Idaho Fish and Game has closed Chinook fishing in the Clearwater River system, and will end fishing on portions of the Salmon River and the Little Salmon River on May 17. Fishing days per week will also be reduced after May 17 on sections of Salmon and Little Salmon Rivers that remain open.  

As the water heats up, so does the catch rates at most of our local lakes, reservoirs and ponds.  Despite COVID-19, Idaho Fish and Game continues to stock the same locations in the Clearwater Region that have traditionally received fish. Check the historical fish stocking page for more infor…

Idaho Fish and Game Commission approved resuming sales of nonresident licenses, tags and permits, which will be available for sale at 10 a.m. M.D.T. on May 16. The decision was aligned with Governor Brad Little’s revised guidance for Stage 2 of Idaho Rebounds, which includes relaxing the 14-…

Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) is a tool used to expand limited federal capacity to plan and implement forest, rangeland, and watershed projects by facilitating partnerships with state agencies. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) and the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests (NPCNF)…

While many things have changed in recent months as a result of COVID-19, one thing that has remained relatively unchanged is Idaho Fish and Game continues to stock fish throughout the state. Spring and early summer are typically when stocking peaks, and this year is no exception.

Due to COVID-19, nonresidents can only purchase nonresident Sawtooth Zone elk tags through F&G’s licensing website on May 11, beginning at 10 a.m online.

Offices may be able to reopen for some services after May 15.

A $300 reward is available for information that leads to a citation.

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will meet via teleconference at 9 a.m. (MDT) Thursday, May 14.

At its March 20 meeting, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission established a five-day waiting period to purchase capped elk zone tags for any resident who applies for a controlled elk hunt regardless of whether the person draws the controlled hunt tag. Capped elk zone tags go on sale in July.

Statewide winter survival of radio-collared mule deer fawns and elk calves was above average through the end of March, and Fish and Game officials are optimistic that those numbers will continue on their current trajectory through the end of the monitoring period on June 1.

Taking the dangers of COVID-19 seriously and going fishing are not mutually exclusive, and in Idaho, most people can fish close to home. COVID-19 has created many challenges for Idahoans, but fortunately, we don’t have to stop fishing during beautiful spring weather. 

Every year, a few hunters return and exchange their general season elk tag. Often the returned tags are highly sought-after tags, so Fish and Game has identified a more consistent and transparent way of handling them:

F&G Commission in March established a five-day wait period for capped elk tag buyers who applied for an elk controlled hunt

Hunters can get a chance to hunt big game in the spring with the opener of black bear hunting season on Wednesday, April 15 (some hunting units opened April 1). 

A report from a concerned citizen prompted an investigation into several elk carcasses that were discovered within a Fish and Game stack yard in the Indian Fork portion of Tex Creek Wildlife Management Area this spring. It was determined that sometime during the winter months the elk busted …

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission on April 9 amended its previous decision to temporarily suspend sales of some nonresident licenses, tags, and permits to allow nonresident sales under specific situations, including: 

Relatively mild winter helped birds survive in good numbers in most of the state.

The emergency action is to support the Governor’s self-isolate orders in response to COVID-19

Idaho hunters and anglers can expect to see a significant increase in public access to private land as early as this fall through Fish and Game’s Access Yes! program, thanks to a $900,000 federal grant recently awarded to the department.

Idaho Fish and Game recently finalized two land deals in the Clearwater Region, preserving access to a stretch of river frontage that is a popular destination for salmon and steelhead anglers, and adding additional access to the Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area.

The application period for moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat controlled hunts begins on April 1 and runs through April 30. Hunters can apply for these hunts online or at any Fish and Game office, license vendor, or by telephone.

Fish and Game will provide updated information as situations change.

A Hunter Education course will start Monday, March 9, in the upstairs room of the VFW building, 330 Michigan Ave, Orofino.

Increase wildlife on your property.¨ Learn how to incorporate wildlife into your other land management goals.

Idaho Fish and Game has a new estimate of the statewide wolf population through its new survey method using game cameras and mathematical modeling, which will be repeated annually and fine-tuned during the next few years.

Dogs chasing deer is becoming a common call in the Clearwater Region lately. Concerned citizens reported a spike in dogs chasing deer numbers in the Kamiah, Kooskia and Grangeville areas. Deer are being chased, injured and at times eaten alive by dogs running at large.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game recently published a new statewide wolf population estimate based on an improved model incorporating remote camera surveys and other monitoring efforts. The estimate indicates Idaho’s wolf population remains robust through fluctuations of births and mort…

A Hunter Education course will start Monday, March 9, in the upstairs room of the VFW Building, 330 Michigan Ave, Orofino.

Idaho Fish and Game has a new estimate of the statewide wolf population through its new survey method using game cameras and mathematical modeling, which will be repeated annually and fine-tuned during the next few years.

Since 2010, Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) has been recruiting volunteer anglers to catch adult steelhead from the South Fork Clearwater River. We rely on anglers from around the region, other states, and even other countries to collect steelhead broodstock on the South Fork Clearw…

Most controlled hunts begin April 1.

Hunters took fewer mule deer, white-tailed deer and elk in 2019 compared to 2018.

Printed brochures will be available at F&G offices, license vendors by mid-February. However, you can go online to see them or print them out.

Refrain from approaching or feeding moose to keep you and your neighbors safe.

Hunters who are hoping to participate in a spring controlled turkey hunt can apply for one soon. The application period opened Feb. 1, and runs through March 1. Results will be made available by March 20, and any leftover tags will go on sale on a first-come, first-served basis on April 1.

Seasons and rules brochures will be available in mid-February.

Access Yes! is a program designed to improve access to private land or through private land to public land by compensating willing landowners who provide access. Both the Access Yes! and CRP program are open to enrollment now through the end of February, 2020.

Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests Fleet Management will be holding a public internet auction of government vehicles.

Big game herds are well adapted to survive a typical Idaho winter.

Feeding that cute deer fawn in your yard may seem helpful, but Idaho Fish and Game says that well-intentioned people often feed deer, elk and other wildlife without realizing the problems it can create.