Idaho Deer News
 Mule Deer Survival Update April 2013 May 15, 2013 Idaho Fish and Game Mule deer survival over this past winter promises to be better than average. Mule deer populations require good overwinter survival of does and fawns, and a high doe:fawn ratio going into winter. The quality of habitat, particularly summer habitat in conjunction with winter severity drive mule deer population growth. Dalton Gardens deer survey mailed May 8, 2013 Idaho, Coeur d'Alene Press ... The survey asks if residents believe deer are causing damage to crops, gardens and landscaping ... It also asks if deer add something positive to the community, such as being enjoyable to watch; are an important part of the wildlife community; and if they are "being forced from Canfield Mountain and other areas and now are our responsibility to care for them." ... MDI Shrub Planting in GMU 74 to Help Restore Mule Deer Winter Range May 3, 2013 Idaho, IDFG ...The Mule Deer Initiative (MDI) staff along with the landowners family and friends, and a local boy scout troop spent their Saturday planting 4,500 bitterbrush and sagebrush seedlings... Idaho's Big Game Rule Books Are on the Street; Here's What's New April 24, 2013 Twin Falls Times-News ... Elk hunters will see a net increase of more than 2,000 controlled hunt tags around the state in response to population increases in some units... Big Game Seasons and Rules are also available online athttp://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/rules/?getPage63. ... Wildlife Managers Updating Idaho's Elk Plan, Seek Input Online April 10, 2013 EarthFix ... Idaho Fish and Game is rewriting its plan to manage the state's elk population. That plan was last updated in 1997. The agency will host two online chats Wednesday and Thursday to hear from state residents ... To participate, you can go to the Fish and Game website and look for the chat link... Local students, among others restore habitation destroyed by fire April 5, 2013 Idaho, LocalNews8.com ... Dawn Peterson's biology class at Pocatello High School took a special field trip today where they helped Idaho Fish and Game along with the Rocky Mountain Mule Deer Foundation in restoring the land destroyed by the Charlotte Fire... Idaho livestock group opposes bill to feed elk, deer, antelope March 21, 2013 Capital Press ... ... Upon verification of an emergency by a county extension agent or sheriff, the bill would give the Idaho Department of Fish and Game 48 hours to remove game animals and set up a feeding area to keep them away. The Idaho Cattle Association acknowledges the problem but opposes the bill, citing concerns that feeding stations would spread brucellosis in eastern Idaho... Fish and Game Commission Sets 2013 Big Game Seasons March 20, 2013 Idaho, IDFG Major changes for deer: •Reduce antlerless tags in units 22, 31, 32, 32A and 39 to maintain or increase deer numbers. •Move popular rotating muzzleloader controlled hunt from east side of Unit 45 to east side of Unit 52. •Add new archery hunt in Unit 45 with 10 tags. •Move archery unlimited controlled hunt in Unit 72 up two weeks to start on November 16 and run through December 5, and expand the hunt area into a part of Unit 76. •Reinstate 390 either-sex deer tags reduced after 2010-2011 winter in units 60, 62, 64, 66 and 67. •Create “high-quality” buck hunts with five tags each in hunt areas 21, 28-1, 30, 36A and 36B from October 10 through November 30. •Convert 85 extra antlerless tags in Units 21 and 36A to youth extra antlerless tags. Idaho sets 2013 big-game hunting seasons, rules March 19, 2013 Idaho, The Spokesman Review (blog) ... Major changes for deer: Reduce antlerless tags in units 22, 31, 32, 32A and 39 to maintain or increase deer numbers... Major changes for elk: Include a net increase of 2,321 controlled hunt tags. Increase either-sex tags in units 2 and 3... Winter kill can still occur during spring March 14, 2013 Idaho, The Idaho Statesman ... Steve Nadeau, Idaho Fish and Game's southwest regional wildlife manager ...said if an animal's fat reserves don't last through winter, it uses up not only fat stored beneath the skin, but also fat within its internal organs and bone marrow... When starvation reaches a critical point, it is nearly impossible to reverse... you may encounter herds ... Disturbing them can cause harm ... Dalton Gardens, Deer Poachings Bring Reward Offer March 5, 2013 Idaho, The Spokesman Review The Humane Society of the United States and The Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust are offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for illegally shooting five deer, three of whom were does carrying fawns. This reward adds to an existing reward provided by Citizens Against Poaching ... Wolf trappers catch deer, elk and other game March 4, 2013 Idaho, Idaho Statesman Blogs Idaho trappers caught 147 other animals in the 2011-2012 season when they trying to catch wolves and 69 died... Deer were the biggest problem with 45 caught and 12 killed... Idaho Officials Want Your Feedback March 1, 2013 Idaho, Deer & Deer Hunting ... Idaho Fish and Game will be host an open house to discuss big game hunting seasons on March 7 at the Best Western Plus in Coeur d'Alene... Season proposals are posted on the Fish and Game website; individuals may comment as well... Wolves circling deer in our field March 1, 2013 Idaho, Idaho Fish and Game ... I watched 2 wolves circling a deer in our field ... : [Answer] Wolves may be disposed of by livestock or domestic animal owners, their employees, agents and animal damage control personnel when the same are molesting or attacking livestock or domestic animals and it shall not be necessary to obtain any permit from the department. Wolves so taken shall be reported to the director within seventy-two (72) hours ... More deer killed in Dalton Gardens February 16, 2013 Idaho, Coeur d'Alene Press Three of the deer were does that were carrying fawns, and a small caliber weapon was used in each instance ... "They are likely being shot at night or in the very early morning," ... the string of shootings around residential neighborhoods in the small town north of Coeur d'Alene ... Tips sought on deer poaching in Dalton Gardens February 13, 2013 Idaho, The Spokesman Review The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is seeking information on the illegal shooting of three deer within the boundaries of Dalton Gardens, a small community in Kootenai County just north of Coeur d'Alene. The incidents occurred between Thursday, February 7 and Saturday February 9... contact the Idaho Fish and Game Department at 769-1414; or, the Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) hotline, at 1 800 632-5999. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a CAP reward Unit 49 elk numbers up, deer numbers strong Feburuary 8, 2013 Idaho Fish and Game ... Overall elk numbers in Unit 49 have increased by 32 percent, from 2,048 elk in 2008 to 2,721 in 2013. The increase is largely the result of a substantial increase in bulls; this year's count saw a 90 percent increase, from 260 bulls in 2008 to 494 bulls in 2013. Overall cow and calf numbers also increased... In Unit 45, biologists saw a satisfactory fawn to doe ratio of 62.7 fawns per 100 does. The observed buck to doe ratio of 40.9 bucks per 100 does exceeds management objectives. In Units 54 and 55, fawn to doe ratios were slightly lower than expected at 50 fawns per 100 does. Buck to doe ratios are meeting objectives at 25.4 buck per 100 does... Unit 56, biologists found a satisfactory fawn to doe ratio of 61 fawns per 100 does, and buck to doe ratios of 23 bucks per 100 does, which exceeds management objectives. The Central Mountains PMU, which includes Unit 49, showed a high fawn to doe ratio of 78 fawns per 100 does, and a buck to doe ratio of 15 bucks per 100 does, meeting objective. Idaho considering hiring private trappers to manage wolf numbers in elk zones January 15, 2013 OregonLive.com ...The agency is looking for ways to reduce Idaho's wolf population, estimated at more than 500 at the end of the season last year...The agency is also considering partnering with select trappers on an initiative to fit more wolves with radio collars... will also consider ... divert $50,000 now used to pay Wildlife Services to kill coyotes in southeastern Idaho to protect mule deer to efforts to kill wolves in areas where elk population numbers are falling short of goals ... Fish and Game to Feed Mule Deer in Mink Creek Area January 11, 2013 Idaho, Idaho State Journal ... The declaration of a feeding emergency in the Charlotte Fire-impacted areas should not be viewed as a signal that emergency feeding is necessary throughout the region ... These deer have been habituated to the residential areas of Mink Creek and Gibson Jack for many years and have not shown the routine migratory behavior of most mule deer herds in southeast Idaho ... Also contributing to this resident deer behavior are the efforts of some individuals who have engaged in nondepartment-sanctioned feeding... Numerous recent poaching cases solved by Idaho Fish and Game December 21, 2012 KIVITV.com ... Senior Conservation Officer Korey Owens investigated a case in August regarding two mule deer does found dead in an alfalfa field near Preston, Idaho... Bruce Haslam, of Preston, was interviewed and charged with killing two mule deer does. Haslam explained that he killed the two deer with a .22-caliber rifle because they were eating his garden. Haslam was recently sentenced in a Franklin County court and received $3,350 in fines, civil penalties and fees ... Orofino, Deer Disease, EHD December 13, 2012 Idaho Fish and Game ... I was in Orofino the other day, and the ones in town look terrible... not aware of any specific issues with the health of deer in the Orofino area. ... the deer there do often look a bit scraggly in the spring, but this is not unusual for that time of year when the effects of winter are most evident and the deer are losing their winter coats... in 2003 white-tailed deer in the Clearwater Region were affected significantly by Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) and as a result we lost several thousand deer. Since that time, deer numbers have recovered and reports of EHD have been relatively slight since then. Hunter harvest dashboard December 12, 2012 Idaho, Lewston Morning Tribune Idaho Fish and Game has introduced a dash board feature that allows web users to dissect raw data from mandatory hunter reports... The data is incomplete but updated daily ... Link to the dash board Idaho Fish & Game takes on tricky task of rewriting state's elk plan December 10, 2012 The Missoulian ... challenges to the state's roughly 100,000 elk .. More than 20 of the state's wildlife biologists have spent a year studying other states' elk plans. They will present general proposals to the Fish and Game Commission in January... options that will go out for public comment in February and March... Mule deer poached in northern Idaho December 4, 2012 Seattle Post Intelligencer ... east of the town of Tensed on timber company property ... Nov. 24 off the end of Fox Road... information is being sought to catch those responsible. Don't Forget To Report On Deer, Elk, Pronghorn Tags December 3, 2012 Idaho, IFG News Hunters are required to file a report on their deer, elk and pronghorn hunts within 10 days after harvest or within 10 days after the end of the hunt if they did not harvest or hunt. Hunters are required to file a report for each tag they bought whether they went hunting or not. To file a report, go to the Fish and Game website: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/hunt/harvest_report/. Fish and Game also has a 24-hour, toll-free phone line to speak to a live operator when filing reports. Or call 1-877-268-9365 to file reports 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To file reports, hunters need to know their tag numbers or hunting license numbers, the number of days they hunted, the game management units they hunted in, the date they harvested, and the number of antler points on the animal they harvested, or the length of the horns for pronghorns in inches. These harvest data are valuable to Idaho Fish and Fame for managing big game populations.Harvest data for past years is available on the website at: Wildlife crossings: A safe passage and a sound investment November 30, 2012 Idaho, The Idaho Statesman ... At least 5,000 elk, deer and moose were killed in vehicle accidents in 2011 — and that’s a low-end estimate that reflects only reported accidents... One partial solution: wildlife crossings that detour animals around motorized traffic... Every time the state rebuilds and repairs highways in prime wildlife habitat, it has a chance to go the extra mile for safety and wildlife preservation... Why Did the Deer Cross the Road? November 29, 2012 Idaho, Idaho Conservation League ... here in Idaho, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game estimates that losses of deer to vehicle collisions equal the number of deer in the state’s largest deer management unit.... Idaho is far behind neighboring states in tackling this problem ... Drivers who hit wildlife encouraged to report accidents online November 28, 2012 Idaho, KTVB ... New this year, Idaho Fish and Game provided an online way for drivers to report a collision with a deer or other animal. The idea is to track the data, and find out if and where an animal crossing might be needed in the future. “It's a classic case of deer moving to their winter range, having to cross that highway, and we have been whacking them for years,” ... said Fish and Game Wildlife Program Coordinator Gregg Servheen. Deer-vehicle collisions on the rise in Idaho November 26, 2012 Bellingham Herald An estimated 90 percent of the 5,000 to 8,000 mule deer and 300 to 1,800 elk in the area cross the highway each fall, coming down from the mountains to the Lucky Peak area ... Compared with other states, however, Idaho is slow in adopting the wildlife crossing idea. Montana, for example, built more than 40 wildlife crossings Rise in deer-car collisions concerns Idaho officials November 26, 2012 The Spokesman Review More than 5,000 deer, elk and moose were killed by cars on Idaho's roads last year, a number so high that Fish and Game officials are worried about impacts on hunting and are ramping up monitoring and wildlife crossing programs... a new section of U.S. Highway 95 being built north of Coeur d’Alene features a $1 million wildlife underpass ... Fish and Game officials say likely only about 50 percent of road-killed animals are reported ... MDI Commission Meeting Update November 19, 2012 Idaho Fish and Game Mule deer populations have declined in the West for over 20 years. Idaho's Mule Deer Initiative (MDI) began in 2004 to help mule deer populations recover ... Hundreds of Bridge Jumping Deer Mystify Wildlife Officials November 11, 2012 Idaho, KSEE The frightening scene of hundreds of deer jumping to their deaths off a 120-foot bridge in Idaho is bewildering wildlife officials who are finding themselves at a loss on what to do... High Bridge, just east of Boise, witnesses are rallying for some way to prevent their tragic deaths... Frightened deer jumping off Highway 21 bridge to their deaths November 8, 2012 Idaho, KBOI-TV ... "I've seen it myself and some of our staff have seen it too," said Evin Oneale, big game manager for the Idaho Fish and Game Department. Wildlife experts say it happens at the High Bridge over Lucky Peak Reservoir on Highway 21 when roaming deer crossing the bridge are panicked by oncoming automobiles... motorists are urged to slow down crossing this bridge ... Right to hunt, fish, trap now protected in Idaho Constitution November 7, 2012 Idaho, OregonLive.com Voters Tuesday overwhelmingly threw their support behind HJR2, the amendment that enshrines the collective right to hunt, fish and trap in the Idaho Constitution. ... Voters in Kentucky and Nebraska also approved similar measures protecting hunting and fishing only, while Wyoming voters also mimicked Idaho and added trapping to their state constitution ... Reward offered in mule deer poaching November 7, 2012 Idaho, Idaho State Journal ... A massive 5x6 point mule deer buck was shot in a field outside of the Inkom Cemetery this past weekend and left to waste... Citizens Against Poaching is offering a minimum $250 reward ... please call CAP at 1-800-632-5999 ... Buying a wolf tag changed my motives for hunting November 6, 2012 Idaho, The Idaho Statesman Idaho Fish and Game officials estimate there were 900 to 1,100 wolves in the state before wolf season opened in August. ... Hunters have killed about 75 so far... F&G officials agree it’s a conservative estimate .. If there are more wolves than estimated ... effect on elk and deer herds, could increase ... Would I shoot a wolf if it wasn’t threatening me or my dog? Would my desire to have fewer wolves override my “only kill what you eat” ethic? I don’t honestly know ... ITD looking at wildlife conflicts on highway November 2, 2012 Idaho, Idaho Mountain Express and Guide The high number of vehicle-versus-wildlife accidents on state Highway 75 in the Wood River Valley has caught the attention of the Idaho Transportation Department. “We’re talking about speed limits right now,” Devin Rigby, district engineer for ITD District 4 in Shoshone .. Fish and Game Commission to Meet in Idaho Falls October 31, 2012 Idaho, Twin Falls Times-News Agenda items include ... updates on the Mule Deer Initiative ... begins at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 at the regional office at 4279 Commerce Circle, Idaho Falls... A complete agenda is available online at fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/about/ commission/2012/11_November/agenda.html. Physics class studies deer and elk collisions October 31, 2012 Idaho, Idaho Mountain Express and Guide ... The applied physics class at Wood River High School has concluded that motorists traveling 55 mph on state Highway 75 probably won’t have time to stop if a deer or elk suddenly bolts in front of them when it’s dark. In a study involving night visual distance, reaction time and braking distance, the class calculated that a 40 mph speed typically gives a driver adequate time to stop before hitting an animal.... A new plan to draw out-of-state hunters and anglers October 30, 2012 Idaho, Idaho Business Review ... The purchase of licenses and tags began dropping around 2008, coinciding with the national economic collapse. According to IDFG records, nonresident hunting and fishing license sales dropped 13 percent from 2007 to 2011 from 200,186 to 174,729. Hunting tag sales fell about 26 percent, from 39,315 tags sold in 2007 to 28,832 in 2011. ... In the first year of the marketing effort, 2011, the IDFG saw an increase of about $370,000 in sales for deer hunting tags above the year's projections Elk Poached in Magic Valley October 29, 2012 Idaho, KMVT The Idaho Fish and Game are asking for your help tracking down the person responsible for poaching an elk ... A cow elk was killed on or around October 10th, in the Tuana Gulch area near Bliss... there is a reward being offered. Call 1-800-632-5999 if you have any information. Quick Justice For Nonresident Elk, Deer Poachers In Idaho Case October 26th, 2012, IDFG Press Release After several days of intense investigation, Fish and Game conservation officers descended on a “hunting” camp in Hazard Creek to interview suspects and issue citations. When the dust settled, 16 citations and five warnings were issued to seven poachers from Nevada, Minnesota and the Idaho community of Harrison. Two elk and two deer were also seized in the largest poaching operation taken down so far this season. Despite the fact that the violations occurred in Idaho County, arrangements were made for the nonresidents to appear in Adams County court on Monday, October 22 while on their way home. The resident suspect will appear in Idaho County court at Grangeville on November 6. Each of the poachers pled guilty. Deer Begin to Migrate in Some Units October 25, 2012 Idaho, Twin Falls Times-News ... “We’re hearing reports that deer migration in unit 43 (north of Fairfield) is well under way,” Regan Berkley said. Many of the unit’s deer already have descended the mountains in search of food, noting it’s a little earlier than usual... Deer season not welcome by all October 20, 2012 Idaho, Boundary County, Idaho, News ... Unfortunately, too many of those who arrive with the flush of buck fever are idiots. ... Hardly a deer season goes by that there aren't a few sad tales of livestock and pets that aren't listed on the game tag being shot and killed, of hunters hunting where they shouldn't be, of close calls from stray bullets fired where people are and deer ain't, sometimes with grievous results. Typically, it's the county's farmers who see the worst of deer season... Height of fence along I-15 raised October 18, 2012 Idaho, Idaho State Journal ... The existing highway fence has been recently extended to a height of eight feet to prevent big game animals, mule deer in particular, from entering the interstate and being hit by oncoming motorists. The fence project began in 2010 and was finally completed in March of this year. More than 14 miles of fencing ... The next priority project is fencing the Rocky Point area near Montpelier on U.S. Highway 30. Moose Population in Idaho October 11, 2012 Teton Valley News IDFG has also cut back on moose permits ... because of a reduction in hunter harvest and decrease in antler width, which are both signs of a weakening population... its an logical conclusion that an increase in predators such as wolves and bears could affect moose population. More Moose are being seen on the valley floor, according to Atwood. However, wolves usually have the greatest affect on elk populations where other factors, such as loss of habit are also at play... | Search for news and information by keyword above or find links to state news stories organized by topic. Idaho data: About 900 to 1,100 wolves in 2012 before the wolf hunt, more than 500 after hunt. 3,000 mountain lions; 100,000 elk. Mule deer populations over their entire range have suffered declining populations over the past two decades. Idaho’s Mule Deer Initiative (MDI) was developed to begin to help mule deer populations recover, find ways to enhance mule deer habitat, increase public knowledge of mule deer biology and management and to eventually restore and maintain healthy mule deer populations in Idaho. - Deer Harvest Data - Hunting Information Dashboard, update daily Report Poaching: contact the Idaho Fish and Game Department at 769-1414; or, the Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) hotline, at 1 800 632-5999. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a CAP reward. - Idaho Deer Alliance, Committed to the Conservation of Idaho’s Deer Herds and Wildlife Habitat for Future Generations. - Earthfire Institute, deer and wildlife rescue - Mule-Deer Numbers in Upper Snake River, 2011. Department of Fish and Game Video - Idaho Division of Environmental Quality - Idaho Department of Fish and Game Scroll down for more tweets Objective: Title 36–103 of the Idaho Code authorizes the Idaho Fish and Game Commission to administer wildlife policy in the state and mandates that: "All wildlife, including all wild animals, wild birds, and fish, within the state of Idaho, is hereby declared to be the property of the state of Idaho. It shall be preserved, protected, perpetuated, and managed." Title 36–202 IC defines wildlife as: "Wildlife shall mean any form of animal life, native or exotic, generally living in a state of nature." fromIdaho Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Stategy, Introduction and Purpose A study on why people hunt deer in Idaho, 2007. |
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