Frequently Asked Questions

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This is acutally a pretty good question and is bigger than just the Commissary Ridge area as controlled fires (fires actually ignited for a management purpose) can occur just about anywhere. Controlled fires are a fairly complex topic but their purpose is one that hunters and wildlife enthusiasts should applaude. They are most often designed to improve wildlife habitat in the long-term. There is nothing that does a better job at maintaining and improving habitat than fire in the right place and at the right time.  In general, controlled burns  require considerable preparation and planning. Once all of that is accomplished, the actual project is subject to weather conditions that create a narrow window when the project can be completed. Wind, moisture, humidity, and more all have to be within a "prescription" in order to proceed with the fire. Timing, therefore, is a major consideration and waiting for all the conditions to line up can be frustrating. Some years it just doesn't happen at all. Other times, the window for burning is small and requires quick action in order to accomplish the objective. In the case of the Commissary Ridge area of eastern Idaho, this burn is part of a much larger habitat improvement project conducted by the US Forest Service. This project has been in the implementation phase for nearly 10 years and is specifically targeting aspen regeneration, a very important component of wildlife habitat. Each year, a different portion of the project area is prepared for burning, often by felling a number of the conifer trees and letting them get to the "red needle" stage so that the fire will actually burn through the otherwise fire resistent aspens. Projects have always been conducted in autumn because that is when conditions finally become conducive to burning and also because it is outside of wildlife nesting and fawn/calf rearing dates.  It is unfortunate that these efforts to improve habitat also sometimes coincide with big game hunting seasons. Every effort is made to avoid conflicts with hunters yet with hunting seasons running from August 30 to the end of November, it is impossible to avoid all conflicts. When all the many pieces come together for a project long in planning a preparation, managers must take advantage of that . Hunters should realize that these burns, while annoying in the short-term, help to sustain wildlife populations and provide better hunting in the long-term. 

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We have recieved many comments from hunters and landowners who wish to see unit 63A changed to archery only.  They usually cite property damage and human safety as the main reasons.  This issue is discussed nearly every year during the season-setting process.  Shotgun hunters would like the season to remain open to other short-range weapons and archery hunters would like to see it changed to archery only.  The split season was a compromise that was adopted by the commission this year.  Hunters are now required to identify the species and sex of the deer before they shoot.  The rule change was intended to increase the time the animal is observed, decrease hurried shots, and decrease the danger to property and people.  We would be happy to add you to the list of hunters that recieve our newsletter and we look forward to your participation in the season-setting process.  The email address you provided will be added to the list.  You can also call our regional office at 208-525-7290 to have additional email addresses added to the list.

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In order to best answer your question, we need some additional information.  Please call the Idaho Fish and Game Headquarters office at 208-334-3700. Thank you.

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You cannot fish for salmon or steelhead with a confirmation.   You are required to have the permit in hand as it must be notched if you harvest a fish.

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BLM, USFS and state managed lands are mostly accessible to the public.  Some lands such as parks, recreation areas near lakes, around buildings, campgrounds, compounds, etc. usually have a safety zone buffer.  If a piece of public land is not specifically posted with signs it is open to hunting.  Please use caution as always to make sure of your backdrop and safety of others when hunting on public or private land.  Also, just because a piece of land is open does not mean it is safe or responsible to hunt there.  Also, remember that firing a weapon from or across a road is also prohibited, and almost all federal and state agencies have some motorized vehicle travel restrictions.  If you have specific questions about a piece of land, you may wish to contact the agency that is responsible for that land and also obtain a travel plan map of the area from that agency.  Also, if you visit our hunt planner on the FG website, you can find more land ownership designations for your preferred hunting location.

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A hunting passport can be purchased at any vendor.  The passport can be used the same day as it is purchased.

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You possibly can without any magnification; you will need to fill out an application form that you can get at any of our FG regional offices. The application form you need is a special weapon reasonable modification hunting permit. This form will need to be filled out by you and signed by your physician and will be reviewed before any permit can be issued.

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Yes, a 1x3 is legal in a 2pt hunt. The 2 pt hunt is designed to target primarily yearling bucks The 3pt hunt is designed to target primarily adult bucks There are 2 separate and different definitions between a 2 pt hunt and a 3 pt hunt.

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If there are season dates listed in the 'Antlerless' column under the General Season or it states youth only with those dates, a youth can harvest a doe.

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If you have a Regular Deer Tag, you can hunt mule or white-tail deer unless indicated otherwises in the Big Game Seasons & Rules.  You must hunt per the General Regular Deer Season and NOT per the White-tail Regular Season. 

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Thank you for the question. The Department put together a team last winter to look at these types of rules and will be making a recommendation to simplify and make youth hunting opportunities more consistent. These rules will need to be approved by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission and be approved through the legislative process before they are enacted. Thank you.

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We're assuming you mean getting a tag replaced because it may be lost. If that's the case: Any local vendor or Fish and Game office can issue a duplicate license. However, lost tags, including deer and elk tags, can be replaced only at a Fish and Game office. Each duplicate item costs $7.25 for Idaho residents and $8.25 for nonresidents. Thanks