Hunting bears with the use of bait is a very popular activity in Idaho. The following are some of the most common violations encountered by conservation officers and how to avoid making them.
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Bait bears without a permit
All persons that place bait must possess a baiting permit issued by Fish and Game. A baiting permit includes three bait site tags, bait site tags must be visibly placed at the nearest tree or on the bait container. Each bait container at a bait site requires a bait site tag. Bait permits are required on public and private property.
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Place bait too close to a road, trail or stream
Bait sites may not be located within 200 feet of any water (lake, pond, reservoir or year round stream). Bait also may not be placed within 200 yards of any maintained trail or established roadway, except in the Panhandle and Clearwater regions where bait may not be placed within 200 feet of any maintained trail or established roadway that is open to the general public for motorized traffic and capable of being traveled by full-sized automobiles.
An established roadway is defined as any road that is established, built, maintained, approved or designated by any government entity or private landowner for the purpose of travel by full-sized automobiles. An established roadway shows evidence of repeated use by full-sized automobiles and may include a traveled way of natural earth with depressed wheel tracks and little or no vegetation in the tracks.
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Use illegal bait containers
A single metal container (plastic barrels are not permitted) with a maximum size of 55 gallons is the only container that may be used for containing bait. Additionally, bait may not be contained in an excavated hole that exceeds four feet in diameter.
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Littering
Plastic and food containers are probably the most common types of litter encountered at bear baits.
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Failure to remove bait after the closing of the season
Any structures constructed at bait sites and all materials must be removed by the permit holder within 7 days after the close of each season (spring, fall, or black bear dog training)
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Place bait too close to a campground, picnic area, administrative site or dwelling
No bait site may be located within one-half mile of any designated campground or picnic area, administrative site, or dwelling.
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Off road vehicle violations
Hunters should know restrictions placed vehicle travel with the land management agency or landowner if they are using off road vehicles to place bait.
A complete list of rules and seasons regarding Spring 2025 bear hunting is found beginning on page 68 of the 2024 Idaho Big Game regulations.
Hunters are also reminded that starting January 1, 2025 anyone hunting black bears in Idaho must show proof that they have passed a bear identification test to help them differentiate between black bears and grizzly bears. These rules were approved by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission in 2024. More information on bear identification requirements can be found at https://idfg.idaho.gov/hunt/bear-identification.