Idaho Fish and Game is changing the way it conducts the Super Hunt – starting with the first drawing next year, it will all be done electronically.

The Super Hunt is a fund-raising drawing for 40 big game tags. The tags are handed out to winners in two drawings for elk, deer, pronghorn and moose tags.

Winners can participate in any open hunt in the state for deer, elk, pronghorn or moose. That includes general hunts and controlled hunts.

Last year, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission changed the price of Super Hunt and Super Hunt Combo entries in an effort to simplify sales for the fundraising drawings.

The change has allowed electronic sales, instant processing and eliminated the need for filling out tickets by hand. Entries are no longer sold in packages. The simplified pricing allows the purchase of any number and combination of Super Hunt and Super Hunt Combo entries.

The first Super Hunt entry will cost $6. Additional entries purchased at the same time will cost $4 each. The Super Hunt Combo entries work the same way. The first one costs $20, and each additional entry purchased at the same time will cost $16.

The drawings will be done by a computer, similar to the way controlled hunts are drawn.

The first Super Hunt drawing is in June when entries are drawn for eight elk, eight deer and eight antelope hunts as well as one moose hunt. One Super Hunt Combo entry also will be drawn that will entitle the winner to hunts for one each elk, deer, antelope and moose.

The second drawing is in August with two winners for elk, two for deer, two for antelope and one for a moose along with another Super Hunt Combo winner.

Winners can participate in any open hunt in the state for deer, elk, pronghorn or moose, including general and controlled hunts.

Entries can be bought online at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/superhunt/, at license vendors and Fish and Game offices, by phone at 800-554-8685 or 800-824-3729, or by mail at: IDFG License Section, P.O. Box 25, Boise, ID 83707.

Money from the drawings supports the Access Yes! program, which compensates landowners who provide hunter, angler and trapper access to or across private land.

For information about this program contact local Fish and Game officials or visit the Website at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/ifwis/huntplanner/accessyesguide.aspx.

Big game hunters must file mandatory harvest reports.

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 logo below the photo. Or go to https://www.idaho-hunt.com and use your hunting license number 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.

The number of tags available may have increased due to return of unsold outfitter allocated tags.

You can get all the information here!

October 5, 2009 (Washington, DC) – The Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSF) was recently awarded Idaho Wolf Conservation Tag Number One, and the Idaho Sportsmen’s Caucus Advisory Council (ISCAC) was awarded tag number six for use during the 2009 inaugural gray wolf hunting season.

The commemorative wolf tags, series one through 10, are being released in the inaugural season to recognize wildlife management success and to help promote gray wolf management in Idaho. CSF and ISCAC will auction both tags with the proceeds from the auctions going to Idaho to help offset much of the cost associated with wolf management including population monitoring, law enforcement, public education, enhanced deer/elk/moose monitoring, and research, Idaho’s management of wolves including regulated hunting, to ensure that gray wolves remain a lasting legacy on Idaho’s landscape for future generations.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt a gray wolf in the beautiful state of Idaho,” said CSF President Jeff Crane. “These tags are invaluable to the Idaho wolf population and Idaho wildlife management programs and so it imperative that supporters of CSF step to the plate.”

The #1 tag is for sale during a live auction at the Richard Childress Whine Wheels and Wildlife event on October 14, 2009.

The #6 tag is for sale during the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses Annual meeting on October 29, 2009.

Registration for both events is filling up fast and both wolf tags are sure to be hot items for bidding during both live auctions, however, CSF is offering these once in a lifetime wolf hunts via off-sit bidding by contacting CSF Vice President of Development Gary Guinn at 202-543-6907 extension 24.

Hunting seasons are coming up fast, and deer and elk in the Salmon Region should be in good condition as hunters head out this fall.

A long spring and wetter than normal summer provided ample moisture for grasses and shrubs. Plants are still green at higher elevations, which means deer and elk will be able to find forage without having to move around a lot.

Regular deer tag, general, any-weapon season opens October 10 in most units. General B tag, any-weapon elk season for most zones opens October 15. Check rules brochure for specific areas before heading out.

Mule deer fawns fared better in the Central Mountain area (Units 21A, 30, 30A, 29, 37, 37A) this past winter and spring with 55 percent survival compared to the Mountain Valley area (Units 21, 28, 36B, 36A), which had 37 percent survival. In the Central Mountain area, hunters should see a fair number of spikes, which usually make up the majority of the harvest.

Read more…

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.

September 25, 2009 (Washington, DC) – The Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSF) was recently awarded Idaho Wolf Conservation Tag Number One, and the Idaho Sportsmen’s Caucus Advisory Council (ISCAC) was awarded tag number six for use during the 2009 inaugural gray wolf hunting season.

The commemorative wolf tags, series one through 10, are being released in the inaugural season to recognize wildlife management success and to help promote gray wolf management in Idaho.

“We are grateful to the Idaho Department of Fish & Wildlife for this honor, and CSF is dedicated to optimizing the return on these tags and doing our part to help raise awareness and generate revenue to continue the work of the department in management of the Idaho gray wolf population,” said CSF President Jeff Crane.

The tags were awarded to CSF and ISCAC based on a detailed evaluation of proposals submitted by various sportsmen’s and wildlife conservation groups by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, including potential to maximize revenues for wolf conservation and management on behalf of the Department.

“CSF and the Idaho Sportsmen’s Caucus Advisory Council will play in important role in this commemorative event in state history,” said Cal Groen, Director of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. “Fund raising efforts provided by both organizations will help Idaho generate proceeds for wolf management and raise awareness of another example of how hunters have been the foundation for wildlife conservation and management in North America.”

CSF and ISCAC will auction both tags with the proceeds from the auctions going to Idaho to help offset much of the cost associated with wolf management including population monitoring, law enforcement, public education, enhanced deer/elk/moose monitoring, and research, Idaho’s management of wolves including regulated hunting, to ensure that gray wolves remain a lasting legacy on Idaho’s landscape for future generations.

“We know the wild game hunters who support CSF will push each other out of the way to get this once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt a gray wolf in the beautiful state of Idaho,” said Crane.

The #1 tag is for sale during a live auction at the Richard Childress Wine Wheels and Wildlife event on October 14, 2009. The #6 tag is for sale during the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses Annual meeting on October 29, 2009. Phone lines will be available for off-site bidders at both events. For more information about bids towards the wolf tags, please contact Gary Guinn at 202-543-6907 ext. 24.

Here is the updated information on the Nonresident Deer & Elk Tag Availability for Idaho Fish and Game.

Note: The number of tags available may have increased due to return of unsold outfitter allocated tags.

MISSOULA, Mont.—Wolf management via closely regulated hunting can proceed in Idaho and Montana. That’s the decision issued today by a federal judge who denied an emergency injunction request and ruled in favor of state wildlife agencies and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

A coalition of 13 environmental groups had sought to stop the hunts and return gray wolves to the endangered species list, but U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy said the plaintiffs’ key arguments were “unpersuasive.”

A hearing was held Aug. 31 in federal court in Missoula, Mont.

“We’re ecstatic because this is clearly the best decision for conservation overall,” said David Allen, president and CEO of the Elk Foundation, which intervened in the litigation by entering an amicus curiae brief supporting wolf management via hunting.

In his ruling, Molloy wrote, “The defendants have offered scientific evidence that no irreparable harm will occur if the 2009 wolf hunts occur in Idaho and Montana. Plaintiffs have failed to offer any contrary evidence.”

The environmental groups had argued that wolf populations would be irreparably harmed by the loss of any individual wolf. But Molloy wrote that the purpose of the Endangered Species Act is “to prevent species endangerment and extinction,” and thus “with this purpose in mind, the measure of irreparable harm is taken in relation to the health of the overall species rather than individual members.”

Molloy also cited biologist affidavits demonstrating that genetic connectivity between wolf packs will not be disrupted by hunting activities.

However, Molloy acknowledged that plaintiff arguments alleging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service improperly delisted wolves in Idaho and Montana, but not Wyoming, could have legal merit.

The environmental groups have promised an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Wolf hunting began Sept. 1 in Idaho and will begin Sept. 15 in Montana. The combined harvest quota is 330 wolves, which is 20 percent of the wolf population across the two states and well within the threshold of sustainable harvest, according to biologists. Wolf populations in the northern Rockies are expanding at a rate of 20 percent per year.

“We applaud Judge Molloy’s decision and we’re grateful that he considered our legal brief and the on-the-ground realities of this issue,” said Allen. “Once you see through the emotion and look at local, real impacts to other species and livestock, state wildlife agencies and regulated hunting are the most logical option for balancing wolves—as well as every other species—within biological and cultural carrying capacities. It’s a system that’s been working well for over a century and it’s what makes America’s conservation system the envy of the world.”

Allen also encouraged Wyoming and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to step up their efforts to find a mutually agreeable plan for managing wolves.

Spotting an elk while driving along a dirt road is exciting, but finding one after hiking for miles can be so much more satisfying.

It also may mean that the section of forest is in a roadless area with closed roads. These areas with fewer open roads make for good elk habitat.

Elk are increasingly vulnerable as road density increases. Roads allow easy access for hunters and poachers, which can increase harvest rates. When harvest rates go up, bull-to-cow ratios go down, which can lead to more restrictive hunting seasons.

Other recreationalists use roads to gather firewood and berries, take photographs and drive to hiking trails. While it is handy for people to have roads to wherever they might want to go, elk are less likely to use areas within a half mile of roads, even if there is good forage. When ATVs rumble by, elk move away from roads and burn more calories. This means elk need to forage longer when they could be resting.

Building roads or creating off-road trails reduces forage available to elk by converting it to bare ground and causing erosion. Invasive plants, such as cheat grass and spotted knapweed, love to move into areas with disturbed soil and can out-compete native plants.

To reduce elk vulnerability and protect habitat, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game has adopted motorized vehicle restrictions in 31 of the 99 big game units in the state. The Idaho Fish and Game Commission recently added the motorized vehicle rule in two more units – 66A and 76 – where deer and elk populations are below objectives. The rule restricts motorized travel by hunters to only those roads capable of travel by full-sized automobiles. Hunters may pack in a camp or pack out an animal if such travel is allowed by the land owner or manager, and they do not hunt while packing meat or camps.

As hunters head out into the woods this fall, they are reminded that following Idaho’s motorized vehicle restrictions, respecting road closures, and staying on designated roads helps provide better habitat for all wildlife.

Hunters also are reminded that it is illegal to hunt game animals from any motorized vehicle. It is also unlawful to shoot a firearm from, down, or across a public road. Officers will be using artificially simulated animals in high violation areas to help combat this public safety issue.