Press Releases and Articles
Upcoming Trapper, Wolf Trapper and Hunter Education classes in the Panhandle Region
| idfg-tjross
From Trapper Education to Wolf Trapper, Hunter Education, and Hunting and Shooting Sports, Idaho Fish and Game’s Panhandle Region has a variety of classes currently open for registration, with more opportunities coming in the months ahead. These classes often fill quickly, so if you’ve been waiting to sign up, now is… more
Fish and Game to offer three hunter education classes in the Magic Valley Region in February
| idfg-Kenzie.Baratti
Are you or someone in your family in need of a hunter education class? Anyone born on or after January 1, 1975, is required to successfully pass a hunter education class before they can purchase a hunting license and hunt in Idaho.
The Magic Valley Region will be offering three instructor-led hunter… more
Fish and Game will lethally remove a small bighorn sheep herd in response to pneumonia outbreak in Southwest Idaho
| idfg-bpearson
In response to a pneumonia outbreak caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M.ovi) in a small herd of California bighorn sheep in the Reynolds Creek portion of Unit 40, Fish and Game officials plan to lethally remove the affected group this winter to prevent the spread of the deadly disease to… more
Commission approves update to IDFG Strategic Plan
| idfg-rphillips
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission approved the IDFG Strategic Plan 2026 at its January meeting in Boise. IDFG will use its strategic plan to identify specific goals, objectives and strategies needed to carry out its mission amid changing circumstances. IDFG’s mission was set forth in statute in 1938 to preserve,… more
Fish and Game will restrict access to Boise River WMA for second winter
| idfg-bpearson
The portion of the Boise River Wildlife Management Area west of Highway 21 will be closed to all entry beginning on Feb. 1 and will remain closed through April 14, when deer and elk begin migrating out of the area in the spring. The closure will benefit wintering big game and support ongoing rehabilitation efforts from… more
Feeding backyard deer and elk does more harm than good
| idfg-cliess
Seeing a herd of deer outside your door or a head 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
Southeast Region Winter Feeding Advisory Committee to meet Jan. 13
| idfg-jjackson
Members of the Southeast Region Winter Feeding Advisory Committee (WFAC) will meet on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 6:00 p.m. to assist Idaho Fish and Game with the assessment of winter conditions and observations related to big game animals (movements, depredations, activity on roadways, body conditions, mortalities) in the… more
Applications for spring black bear controlled hunts open Jan. 15
| idfg-cliess
Hunters looking to apply for 2026 spring's controlled hunts for black bear can apply from Jan. 15 to Feb. 15. Information on the spring 2026 controlled black bear hunt can be found in the 2025 Idaho Big Game Seasons and Rules booklet. Hunters must have a 2026 hunting license in order to apply for controlled hunts, and… more
Illegally introduced yellow perch caught in Island Park Reservoir
| idfg-jbrower
An angler ice fishing for trout on Island Park Reservoir on Jan. 3, unexpectedly hooked into a 5-inch-long yellow perch — a species that does not belong in the reservoir. The angler retained the fish and immediately reported the catch to the Citizens Against Poaching hotline.
Fish and Game conservation… more
Here’s how IDFG proposals could affect hunting technology rules
| idfg-rphillips
In response to concerns about advancements in hunting technology, Idaho Fish and Game in summer 2024 formed the “Hunting and Advanced Technology” (HAT) working group from 750 volunteers who applied to represent various interests regarding hunting and technology. The 23-member group included a cross section of… more
Fish and Game Commission to meet Jan. 14-15 in Boise
| idfg-rphillips
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will hold the public hearing and business meeting at Idaho Fish and Game’s headquarters office at 600 South Walnut Street in Boise. A public hearing will begin on Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. MST at the same location. Those wishing to speak to the Commission during the public hearing will have a… more
Idaho Fish and Game to host open house to discuss revitalizing the Billingsley Creek North access site
| idfg-Kenzie.Baratti
After being unsuccessful in securing funds in 2025, Idaho Fish and Game, Magic Valley Region, is again applying for a grant opportunity to improve an existing public fishing and boating access site located on the Billingsley Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) located near Hagerman, Idaho.
Increased use… more
Become an Idaho Master Naturalist! Introductory meeting scheduled in Pocatello
| idfg-jjackson
The High Desert Chapter of the Idaho Master Naturalists is now recruiting new members to be a part of a unique volunteering experience here in southeast Idaho! Those who love the outdoors and learning more about southeast Idaho’s wildlife, habitats, and other natural resources will discover a wide variety of fun and… more
Results of the nonresident deer/elk tag drawing now available. Successful applicants have until Jan. 20 to buy tags
| idfg-rphillips
Nonresident hunters can check their email to see their results, but since we know you want to know sooner:
Go to GoOutdoorsIdaho.com Log in to your account by using your date of birth, last name, and personal identifier. Select the “Applications & Awards” option on your homepage. Find results under… more
F&G seeks landowners for Clearwater's Managed Hunt Program
| idfg-jbruns
Idaho Fish and Game is seeking willing landowners to participate in the Managed Hunt Program for the upcoming spring turkey season.
This program is designed for landowners who want to allow hunting access but prefer not to manage repeated requests from hunters. Through the Managed Hunt Program, Fish and Game… more
Idaho Fish and Game will move bighorn sheep from Oregon to Jacks Creek in January
| idfg-bpearson
Idaho Fish and Game, in collaboration with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Wild Sheep Foundation, and the Idaho and Oregon Chapters of the Wild Sheep Foundation, will begin moving California bighorn sheep from eastern Oregon to the Jacks Creek area of Owyhee County, Unit 41, in early January, launching… more
Why you should buy your 2026 hunting/fishing license now, not later
| idfg-cliess
A lot of sportsmen see the cold, bitter months of January and February as the so-called “off-season.” It’s easy to see why — you step foot outside and instantly need a defroster for your lungs.
But with a little bit of mental preparation, the right gear, and (most importantly) an up-to-date hunting and/or… more
Rainbow trout stocking schedule for January 2026 in the Magic Valley Region
| idfg-Kenzie.Baratti
Hatchery personnel from Fish and Game’s Magic Valley Region will be stocking approximately 900 10-12” catchable-sized rainbow trout in January, all in Filer Kid’s Pond and Filer Pond. The stocking date and numbers of fish are approximate.
Stocking of all waters is tentative and dependent on river/lake/pond… more