Frequently Asked Questions

A: 

Unfortunately, we will not re-stock Black Canyon Reservoir for at least a couple of more years. It is very likely that the reservoir will be drawdown substantially during at least two more of the coming winters. This is part of a project, led by the Bureau of Reclamation, that will add a thrid hydro-electric turbine to Black Canyon Dam. The third turbine will increase hydro-electirc gnerating capacity. After all construction has been completed, IDFG, utilizing assistance from the Bureau of the Reclamation, will re-stock the reservoir with several species of fish. At a minimum, smallmouth bass and crappie will be transferred to the reservoir .   

A: 

I took this directly from the Mule Deer Foundation website.  Because the eyes of mule deer are located on the sides of their heads, they can see a 310 degree view around themselves. They have better nighttime vision than humans, but less accurate daytime and color vision. Mule deer can detect slight predator movement up to 600 meters away, but they are not very good at detecting motionless forms.  With eyes in the front of our heads - we see a lot less than a mule deer sees.  A mule deer absorbs light differently than humans. Deer have much better low light vision, but they do not distinguish between colors as well as a human.  A major study by leading researchers and scientist at the University of Georgia concluded the following: (http://www.texashuntworks.com/resources/articles/255-how-deer-see-you.html) Deer lack the cone that is responsible for red color (long wave lengths). Therefore, it is safe to say that wearing such colors as Red and Orange do not affect a hunters ability to remain hidden from a deer's vision. This does not mean that deer don’t see these colors, they are just perceived differently. A deer’s vision is limited to short blue and middle green wave lengths. “This means that deer can distinguish blue from red, but not green from red or orange from red”. According to this data, it is safe to say that blue colors are the worst to wear for camouflage and that green, red and orange are safe to wear from a camouflage stand point. This study also found that deer are capable of seeing UV dyes and brighteners within fabrics. This study was unable to determine how bright these colors appear to the deer. Keep in mind that the UV factor will only be of concern during low light hours. Unfortunately, this is when deer are most active.

A: 

The bat was likely roosting in your storage unit and got trapped and died. There is no need to throw away your arrangement. You can dispose of the bat carcass and clean up the flower arrangement. Be sure to wash your hands if you handled the bat carcass. If in the future, you encounter a live bat, do not handle the bat with bare hands. Please see the following Web sites for advice on what to do if you find a bat: www.batcon.org and www.batworld.org Thank you, Rita Dixon    

A: 

Yes. The restrictions are:      If you draw an antlered elk in the first drawing, you must wait one year before applying for an antlered elk hunt in the first drawing. For example if you drew an antlered elk in 2014 in the first drawing, you would have to wait until 2016 to submit an application for an antlered elk in the first drawing. You may apply for an antlered elk in the second drawing in 2015.  

A: 

The answer to your question depends largely on what type of doves you have on your place. Mourning Doves enjoy protection as a migratory bird, and take of them is regulated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. If these are the birds causing your issues, the solution is slightly more complicated. if you are dealing with Eurasian Collared Doves or Rock Doves (pigeons) however, they are classified as unprotected wildlife and may be taken at any time, in any numbers, by any legal means (including pellet gun). A quick Google search will help you identify the culprit. If you discover that the offending birds are Mourning Doves give us a call, we'll see what we can do to help you out. Josh Royse Regional Conservation Officer

A: 

Looks to me like this is most likely a Largescale Sucker – one of Idaho’s native species of Catostomidae (sucker family!). The small white bumps on this fish are breeding tubercules, which are common on suckers (and many minnow species) during the spawning season. According to Dr. Peter Moyle’s excellent book, Fish: An Enthusiasts Guide, breeding tubercules “function much like antlers on a deer – for defense, real and ritualized, and for attracting females.” -Martin Koenig

A: 

One thing you need to know is once steelhead leave saltwater and move to freshwater they can no longer utilize/digest food.  With that said, they still seem to have a feeding instinct and will still strike at baits or other fish but have no way to convert that food into body sustinance. In the fall, when steelhead reach Idaho and the water is still relatively warm, steelhead strike at items suspended in the water column.  That's why plugs, flies and lures are the most effective items for catching steelhead.  The best success is to fish eddy lines and the tail-end of pools.  In the winter when the water is colder, they aren't quite as agressive and bright-colored "sammy" with shrimp or other bait is a popular item to entice a steelhead to strike.  Usually, this bait needs to be presented in the water column and within close proximity. As temperatures begin to clime in the spring and steelhead get closer to spawning time, they become more aggressive and lures, plugs and flies are effective items to entice steelhead to strike.  Again, they are in the active water column and not feeding on the bottom.

A: 

Yes there is.  Our latest estimate is for 14,073 adult hatchery-produced Chinook salmon passing Lower Granite Dam and headed to the Clearwater River system.  A total of 5,452 are headed to Dworshak Hatchery; 2,247 adults to Kooskia; and the remainer are headed to Clearwater River tributaries where they were stocked as smolts (juvenile salmon).    

A: 

Notifications for the Spring Turkey hunt will be posted on our website by March 20. Our goal is to complete the drawing prior to that date. However, hunters can submit applications that are postmarked on the last day of the application period so we have to wait to receive and enter all mailed in applications prior to loading the data to the draw system. Once the data is loaded into the draw system we run several edit checks to verify the eligibility of all applicants. For example we have to make sure that only those youth who will be 15 years of age or younger at the start of a youth only controlled hunts are eligible to draw youth only hunts. Thanks.

A: 

At a minimum you will need to purchase an Idaho non-game hunting license to hunt coyotes in Idaho. If you plan to hunt other small game such as upland game birds or waterfowl in the fall you can purchase the small game hunting license which also allows you to hunt coyotes. Please contact our license section at 208-334-2592 if you have additional questions about licensing in Idaho.

A: 

The ony difference between a "newby" biologist and a bald biologist is the "newby" is arrogant enough to predict how fish and wildlife will respond to changing environmental conditions.  I'm a "gray-haired" biologist so I'm not going to give you a definitive answer to your question. What I will say is, Mother Nature has contingencies for all environmental changes and variation.  Typically, when the water warms early, the fish mature and spawn earlier than on a normal year.flow and temperature year.  Just a guess - this is probably a programmed response to the risk of rivers warming and flows dropping earlier than an average flow and temperature year.  With that said, all it takes is a cold-front to slow the maturation process and put conditions back to what we consider "normal" in our short-term vision of the world. Peak of spawning (time when most steelhead will spawn) may shift a week or two, but there will still be steelhead spawning in April and early May.  Again, variable spawning timing is one way to make sure some segment of the steelhead population will successfully reproduce.  

A: 

Yes, you are required to have valid Idaho hunting license to hunt coyotes.  You can use a 3-day small game hunting license or a a nongame hunting license, each cost $35.50. As for nonresident military, the only discount we have would be for disabled vets with 40% or higher disability rating.