Alix Devenport

The Idaho Fish and Game is currently updating its strategic plan for 2025 and beyond. The plan outlines broad strategies and tactics to preserve, protect, perpetuate, and manage all of Idaho's wildlife, aiming to sustain wildlife populations and meet the demand for hunting, fishing, and trapping. Public input is being sought on key external priority areas, including hunter, angler, trapper, and wildlife viewer satisfaction, habitat loss, invasive species, disease, and predator management.

The meeting focused on establishing consensus on various recommendations and identifying areas of agreement among the members. Discussions included reviewing public feedback regarding the Hunting and Advanced Technology (HAT) Working Group's scope, aligning recommendations with the commission's authority, and defining clear operational sideboards for species management. Participants engaged in an exercise to rate their level of support for proposed recommendations, which included draft alternatives for long-range shooting regulations.

The Commission addressed public comments concerning administrative hunting rules, the department's strategic plan, wildlife disease management, and specific species augmentation. A comprehensive presentation was delivered on western state regulations governing hunting technology, including the use of trail cameras, thermal optics, drones, and aircraft. The discussion emphasized the challenges of enforcing these regulations, the impact of rapid technological advancements on fair chase ethics, and the need for proactive regulatory measures to protect wildlife resources.

The virtual open house focused on the fisheries regulation scoping meeting for the 2022-2024 season. Key discussion topics included the regulation setting process, factors affecting fish population dynamics such as winter mortality and harvestable surplus, and specific concerns regarding the increasing abundance of Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the Ririe Reservoir. Staff addressed angler questions regarding fishing tactics, gear restrictions, and habitat management in specific local drainages.

The Commission conducted a public comment review covering proposed regulations for mountain lion, black bear, wolf, elk, and deer hunting seasons, as well as comments regarding hunting technology. Staff provided updates on current winter wildlife conditions, ongoing feeding operations, and results from recent big game abundance surveys, which indicated population declines in certain management units. The meeting proceeded to the deliberation of 2025-2026 big game season proposals, including specific considerations for landowner permission hunts and regional working group recommendations.