Public Meetings Planned on 2011 Big Game Seasons

Idaho Fish and Game plans a series of public open house meetings to discuss proposed big game seasons and rules for the fall hunting seasons. Some meetings already have been set, others will be announced as they are set; most will be open house formats. The details are still being worked out, but as soon as they are, the proposed seasons and rules will be available for review and comment on the Fish and Game Website - http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/public/ - or from regional Fish and Game offices. Preliminary proposals include: Clearwater Region:

• Create new 11X deer hunt to address depredations.
• Split 15X deer hunt tags into two separate hunts to redistribute the harvest and improve the response to depredation complaints.
• Modify elk controlled hunts in Unit 11.
• Change Unit 18 either-sex archery hunt for elk to antlered-only.

Southwest Region:

• Consider final reduction of three-year phase-in of quotas on Sawtooth A and B tags.
• Consider pronghorn archery controlled hunt results and potential season adjustments.

Magic Valley Region:

• Address chronic elk depredations in units 52A, 56 and 45, with Landowner Permission Hunts, extra tag hunts, increased tag levels.
• Consider expanding elk hunts in units 46, 47 and 57 where elk numbers have increased.
• Move rotating deer muzzleloader hunt from units 52 and 56/57 to units 54 and 47.

Upper Snake Region:

• Provide additional days of hunting opportunity for muzzleloader deer hunts in Units 63A and 64/65.
• Reduce antlerless deer harvest in Unit 50.
• Provide additional week of black bear hunting in Units 64, 65, 66, 66A, 67 and 76.

Salmon Region:

• Eliminate antlerless elk from Middle Fork A tag hunt.
• Adjust Lemhi Zone tags, depending on aerial survey results.
• Consider changing Unit 30A any-weapon controlled bull elk hunt to muzzleloader either-sex hunt.
• Convert unlimited controlled deer hunt in 36A to controlled hunt with 110 tags.

The deadline to submit public comments is March 14. The proposed seasons and rules along with public comments will be submitted to the Idaho Fish and Game Commission during the March 29 meeting in Boise. Public open house meetings have been set in: Clearwater Region - Open house meetings from 5 to 7 p.m.

• Tuesday, February 22 - Fairground Exhibit Bld., 1021 Harold, Moscow.
• Wednesday, February 23 - Senior Citizens Center, County Rd., Grangeville.
• Monday, February 28 - Idaho Fish and Game office, 3316 16th St., Lewiston.
• Tuesday, March 1 - Clearwater Hatchery, 118 Hatchery Roe Drive, Orofino.

Southwest Region: Online comments and phone calls will also be accepted during the comment period.

• Nampa: Thursday, March 3, open house from 4 to 8 p.m. - at the Nampa Office, 3101 Powerline Rd, Nampa.
• McCall: Two open-house meetings, both from 4 to 7 p.m. - Wednesday, March 9 - Fish and Game office, 555 Deinhard Lane, McCall. - Thursday, March 10 - High School Library, 690 Indianhead Road, Weiser.

Magic Valley Region - Open house meetings from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, March 2 - Hailey Community Campus, Hailey.
• Thursday, March 3 - Fish and Game office, Jerome.
• Tuesday, March 8 - City Hall in Burley.

Southeast Region:

• Wednesday, March 2 - Senior Center, 60 South Main St., Soda Springs.
• Thursday, March 3 - City Hall Council Chambers, 157 North Broadway, Blackfoot.
• Monday, March 7 - Larsen-Sant Library, 109 South 1st East, Preston.
• Tuesday, March 8 - Malad Senior Citizens Center, 26 North Main St., Malad City.
• Wednesday, March 9 - ISU Student Union, Little Wood River Room, Pocatello.
• (Montpelier - Date and location to be determined.)

Upper Snake Region - Two public meetings start at 7 p.m.

• Tuesday, March 8 - media center of Madison Middle School, Rexburg.
• Thursday, March 10 - Fish and Game office in Idaho Falls.

Salmon Region - Public open house meetings from 4 to 7 p.m.

• Monday, March 7 - U.S. Forest Service, Challis Ranger District office, Hwy 93, Challis.
• Tuesday, March 8 - Fish and Game office, Wenger Conference Room, 99 Hwy 93 N., Salmon.