Comments Sought on Upland, Turkey, Furbearer Seasons

Idaho Fish and Game is seeking public comments on proposed changes to the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 upland game, turkey and furbearer seasons. Idaho Fish and Game proposes:

• To allow nonresident trappers to trap any species that Idaho trappers can trap, provided the state of residence of the nonresident trapper allows nonresident trappers to trap any species their residents can trap.
• To reduce the statewide bobcat trapping season length to prevent overharvest.

In the Panhandle Region:

• To increase river otter quota to 40, from 30.

In the Clearwater Region:

• To allow beaver trapping in the Cow Creek drainage and its tributaries in Nez Perce County in the Clearwater Region.
• To clarify that corporate timber lands are not considered private lands for the purposes of Fall Turkey General Hunt in Units 8, 8A, 10A, 11, 11A, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 18, which runs November 21 - December 31 and is open on private land only.

In the Southwest Region:

• To extend the closure on river otter trapping on the Boise River to include from Caldwell to the confluence of the Snake River; extend the closure on the Payette River from Horseshoe Bend to the confluence of the Snake River; close the Snake River from Grandview to Farewell Bend; and to reduce the regional otter quota to 20 otters, from 30.

In the Magic Valley Region:

• To add Rock Creek to the exceptions for beaver trapping in Blaine County to enhance recovery efforts, and to add part of Clover Creek to exceptions - Clover Creek would be closed to beaver trapping east of Bliss-Hill City Road.
• To add Niagara Springs Wildlife Management Area to the list of areas where pheasant shooting hours begin at 10 a.m. to ensure the safety of Fish and Game employees and volunteers who release pheasants.
• To reduce the number of permits for each of the controlled spring turkey hunts in Unit 54 -- Hunts 9008, 9009 and 9010; and to eliminate fall turkey controlled Hunt 9020 in Unit 54. Turkey numbers have declined since a wildfire in 2012 greatly reduced turkey habitat in Unit 54.

In the Southeast Region:

• To remove the East and West forks of Mink Creek from Controlled Beaver Trapping Unit 201.
• To add Sterling Wildlife Management Area to the list of areas where pheasant shooting hours begin at 10 a.m.
• To expand the youth-only spring controlled turkey hunt in Unit 71 to also include Unit 70.
• To increase permit numbers for each of the controlled spring turkey hunts in Unit 71 - Hunts 9015 and 9016.
• To increase the number of permits for each of the controlled fall turkey hunts in Unit 71 - Hunts 9021 and 9022.

Interested hunters in the Southwest Region are encouraged to attend an open house meeting from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, January 2, at the Southwest Region office, 3101 S. Powerline Road, Nampa - 208-465-8465. Anyone unable to attend an open house may submit comments by mail to 2014-15 Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer Proposals, P.O. Box 25, Boise ID 83707, or by contacting regional wildlife managers. To comment on proposals online, go to https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/content/webform/furbearer-proposals-2014-… or https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/content/webform/upland-game-and-turkey-pr…. The deadline for submitting comments is January 3. All public comments will be summarized and presented to the Idaho Fish and Game Commission for consideration before seasons are set at the January 16 commission meeting.