery season on the regular deer tag.

The change will not affect the youth-only controlled hunt… more

Fish, Fires and the Fallout

| idfg-mheller

In recent years, large wildfires in Idaho seem to be synonymous with summer. These uncontrolled fires can burn large swaths of forested land, oftentimes on steep slopes leading to river and stream drainages. As most people know, these fires can influence wildlife and wildlife habitat. But what about fish… more