F&G Commission Changes Game Rules

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission during a July 8 meeting rejected a proposed change to muzzleloader rules and a proposed bonus point program and adopted several proposals that could change wolf hunting in Idaho. Commissioners adopted rules that would allow the use of electronic calls for bears, mountain lions and wolves, and traps and snares for taking wolves in areas and with bag limits and seasons to be specified by the commission. The commission will set wolf seasons and limits during the August meeting in Idaho Falls. They also adopted depredation hunts on black bears and wolves, and a provision that would allow hunters to take wolves incidental to hunting over bear bait, and extended the mandatory check-in for wolf hunts to 72 hours to report a kill and 10 days to check the skull and hide with Fish and Game. They rejected the proposed bonus point program after several commissioners expressed their reservation about the program and the lack of clear public support. The commissioners adopted a chukar and gray partridge season that will run October 1, 2011, through January 31, 2012, with a daily bag limit of six birds and a possession limit of 12 of each. They also moved the sage-grouse and quail seasons opening to October 1, effective in 2011. Starting next year, the chukar, gray partridge, quail and sage-grouse season will open October 1. The commission adopted a forest grouse season opening August 30 statewide, and changed shooting hours for all upland game at CJ Strike, Fort Boise, Montour and Payette River wildlife management areas to 10 a.m., during the pheasant season, including youth hunts. Other changes will:

• Prohibit shooting upland game birds from any watercraft.
• Prohibit use of telemetry or other electronic tracking to hunt game, except for use with hunting hounds or other sporting dogs.
• Allow collection and sale of up to six rattlesnakes a year; a hunting license is required and only four snakes may be in possession at any time.

They postponed action on a proposal to establish standardized rules for placement of traps and snares to their August meeting in Idaho Falls. In other action, commissioners awarded one bighorn sheep auction tag to the national Wild Sheep Foundation, and one bighorn sheep lottery tag to the Idaho chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation. The commission also approved several proposals to be submitted to the 2011 Legislature, including:

• Auction tags for existing and new big game species.
• Restrict collection of wildlife from the wild without a permit.
• Discretionary authority to create a mentored hunt program.
• Access Permit and fees for designated Fish and Game lands.

Other ideas to consider for possible legislation included:

• Allow the use of credit cards.
• Discontinue use of social security number as license identifier.

The commission also approved providing funds to the Animal Damage Control Board as recommended by Fish and Game in accordance with state law. The Fish and Game Commission meets again August 16 in Idaho Falls.