Press Releases and Articles
Bald eagle shot and killed near Sandpoint in the Panhandle Region
| idfg-tjross
Idaho Fish and Game has received information about a bald eagle that was shot and killed near Sandpoint in the Panhandle Region. Fish and Game is requesting the public to report any information about the incident.
Wildfires can affect big game for decades, negatively and positively, and here's why
| idfg-rphillips
Wildfires often burn through valuable wildlife habitat in Idaho’s canyons, deserts, foothills, and mountains, and what happens next is often a question on people’s minds, especially in relation to big game animals that hunters and other Idahoans cherish. The answer is often “it depends” because fires and their effects… more
Southeast Region Winter Feeding Advisory Committee Meeting scheduled for Jan. 14
| idfg-jjackson
Members of the Southeast Region Winter Feeding Advisory Committee (WFAC) will meet on Jan. 14 at 6 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 Southeast… more
Upcoming Trapper, Wolf Trapper and Hunter Education classes in the Panhandle Region
| idfg-tjross
From Trapper to Wolf Trapper to Hunter Education, Idaho Fish and Game’s Panhandle Region has classes open for registration with more coming in the months ahead. Classes generally fill quickly, so if you’ve been waiting, now’s your chance!
Hyde Pond Kid’s Ice Fishing Derby near Salmon set for Feb. 1
| idfg-mdemick
The 32nd annual Hyde Pond Kids’ Ice Fishing Derby will be held Saturday, Feb. 1 from 9-11 a.m. and is designed for youth ages 16 years and under. Prizes for big fish in four age categories will be awarded, and lucky kids who catch one of several tagged trout during the derby will win $25.
Prizes will be… more
Idaho Fish and Game’s Citizen-based Southeast Idaho Mule Deer Advisory Committee developed proposals for consideration by hunters and the Idaho Fish and Game Commission
| idfg-jjackson
It’s the beginning of a new year and the beginning of another big game season-setting process for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Very soon hunters will be asked to provide comments on proposals to help shape Idaho’s big game hunting opportunities for the next two years. Though this may not seem like… more
Capturing and GPS-collaring elk and moose in the Panhandle Region
| idfg-tjross
To most folks, the notion of riding in a helicopter to locate, capture and place a GPS collar on an elk or moose seems like something only seen in movies or nature documentaries. For many Fish and Game staff, it’s another day on the job, and it’s all done with the goal of understanding and managing big game populations… more
Video: It's fawn collaring season, see it happen in Idaho mule deer country
| idfg-rphillips
It's not a hunting season, but it's as important as one. Each winter, Fish and Game crews across south, central and eastern Idaho capture and collar mule deer to monitor their winter survival. Fish and Game videographer Will Bales went along and captured the event.
Stay tuned and later this winter there… more
Read between the scales: An introduction to aging fish and why it's important
| idfg-Emily.Cates
Most people know that you can count the rings of a tree to estimate its age, but did you know you can do the same with fish? As fish grow, their scales grow bigger in ever-increasing layers. Scales carry a record of the fish's life in concentric rings, which are counted to estimate age. Below, we will dive into the… more
Applications for spring black bear controlled hunts open Jan. 15
| idfg-cliess
Hunters looking to apply for 2025 spring controlled hunts for black bear can apply from Jan. 15 to Feb. 15. Information on the spring 2025 controlled black bear hunt can be found in the 2024 Idaho Big Game Seasons and Rules booklet.
Hunters must have a 2025 hunting license in order to apply for controlled… more
Fish and Game to offer two hunter education classes in the Magic Valley Region
| idfg-tthompson
Are you or someone in your family in need of a hunter education class? Anyone born 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 two hunter education classes in February… more
Lake Cascade Fishery Update for 2025
| idfg-anthony.dangora
As we enter the new year, the ice fishing season on Lake Cascade is off to a strong start. Winter arrived early this year, and we have received reports of people catching some nice perch, trout, and coho through the ice already. Ice depths are reportedly reaching up to 8 inches on the lake's southern and northern ends… more
Southwest Region rainbow trout stocking schedule - January
| idfg-bpearson
Fish and Game staff will be stocking more than 1,600 catchable-size (10 to 12 inch) trout at the following locations across the Southwest Region in January.
All fish stocked are rainbow trout. Stocking of all waters is tentative and dependent on river/lake/pond conditions (angler safety concerns… more
F&G flying Weiser River Elk Zone survey in early January
| idfg-bpearson
Starting in early January, Idaho Fish and Game staff in the Southwest Region will begin an aerial survey of the Weiser River Zone elk population – one of many survey efforts taking place around the state this year that help game managers understand population numbers and trends.
This survey is… more
Application period for Disabled Veterans and Children with Special Needs Special Big Game Tag program runs Jan. 2-31
| idfg-cliess
The application period for Disabled Veterans and Children with Special Needs Big Game Tag programs is Jan. 2 through Jan. 31 for 2025.
Disabled Veterans Special Big Game TagThe Disabled Veterans Special Big Game Tag program allows a qualified organization to apply for a special big game hunt tag on behalf… more
Fish and Game begins to feed elk at the Bullwhacker feed site west of Ketchum
| idfg-tthompson
Fish and Game, Magic Valley Region has announced that they will begin feeding elk at the Bullwhacker feed site starting the week of January 5, 2025, as snow has started to accumulate, and temperatures are dipping.
Historically, the site feeds over 125 elk each year.
An update on 2024 rainbow trout suppression along the South Fork Snake River
| idfg-Sage.Unsworth
This year marks the fourth year of the five-year evaluation into whether the manual removal (hereafter suppression) of Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (RBT) can positively benefit the abundance and genetic structure of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout O. virginalis bouvieri (YCT) in the South Fork Snake River (SFSR… more
Henrys Lake Newsletter – Winter 2024/2025
| idfg-Nathan.Ti…
Henrys Lake anglers, let’s get you caught up on recent happenings, this year’s stocking report, and much more. We’ve been busy this season, and there’s a lot to share. Let’s get into it! But first, a brief fishing report.
Fishing Report
The lake ice-capped this year on November 19, and we’ve been building… more