Idaho wolf population drops July 21, 2026 Capital Press
... The Idaho Department of Fish and Game estimates the state had 1,129 wolves in May 2026, down about 8.6% from a year earlier. The population was estimated at 1,235 in May 2025 and 1,333 in 2024. May estimates include recently born litters..,
Idaho's first wildlife overpass July 21, 2026 Environment America
... the state’s first wildlife overpass, is expected to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions in the area by 80% ... About 10 miles east of Boise ... The highway, which runs from Boise to Stanley, has been a hotspot for wildlife vehicle collisions. Mule deer in the area have no choice but to cross this dangerous highway on their 45 to 96 mile migrations between winter and summer ranges. Similarly, elk have no choice on their 26 to 63 mile migrations...
"Their home is burning": Claremont Fire pushes more wildlife into Boise neighborhoods July 11, 2026 Idaho, KIVI-TV
... Neighbors report increase in deer, owls and other wildlife during Claremont Fire ... There have been more deer than usual, more hawks and birds and kestrels ...
Three sentenced for deer 'poaching spree' June 20, 2026 Idaho, Coeur d'Alene Press
... charged last year with eight felony counts related to the unlawful killing of the deer... Clark received a sentence in April of up to four years in prison ...
Moose Removed from Yard in Rupert Idaho June 19, 2026 News Radio 1310 KLIX
... Concerns centered on proximity to people and Interstate 84 ... The yearling in Rupert was tranquilized and moved to a place where it would have more room to roam...
More Idaho farmers, ranchers can now get federal funds to help migrating wildlife June 2, 2026 Idaho Statesman
... Migratory Big Game: A Framework for Conservation Action, began in 2020 with a focus on several Great Plains states. The program later expanded west to include sagebrush habitat, including parts of Idaho in 2023...“We know that migratory big game rely on large and connected landscapes to meet their daily, seasonal and annual needs,” ...
Idaho Bans Cellular Trail Cameras on Public Land, Hunting Deer and Elk with Thermals, and More April 29, 2026 Idaho, Yahoo
... Idaho restricts hunting technology, including cellular trail cameras, drones, and thermals, for big game and upland birds for part of the year. Exceptions for predator management allow the use of technology for mountain lions, wolves, and recovering wounded game, making enforcement of the new law challenging...
Idaho Hunter Harvest Report: Elk and mule deer keep on climbing in 2025 April 10, 2026 Idaho Fish and Game
... Last year’s 19,702 whitetail harvest still sits right in line with the 10-year average, which despite a handful of EHD outbreaks during the past decade, still continue to flourish. Despite slipping a bit from the 2024 hunter harvest ... Harvest of muleys jumped 2.8% from 2024, or put another way, 691 more animals during this past year’s harvest. That’s worth noting, considering some of the state’s population had a rough go of it during the winter of ’22 and ‘23...
Ground-based cameras show promise for measuring mule deer fawn ratios in certain areas of Idaho April 6, 2026 Idaho Fish and Game
For the past three years, Fish and Game staff in Southwest Idaho have been evaluating the effectiveness of remote cameras in Unit 32 to estimate mule deer herd composition, which is a key measure that helps wildlife managers understand recruitment and overall mule deer herd condition over time. The results so far have been promising: In each year of the project, these ground-based cameras in the Weiser-McCall mule deer population produced fawn ratios nearly identical to those from traditional aerial surveys, suggesting remote cameras could offer IDFG a reliable, lower-risk tool for monitoring certain deer populations...
Wildlife underpass project on US-30 to begin near Montpelier in April April 3, 2026 Idaho Fish and Game
... Construction efforts on three wildlife underpasses on US-30 are set to begin near Montpelier this month. This grant-funded project under the direction of Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) will include the installation of two concrete box culverts, one bridge, and 6 road miles of 8-ft tall fencing ...
Idaho data show high winter survival for collared mule deer fawns, elk calves March 12, 2026 KBOI on MSN
... By the end of February, 89% of collared mule deer fawns and 99% of collared elk calves were still alive statewide ... "this is exactly what we were hoping for — back-to-back mild winters to help get herd numbers, specifically in southeast Idaho, back on track.” ..,
High-Fence Ranches in Idaho Promised Biosecurity. Then Elk Started Escaping, and Wild Deer and Moose Broke in March 2, 2026 Yahoo
... Idaho Fish and Game culled 82 wild mule deer that wandered into a high-fence ranch near Rexburg due to fears of chronic wasting disease.bbRecent incidents in Idaho have shown ongoing problems with intermingling between wild and captive cervids, with wild animals entering high-fence ranches and domestic animals escaping ...
Dig this: Replanting sagebrush in the wake of wildfire is the perfect way to give back to Idaho’s wild critters and places March 2, 2026 Idaho Fish and Game
... Last year, an army of volunteers helped replant thousands of acres with 40 million sagebrush and bitterbrush seeds after the Paddock Fire torched a huge portion of mule deer winter range near Emmett in the summer of ’24... That’s why Idaho Fish and Game is seeking volunteers to come spend a day or a weekend helping our habitat biologists and various partners help plant sagebrush seedlings....
St. Maries hunter jailed for 'poaching spree' February 26, 2026 Idaho, Coeur d'Alene Press
... killed seven deer in November 2024 — including five within a single 24-hour period — during unlawful hours and with spotlights. Three of the bucks were classified as trophy white-tailed deer, which carries higher penalties than non-trophy classifications... seven months in jail, one month for each deer killed, followed by five years of probation ...
Fish and Game completes targeted wolf management actions in Unit 4 to support elk recovery February 25, 2026 Idaho Fish and Game
Idaho Fish and Game completed targeted wolf management actions on Feb. 21 and 22 that removed three wolves from Unit 4 in the Panhandle elk zone. This marks the first time such actions have been implemented in Idaho’s Panhandle Region. The effort, when combined with recent success of local trappers, substantially reduced the size of a single wolf pack in a key part of the unit. Recent data indicate that elk numbers in Unit 4 have declined, with predation on elk calves a contributing factor....
Idaho culls mule deer trapped in domestic elk ranch February 22, 2026 The Lewiston Tribune
... More than 80 wild mule deer that found their way inside a captive elk facility in southeastern Idaho have been killed ... The deer appear to have gained access to the facility through gaps in and under the fence ... the facility is required to test animals for the disease [chronic wasting] because some of its elk were sourced from an area in Alberta, Canada, where CWD is present...
Mule deer lethally removed from captive elk facility will be donated to local food banks February 12, 2026 Idaho Fish and Game
... Over the past few months, Idaho Fish and Game has removed 82 wild mule deer from inside a high-fenced captive elk facility... During the 2025 hunting season, hunters on adjacent lands reported seeing numerous wild mule deer inside the facility. It appears these animals gained access to the facility through gaps under the fence. While this facility has not had any captive elk test positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), it is subject to Idaho State Department of Agriculture’s (ISDA) 100% CWD testing requirement. Other captive elk facilities in Jefferson, Bingham, and Madison Counties have had multiple captive elk test positive for the disease during the past 18 months ...
Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust announces permanent protection of over 800 acres in Southeast Idaho February 9, 2026 Idaho State Journal
... Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust is pleased to announce the permanent conservation of over 800 acres of open space, wildlife habitat and agricultural land through conservation easements on two adjacent properties in Franklin County... The conserved lands provide important habitat for mule deer, elk, moose ... The properties connect thousands of acres of public lands ...
Highway-adjacent fencing project aids wildlife, cattle February 5, 2026 Idaho, Capital Press
... A three-mile stretch of tall, strong fencing that funnels big game animals away from State Highway 28 and toward safe Lemhi River crossings at recently rebuilt bridges proved effective to an extent that biologists, ranchers and others reunited to expand it...
F&G Commission hears plan to reduce agriculture damage from elk herd on private land in Unit 32 January 20, 2026 Idaho Fish and Game
... Idaho Fish and Game is proposing a combination of translocation and lethal removal of about 100 nonmigratory elk on private land west of Emmett during spring and summer of 2026. The goal is to reduce damages on agricultural land, which last year exceeded $1 million in this area.
Fish and Game will target elk that are living year-round on private land owned by five owners. The year-round herd has grown to 350 animals over the last five years despite efforts by hunters, landowners and Fish and Game staff to reduce elk numbers and associated crop damages...
Idaho County rancher sentenced for illegal deer poaching and bait site operations January 19, 2026 Idaho, KBOI on MSN
... The officer walked to Van Loon's property boundary and found a hunting blind. The site was identified as an active bait site targeting deer and elk, which is illegal for big game animals in Idaho. A search warrant was issued and served at Loon's residence. Officers found multiple items used for baiting...
Chronic wasting disease found in Idaho Unit 15 south of Grangeville December 30, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game
A white-tailed buck harvested in Unit 15 south of Grangeville has tested positive for chronic wasting disease. It is the first detection in this hunting unit, but near CWD detections in Unit 14. The location where the animal was killed is about 20 miles from Slate Creek where CWD was first detected in 2021 ...
How white-tailed deer, beavers and loggers share a fascinating chapter in Idaho's natural history December 29, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game
... Beavers were among the main reasons for early explorers to travel into Idaho ... Trappers removing a large segment of the beaver population altered that river bottom habitat. Settlers keyed on whitetails as a food source, and also converted those prime river bottoms into agriculture lands, all of which caused whitetail populations in the southern part of the state plummet. That’s in stark contrast to modern Idaho where whitetails are largely associated with the Panhandle and Clearwater regions, but that’s a fairly recent phenomena in Idaho’s history...,
Idaho’s domestic elk farms drawing criticism December 27. 2025 Idaho, Moscow-Pullman Daily News
... Over the past 12 months, chronic wasting disease has been detected three times at elk farms in the state’s southeastern corner, ramping up concern that the movement of animals across fences could serve as a pathway for the fatal and persistent disease to be transferred to wild herds there..,
Four moose relocated from University of Idaho arboretum December 19, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game
... Fish and Game successfully relocated a cow moose, bull and two calves from the University of Idaho arboretum to a more suitable habitat several miles outside of town. While the public enjoys the presence of these amazing animals, their prolonged stay in populated areas can pose safety concerns for both humans and wildlife...
Escaped domestic elk in eastern Idaho tests negative for chronic wasting disease December 1, 2025 Idaho Capital Sun
... For the first time in state history, domestic elk from two eastern Idaho captive domestic elk facilities tested positive for CWD in 2024 and early 2025, according to the Idaho State Department of Agriculture. .. The domestic elk escaped less than two years after the Idaho Legislature passed a 2024 law, House Bill 591, that eliminated the requirement to place double-fencing around quarantined domestic Cervidae or elk farms that were under quarantine orders following a positive CWD test...
Low compliance with chronic wasting disease rules alarms Idaho officials November 29, 2025 Idaho, KHQ
... Many hunters were unaware that transporting spine or brain tissue from deer, elk or moose harvested in CWD-positive states is prohibited. Nearly all neighboring states have confirmed cases of CWD...
Southern Idaho juniper removal project advances November 24, 2025 Capital Press
... a large-scale, multi-year project to remove juniper from sagebrush-steppe habitat in the state’s south-central region... “Essentially, when we get these thick pockets of junipers, they can outcompete forage” for deer, elk and sage grouse ...
Skin in the game: Idaho's new policy requires out-of-state hunters to put up cash for the chance at tags November 23, 2025 Moscow-Pullman Daily News
... nonresidents will have to enter a lottery and lay down significant cash ... The competition was so steep some nonresidents traveled to Idaho and camped out at Fish and Game offices or license vendors to be first in line when the tags go on sale...
Chronic wasting disease detected on Spokane reservation November 23, 2025 Idaho, The Lewiston Tribune
... the deer was killed by a hunter in late October ... A sample from the deer was tested at the Montana Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Officials are waiting on results from a second test to confirm the first result... "deer, elk and moose are not only vital to our ecosystem but are also central to our culture and subsistence hunting,” tribal officials wrote ...
A quick and dirty guide to white-tailed deer hunting this year November 6, 2025 Idaho State Journal
... Fall 2022 was a low spot for white-tailed deer harvest. The reason for that 10-year low was not bitter cold, but hot, dry weather and biting midges. Epizootic hemorrhagic disease wreaked havoc on the Clearwater Region’s whitetails that summer, killing thousands of deer... The return of EHD in 2025 ... As of Oct. 27, biologists have received reports of roughly 1,080 white-tailed deer mortalities in the Clearwater Region and 386 in the Panhandle Region suspected to be caused by EHD..,
Two-year investigation leads to 19 charges, 17 convictions in Twin Falls County for poaching November 4, 2025 Idaho, KMVT
... Idaho Fish and Game discovered 32 mule deer, one bull moose, one swan and one bobcat were illegally taken since 2016. Charges were filed against 19 people in Twin Falls County. Seventeen have been convicted, sentenced and ordered to pay $48,631 in restitution, while two remain at large...
Moose relocated from Chubbuck neighborhood October 23, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game
... Fish and Game staff were able to successfully tranquilize a large adult female moose and remove it from the backyard of a residence located off of Whitaker Road, south of Vern Road and west of Hiline Road. The moose was successfully released to a remote location with suitable moose habitat away from people and motorists....
Mule deer 2025: Here's where we are, and from where we've come September 30, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game
... A normal winter in 2024-25 means favorable odds we’ll have as good or better mule deer hunting than last year. Survival of collared fawns last winter was around 58 percent, a tick up from the long-term average of 57 percent... After the Southeast Region was hit hard by a catastrophic winter in 2022, it posted some of the highest fawn survival rates in the state last winter ...
Idaho’s recent history with CWD September 29, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game
A total of 100 deer and elk (mostly deer) have tested positive for CWD in Idaho since it was first detected in 2021. That’s a relatively small number considering hunters in 2024 alone killed about 21,000 elk and 45,000 deer...
Epizootic hemorrhagic disease and bluetongue virus detected in white-tailed deer in North Idaho September 16, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game
...It is difficult to estimate how many deer are being affected in Idaho, but the number of reports received is currently less than 200 in the Panhandle and less than 600 in the Clearwater ... Outbreaks can generally be expected to continue until cool, wetter weather arrives or after a hard frost occurs and kills the midges that spread the disease... Hemorrhagic disease outbreaks occur periodically in the Clearwater and Panhandle regions, often during hot, dry summers like 2025..,
Tip regarding 'suspicious deer heads' leads to felony charges in Idaho September 5, 2025 USA Today's FTW
... were caught thanks to a tip regarding "suspicious deer heads," received via the state’s anti-poaching hotline... eight felonies related to the poaching of seven white-tailed deer bucks ...
Idaho 2025 Deer & Elk Outlook August 25, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game
... mild winters are a winning recipe for building deer and elk herds ... “With 58% fawn survival, we’re growing mule deer herds,” the state’s Deer and Elk Coordinator Toby Boudreau said...
Coalition thinks it's time for a change at Idaho Fish and Game August 24, 2025 Idaho, The Lewiston Tribune
... Fish and Game elk harvest data illustrates declines from the early 2000s to recent years. Whitetail harvest data shows buck harvest down 20% in the last seven years in 10A compared to the previous seven years, with 11% fewer mature bucks. Whitetail doe harvest is similarly down by 27%. These numbers suggest whitetail deer haven’t recovered in this unit and certainly don’t support recent expansions of seasons...
Mild winter, lack of disease outbreaks good signs for Idaho deer, elk hunters August 21, 2025 Moscow-Pullman Daily News
... according to the agency, 58% of collared mule deer fawns survived last winter, about 1% above average. In addition, about 91% of mule deer does survived the winter... 82% of the elk calves it collared last year survived this past winter, which was on the mild side ...
Virus Outbreak Confirmed in White-Tailed Deer Southeast of Lewiston August 21, 2025 Idaho, NewsBreak
... The Idaho Department of Fish and Game has confirmed a case of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in a white-tailed deer in Game Management Unit 11, southeast of Lewiston. Two additional animals are suspected of dying of the disease at the same location... first confirmed outbreak of the season in the Clearwater Region ..,
Idaho wolves will remain under state control despite judge's decision August 7, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game
... Idaho’s most recent wolf population estimate from spring 2024 is 1,235 wolves, which is well above the recovery goal of 150 wolves, and more than twice the number identified in the federal delisting rule written in 2009... a judge’s recent decision that calls for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reconsider a previous determination that relisting wolves in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was not warranted..,
Idaho Fish and Game relocates two yearling moose from Blackfoot July 24, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game
... Both yearlings, one female and one male, had been observed moving in and around parking lots and streets ... For the safety of both the moose and the public, the moose were relocated to suitable habitat in a more remote area...
Two men facing charges for illegally killing seven white-tailed deer in North Idaho July 9, 2025 KXLY9h
... Two St. Maries men are facing eight felony charges after illegally killing seven mature white-tailed deer bucks in north Idaho... Three of the bucks were classified as trophy white-tailed deer, which carries higher penalties ...
Ghost wolves: As Idaho aims to reduce its wolf population, advocates worry counts aren't accurate July 2, 2025 Idaho Capital Sun
... a policy to reduce its wolf population from 1,270 to an average of about 500 wolves over six years ... Idaho sold more than 53,000 wolf tags to hunters in 2023 ...
Idaho man loses hunting license for life after sprawling poaching investigation June 24, 2025 East Idaho News
... The investigation began with several reports of a red helicopter flying low ... "the helicopter followed the deer for a mile and a half or so and was about 200 yards off the ground…" five years of unsupervised probation, 50 hours of community service, and fines and court fees totaling around $180,000...
Officials: CWD prevalence low in Idaho Panhandle June 22, 2025 The Lewiston Tribune
... After finding chronic wasting disease in a white-tailed deer outside of Bonners Ferry, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game ramped up sampling efforts ... biologists estimated the disease’s prevalence in the zone at 0.33%.... In a portion of central Idaho, where the disease was first found in 2021, a dedicated deer cull found that 10% of the animals killed had the disease..,
Senate Budget Reconciliation Proposal Includes Mandatory Federal Land Sales in Idaho June 20, 2025 Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
... East of Boise, mule deer and elk winter range for the state’s largest mule deer herds are being considered for sale. Not only are the flanks of Lucky Peak Reservoir, prime mule deer and elk winter range, up for grabs, but also the summer range for those same herds around Sheep Mountain...
Production and environmental groups reach agreement to fund wildlife improvements in Southeastern Idaho June 11, 2025 Idaho State Journal
... “Migrating mule deer in Southeast Idaho face a gauntlet of obstacles as they move seasonally between their summer and winter ranges,” said Josh Johnson, Central Idaho director with the Idaho Conservation League. “Anything we can do to make these arduous journeys easier for our native ungulates is money well spent.” ...
No more over-the-counter deer and elk tags for nonresidents June 8, 2025 Idaho, The Lewiston Tribune
... Starting next year, nonresidents won’t be able to purchase over-the-counter tags for general season deer and elk hunts. Instead they will have to enter a lottery, similar to a controlled hunt drawing, to get the tags...
2024 in review: Chronic wasting disease in Unit 1 in the Panhandle Region June 2, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game
...Throughout the course of the 2024 hunting season, three additional white-tailed deer in Unit 1 tested positive for chronic wasting disease, bringing the total number of positive detections to six since the initial detection in July 2024. The three additional positives came from deer harvested by hunters within the bounds of the Unit 1 CWD management zone...
Time to reduce predator numbers June 1, 2025 Idaho, Coeur d'Alene Press
... Why the Canadian grey wolf, which is not indigenous to Idaho, was brought into Idaho is a question many residents are asking themselves. It has never made any sense whatsoever to bring in the most aggressive predator in the North American continent to decimate our elk and deer populations ...
Here's how public input helped shape big game seasons in Southwest Idaho May 5, 2025 Idaho fig and Game News
... “In many cases, the adjustments we make to initial season proposals in response to public input are an effort to thread a needle,” said Regan Berkley, Southwest Region Wildlife Manager in McCall. “Our goal is to be as responsive as we can to public input, while still making recommendations to the Commission that move us toward biological objectives for a given population..."
Lawsuit filed against permanent pipeline corridor in Idaho's Caribou-Targhee National Forest April 29, 2025
Idaho Capital Sun
... This pipeline would create a road through designated roadless areas, further fragments security habitat for deer and elk ...
Here’s how mule deer fawns and elk calves have fared through mid-March April 21, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game
... 67% of collared fawns and 93% of collared calves were still alive, and here's how that compares with recent years:
82% fawns and 93% calves in 2023-24
46% fawns and 86% calves in 2022-23
63% fawns and 85% calves in 2021-22
71% fawns and 85% calves in 2020-21
73% fawns and 84% calves in 2019-20
58% fawns and 84% calves in 2018-19
69% fawns and 72% calves in 2017-18
HAT Working Group final recommendations advance to negotiated rulemaking April 14, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game
... The public will be able to provide their input on all the proposed rule changes during the negotiated rulemaking process. ... the Hunting and Advanced Technology (HAT) Working Group ... recommends that it be unlawful for any person to use any aircraft (including drones, helicopter, and fixed-wing aircraft) to spot, locate, or aid in the taking of
any big game ungulates from July 1 through December 31 ...
Officials secure millions in funding for bridge that will be put to surprising use April 13, 2025 Idaho, The Cool Down
... the Idaho Transportation Department has secured nearly $21 million in grant funding to build three highway underpasses on U.S. Route 30. The underpasses will be located near the Wyoming border and along a regional mule deer migratory route....
Hunter Harvest Report: Idaho deer and elk hunters go 3 for 3 in 2024 April 10, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game
... 2024—a year that granted Idaho’s deer and elk some much-needed reprieve from harsh winter weather ... While the winter of 2024 was indeed mild, wildlife managers in eastern Idaho still aimed to give mule deer does and fawns another year of limited antlerless hunting in hopes of bringing those numbers back up..,
State adopts rules related to chronic wasting disease April 2, 2025 Idaho State Journal
... Limiting how harvested animals can be transported within the state or imported into the state reduces the chance of spreading the disease. Scent lures derived from urine or glandular materials also have the potential to contain infected protein prions...
Idaho Fish and Game relocates cow and calf moose from University of Idaho March 28, 2025 Fish and Game News
... The pair had become increasingly habituated to the easy living conditions on campus, raising concerns about their safety and potential conflicts ... “Relocating wildlife is always a last resort, but in this case, it was the best decision for both the moose and the community,” ...
Idaho Department of Fish and Game finalize big game season management March 27, 2025 KMVT on MSN
... “There will be a little bit less mule deer hunting opportunity. Controlled antlerless mule deer hunting opportunity. And some of those reductions were made in response to a survey that we just completed where mule deer numbers were down a little bit,” Mike McDonald, the Regional Wildlife Manager ..,
Idaho Fish and Game relocates female moose and calf from community in Bingham County March 20, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game News
... Two of the moose, a female and her calf, were tranquilized and relocated from a Riverside neighborhood to a more remote location in southeast Idaho, away from neighborhoods and roads. Idaho Fish and Game was not able to capture the third moose, a yearling, because it retreated from the area where tranquilizing wasn't feasible ...
Here’s what F&G biologists learned from two elk surveys in Southwest Idaho, and how it could shape hunting next year March 17, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game News
...Recent surveys by Fish and Game biologists showed elk populations in the Weiser River and Brownlee Elk zones are well above objectives for both bulls and cows... The herds aren’t just growing on private lands ... biologists saw population increases in all three of its units, including 22 and 32A, where there is a greater proportion of public land...
Shed Hunt Responsibly: Just because snow has melted doesn’t mean winter is over for elk and deer March 13, 2025 Idaho Fish and Game News
... "Wintering big game animals are very susceptible to any kind of disturbance, whether it is from passing motorists, domestic dogs, or shed hunters in late winter and early spring," said Toby Boudreau, Fish and Game's Deer and Elk Coordinator. "There's growing concern over shed hunters putting additional stress on wintering big game in many areas of the state."...
Video Below: A young moose in North Idaho was euthanized after taking up residency in Osburn. IDFG says the moose posed a risk to the community. - March 11, 2025
