Searching for breathtaking nature experiences in Idaho’s back country? Looking for a rare opportunity to count white-faced ibis and Franklin gulls or help survey songbirds and raptors? Want to learn more about “behind the scenes” wildlife research?

Or maybe you’ve wanted to assist an Idaho Department of Fish and Game biologist in managing Idaho’s fish, wildlife and habitat? Then make a date to bid on 40 trips during this year’s online auction.

Join the Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s 20th annual trip auction beginning at 9 a.m. Mountain time, Friday, February 19. The auction ends at 9 p.m. Mountain Time, Sunday, February 28.

You’ll see lots of new trips as well as encore trips offering opportunities to get outside and learn more about Idaho’s fish, birds and wildlife and also experience beautiful parts of Idaho! Full trip descriptions and step-by-step instructions for bidding are available at www.ifwfauction.cmarket.com.

The 2010 trip auction benefits Idaho’s “Watchable Wildlife” programs, designed to promote wildlife viewing, photography, education and to instill a greater appreciation for all wildlife.

The auction, co-sponsored by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, is the foundation’s largest fundraiser, attracting anglers, hunters, hikers and wildlife enthusiasts. The auction’s major sponsor is Active Outdoors, offering integrated technology and marketing solutions for conservation and park agencies.

The Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation is a nonprofit organization celebrating twenty years of helping to protect and sustain Idaho’s fishing, hunting and wildlife heritage. Board members represent each region of the state.

At the upcoming Yellowstone Grizzly Coordinating Committee in Jackson, Wyoming, the Idaho contingent will be recognizing the education and outreach efforts of local groups and media who have worked to promote a bear smart mentality through education campaigns, media outreach, and on the ground projects.

“These individuals, groups, and media outlets all understand that bears and humans can live safely together if the information about how to do so is made available in a manner that is clear and understandable,” said Gregg Losinski, regional conservation educator for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game in Idaho Falls.

The groups receiving a plaque with a grizzly bear track cast and recognition plate are:

• The North Fork Club in Island Park.
• Elizabeth Laden and The Island Park News.
• Joyce Edlefsen and The Rexburg Standard Journal.
• The Grizzly Bear and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone.

“Elizabeth Laden and the Island Park News have worked not only with Fish and Game and the U.S. Forest Service, but the Center for Wildlife Information and community groups to spread the word about bear safety,” Losinski said.

Recently, the Island Park News teamed up with bear spray producer Counter Assault to distribute free cans of bear spray and to teach how to use it properly. Materials provided free from CWI have served as the constant centerpiece for all programs in the area.

“Local newspaper writer Joyce Edlefsen has gone out of her way to help us reach the public about safely living and recreating in bear country through in-depth research in the writing of her bear-related stories,” Losinski said.

From a more practical standpoint, the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center has worked with the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee to develop a line of containers for trash and food that are bear resistant. The Center does not create the containers, but allows its resident grizzly bears to function as product testers to see whether the containers made by various companies can meet the criteria set by the Grizzly Bear Committee.

The North Fork Club in Island Park was recognized for its on-the-ground efforts to make it a reality that humans and bears can coexist.

“This association has tackled real life issues related to living in bear country and showed that it can be done if the commitment is there,” Losinski said.

While no formal recognition process exists, Losinski, who heads up the Information and Education Committee for the Grizzly Bear Committee, hopes that these awards in Idaho will stimulate similar recognition by other committee member organizations.

“Making it so humans and bears can coexist is not strictly a government thing; it takes hard work and cooperation from private individuals, businesses, and the media to be successful,” Losinski said.

For more information about bear safety, bear-resistant containers and ongoing efforts to recover grizzly bears in the Lower 48 go to: www.igbconline.org.

The wolf season has closed as of Monday, November 2, in the Upper Snake wolf zone in eastern Idaho, where the limit of five wolves has been reached.

The zone borders Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park where wolves are still protected under the Endangered Species Act. The closure affects only big game management units 60, 60A, 61, 62, 62A, 64, 65 and 67. Elsewhere in the state the wolf seasons remain open, including the portions of the Southern Mountains and the South Idaho wolf zones that fall within the Upper Snake Region.

Wolf seasons remain open in Upper Snake Region big game management units 50, 51, 58, 59, 59A, and in units 63, 63A, 66 and 69.

Wolf hunters are reminded to check the harvest limit in the wolf hunting zones they intend to hunt. Idaho Department of Fish and Game set wolf harvest limits by 12 zones. The season closes in each zone when the limit for that zone is reached, or when the statewide limit of 220 wolves is reached.

Two other zones also are approaching the limits as of November 2.

In the McCall-Weiser Zone, with a limit of 15 wolves, 14 wolves have been taken, leaving one.

In the Palouse-Hells Canyon Zone, with a limit of five, two have been taken, leaving three.

The statewide harvest as of November 2 is 86 wolves.

Some other zones are not yet approaching the limits. In the Lolo zone, with a limit of 27, hunters have taken five wolves; in the Salmon zone, with a limit of 16, hunters have taken two; and in the Panhandle zone, with a limit of 30, they have taken eight.

To find out whether a zone is open, call 877-872-3190. The Fish and Game wolf harvest Web page is updated less frequently, but provides a zone map and other useful information: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/hunt/wolf/quota.cfm.

Many general deer seasons ended October 31, and hunters can save themselves some hassle and save Fish and Game expenses by filing mandatory harvest reports early.

All deer, elk and antelope hunters must complete and submit a report for each tag issued within 10 days of harvest or within 10 days of the close of the season for which their tag was valid.

The easiest way is to submit the harvest report card online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov, and click on the red “Harvest Reports” logo below the photo. Or go to https://www.idaho-hunt.com and use your hunting license or tag number and the first four letters of your last name.

Submitting online is the surest way to have hunt information included and the only way to get confirmation that the report was received.

Reports also may be mailed to: Idaho Fish and Game, Hunter Harvest Reports, P.O. Box 70007, Boise, ID 83707-0107 or called in toll-free at 1-877-268-9365 or faxed to 775-423-0799.

By Toby Boudreau – Idaho Department of Fish and Game

Deer:

The forecast for mule deer hunting in the Southeast Region is a mixture of good and bad news.

The good news is that a fair number of deer made it into the three-year-old age class, and even some have made it into the four-year-old age class. These bucks should be more than 24 inches; antler growth appears to be better than average due to our wet spring this year that produced abundant forage early. People who are already seeing some of these deer are optimistic for the hunting season.

The bad news is that we again suffered low fawn survival, 32 to 38 percent, despite the relatively mild winter. This lower survival of fawns is because mule deer does came through the harsh winter of 2007-2008 with lower body fat reserves. This lead to lighter fawns being born during spring 2008, fawns which then grew at slower rates because of lower plant production from that summer’s drought. During the summer of 2008, no measurable rainfall fell between early June and Labor Day weekend in much of the Southeast Region. Hard winters combined with dry summers are the conditions that really suppress mule deer populations.

This lower fawn survival translates into fewer two-point bucks on the hill, since most yearling bucks are two points. Our two-year-old age class – small four-points and three-points – will also be weak from the low survival during the 2007-2008 winter.

There is no doubt that people will go out and see harvestable deer this fall and some nice deer will be taken. The overall numbers should be about equal to last year, with a slightly higher number of mature bucks.

Hunters should also be aware that there are a few bucks wearing radio collars in the region. It is legal to take these animals, but we would like to get collars back so we can re-use them in our on-going mule deer research projects.

Anyone who has questions, wants more information, or possibly wants to volunteer, please call Fish and Game at 208-232-4703.

Elk:

Elk hunting should be about what it was last year. Winter does not affect elk populations nearly as much as it does mule deer populations. Elk numbers have grown in areas within the Bannock Zone herd.

Biologists will be surveying the Bear River Zone elk this winter to and will compare that to the 2006 survey results. This population appears to be stable, based on harvest and hunter information. This winters survey will give Fish and Game a better chance to measure any changes.

The Diamond Creek Zone numbers from the January survey showed a decrease of nearly one-third of the population since 2005. Therefore, Fish and Game reduced this fall’s harvest. Cow elk tags were cut by one-third and bull tags by one-fourth, and extra-tag hunt permit numbers were reduced. During this reduction, archery hunter numbers also were reduced by capping the A-Tag at 1,837 permits – or about 350 fewer permits available.

Since the Diamond Creek elk herd is so productive at 33 calves per 100 cows, positive changes in that zone should be seen in the next couple years.

Upland Birds:

Upland bird hunting has started well, with good numbers of forest grouse being reported in some areas. It is still unclear whether the late spring rains were a positive or negative effect on pheasants, sharp-tailed grouse, gray partridge (Hungarian), and sage grouse. It appears from observations that populations appear to be good in some places and poor in others. Weather can have a positive or negative effect based on whether it rains when chicks are at the critical stage. Overall, upland bird hunting should be worthwhile throughout the region.

Waterfowl:

Waterfowl production was likely very good this spring. Waterfowl numbers suffered a setback with the recent duck die-off that has been blamed on botulism poisoning.

Biologists picked up 16,000-18,000 waterfowl and shorebirds from September 16 through 25on the north end of American Falls Reservoir. This may cause a reduction in the numbers of regional waterfowl in the early season before migrants from Northern Idaho, Montana and the prairie provinces of Canada show up late in the season.

However, even after that many dead ducks being picked up, large flocks of ducks were still observed in the area. So, it will still be worth heading to the duck blind this fall.

Hunters should not shoot waterfowl that look sick, cannot fly, or are having trouble holding their heads up. These birds might have botulism. They would be safe to eat if properly cooked, but hunting dogs may be at risk if they pick one up and ingest any of the toxin. Please call Fish and Game at 232-4703 to report any waterfowl that may be affected.

Please consult the regulations for current information on seasons and bag limits. And, don’t forget to use Fish and Game’s Hunt Planner when planning your hunting excursions this year. The Hunt Planner can be found online at fishandgame.idaho.gov.

Toby Boudreau is the regional wildlife manager for the Southeast Region.

As hunters venture into the woods this fall, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game is asking them to be mindful of their food and garbage.

The same cautions apply to homeowners in bear country.

The past two weeks, local Fish and Game officials have relocated several young bears that have become accustomed to living off garbage and scraps left by campers and even homeowners.   Most bear complaints happen in later summer and early fall when bears are traveling in search of food.

“Anyone who leaves food out are actually baiting in hungry bears,” said Barry Cummings, Fish and Game conservation officer based in Deary. “Bears have a tremendous sense of smell, and once they get used to finding an easy food source, they’ll keep coming back and problems will occur.”

Tips around camp:

• Keep a clean camp. Pick up garbage and store it in a closed vehicle, bear- resistant container, or in a bag tied high between two trees. Store all food the same way. Coolers are not bear-resistant and never keep food in a tent.
• Don’t cook near tents or sleeping areas, and never wear the clothes you cook in to bed.
• Don’t bury food scraps, pour out cooking grease, or leave anything that might be tasty on the ground or in the fire pit. Also, store barbecue grills or other smelly cooking gear inside your vehicle or within a sealed bear resistant container.
• Make game meat unavailable by hanging it at least 10 feet high and 4 feet from the nearest tree.
• If you see a bear, watch it from a distance and leave it alone. Black bears are not usually aggressive, but the danger may increase if a bear loses its fear of humans.

Tips around home:

• Keep garbage in bear-resistant containers or in a closed building.
• Empty and remove bird feeders during the summer months when songbirds are able to forage on food provided by nature.
• Clean up fruit that has fallen in your yard. Rotting fruit will attract bears as well as raccoons and skunks.
• Feed pets inside or during daylight hours; don’t leave pet food or food scraps outside of your home or camp, as it can attract bears, raccoons and skunks.
• Store horse and livestock grains inside closed barns.
• Keep barbeque grills stored in closed buildings.

Boise, Idaho (AP) – The early elk hunting season opens Saturday in parts of Idaho.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game says the so-called green-field hunts in the Palouse, Salmon, Lemhi, Beaverhead, and Pioneer zones are designed to help farmers reduce damage to their crops caused by hungry elk.

The early archery and any-elk hunts also start Aug. 1 in the Snake River elk zone, as well as limited seasons in Weiser and Owyhee-South Hills zones.

Hunters must have a valid hunting license and tag in their possession.

Get all the information here.