Idaho Fish and Game

🎙️Podcast alert! If you're interested in understanding chronic wasting disease (or CWD) and how it impacts Idaho's deer and elk herds, then you'll want to put an ear to this episode. Two of our CWD experts, Rick Ward (State Wildlife Manager) and Stacey Dauwalter (Wildlife Health Program Coordinator and Forensic Lab Manager) join host Connor Jay Liess and Information Supervisor Roger Phillips to talk all things CWD and answer hunters' questions. Listen to the podcast here: https://lnkd.in/gyRZyrNg #ChronicWastingDisease #CWD #ChronicWastingDiseaseAwarenessWeek #Idaho #HuntIdaho #IdahoFishAndGame

This week marks Chronic Wasting Disease Awareness Week in Idaho. Throughout the week, we will address questions about CWD in videos, our Hook and Bulletin podcast, and social media posts. Learn more about chronic wasting disease here: https://idfg.idaho.gov/cwd #ChronicWastingDisease #ChronicWastingDiseaseAwarenessWeek #IdahoWildlife #Idaho

Congratulations to the Idaho Fish and Game Commission on their 2024 Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) Commission of the Year award. According to WAFWA, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission was selected for this award in part for its “exceptional oversight and guidance through challenging wildlife management issues in 2023 and recent years. They’ve been required to make policy decisions on several complex and high-stake issues including chronic wasting disease, salmon and steelhead management, and wolf management.” The Idaho Fish and Game Commissioners serving during the 2023 time period for which the award was conferred were:  - Ron Davies of Clayton, Commission Chairman, representing the Salmon Region  - Dave Bobbitt of Coeur d’ Alene, representing the Panhandle Region - Don Ebert of Weippe, representing the Clearwater Region - Tim Murphy of Boise, representing the Southwest Region - Greg Cameron of Rupert, representing the Magic Valley Region - Jordon Cheirrett of Soda Springs, representing the Southeast Region - Derick Attebury of Idaho Falls, representing the Upper Snake Region, who after serving the maximum of two terms has been recently replaced by Brody Harshbarger of Ashton. Read more about the Commission and the award here: https://lnkd.in/gmScs3e4 #IdahoFishAndGame #FishAndGameCommission #FishAndWildlife

New job announcements added! - Regional Wildlife Biologist - Farm Bill/Private Lands: Idaho Falls. Apply by September 10: https://lnkd.in/gX7dFcT3 - Fisheries Staff Biologist: Boise. Apply by September 10. https://lnkd.in/gw5cC6GQ - Financial Technician: Boise. Open until filled. https://lnkd.in/gKUcaeaX - Administrative Assitant 2: Boise. Apply by September 6. https://lnkd.in/gupapGV7 - Senior Wildlife Technician - Depredation: Lewiston. Apply by August 30. https://lnkd.in/gN_MQjKa - IT Software Engineer III: Boise. Open until filled. https://lnkd.in/gTHxiTG5 - Various temporary wildlife and fisheries and maintenance craftsman positions are also available here: https://idfg.idaho.gov/job #Wildlife #Fisheries #FinanceJobs #AdministrativeAssistant #Boise #IdahoFalls #Lewiston #IdahoJobs #GovernmentJobs

Congratulations to Idaho Fish and Game Southeast Regional Investigator Cody Allen on receiving the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Pogue-Elms Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award. 👏👏 Cody has worked as a conservation officer in Idaho Fish and Game’s Southeast Region for 12 years. Since becoming the regional investigator in 2017, he has been an instrumental part of every major wildlife-related criminal investigation in southeast Idaho from doing initial undercover work to the filing of criminal charges. One recent noteworthy investigation he helped bring to completion was a multi-year, multi-state commercial wildlife trafficking case resulting in multiple felony charges and over one hundred thousand dollars in fines and restitution. Allen is known for his outstanding investigative skills, specifically regarding digital media. His peers remark that his ability to collect evidence from cell phone data, social media sites, and computer storage is second to none, and he is largely regarded as the state subject matter expert on cell phone investigations. He is also known for his willingness to work collaboratively with conservation officers in the Southeast Region and other regions when his special skills are needed. Allen says, “I always felt drawn to work with wildlife in some aspect. I chose this career because it constantly offers new challenges and a high degree of variability. Each day brings something different allowing me to adapt and keep my work exciting,” Learn more about Cody and his award ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gmScs3e4 #LawEnforcement #ConservationOfficer #ProtectWildlife #IdahoFishAndGame

Help design our next hard card! We are seeking art submissions for a bighorn sheep, mountain goat, redband trout, or a sockeye salmon. One fish and one big game submission will chosen. Each winner will receive $1,000 for use of their artwork. Interested in having your artwork on the 2025 hard card? Get contest details here: https://lnkd.in/gtrNVmwd #Artwork #Artists #IdahoWildlife #ArtContest #Idaho

Check out the newly designed Idaho wildlife license plates! The Idaho Fish & Wildlife Foundation offers Idaho residents three colorful license plate options: elk, cutthroat trout, and mountain bluebird. All three feature original artwork by Idaho artists. All proceeds go to three causes that support Fish and Game's wildlife diversity program. Whether you're an archery hunter or a birdwatcher, purchasing an Idaho wildlife license plate helps support Idaho’s plant and animal life. Learn more about the artists who designed the new plates and how to purchase them here: https://lnkd.in/eJnVpzmw #Idaho #IdahoWildlife #IdahoElk #IdahoCutthroat #IdahoBluebird

🎉 125th Anniversary: Wild turkeys in Idaho On January 14, 1961, the first Idaho Fish and Game release of wild turkeys was made in the lower Salmon River Canyon near Whitebird. This release consisted of 17 birds (13 hens and 4 toms). The birds were obtained from the Colorado Game and Fish Department who live-trapped turkeys from wild flocks. The birds were placed in individual cardboard cartons and flown to Idaho where they were moved by truck to the release site. Twenty-four hours after the birds entered the trap in Colorado, they became Idaho residents. Releases continued during the spring of 1962 and 1963, and by 1967, wild turkey populations expanded from original release locations and occupied most of the ponderosa pine habitat from Riggins to Whitebird. The entire wild turkey population in Idaho was comprised of the Merriam’s subspecies until winter 1981–1982 when Rio Grande wild turkeys were released in suitable riparian habitat along the Boise, Payette, Snake, and Weiser rivers, and tributaries of the South Fork of the Clearwater River. In 1985, Eastern wild turkeys were released near Dworshak Reservoir. Today, Idaho wild turkey populations are estimated to be around 50,000 birds with hunting opportunities in all seven Idaho Fish and Game regions. 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐲𝐬! Have you seen any turkeys lately? We want to know where and how many. Report sightings here: https://lnkd.in/gYaK7N3d #IdahoHistory #Idaho #Turkeys #IdahoFishAndGame

Become an Idaho Fish and Gamer! We are hiring for a variety of positions. - Grant Accountant: Boise. Apply by August 14. https://lnkd.in/gpniTnT8 - Financial Specialist: Boise. Apply by August 7. https://lnkd.in/gwPZ99GR - Fish Culturist: Statewide. Apply by August 5. https://lnkd.in/geXG4G4D - IT Software Engineer III: Boise. Open until filled. https://lnkd.in/gTHxiTG5 - Conservation Officer: Statewide. Apply by August 16. https://lnkd.in/gfiBZ3UY - GIS Analyst III (2 openings): Boise. Open until filled. https://lnkd.in/gNvt9a2E - Hunter Education and Urban Wildlife Technician: Nampa. Apply by August 9. https://lnkd.in/gS9Kc-St - See temporary and seasonal positions here: https://idfg.idaho.gov/job #IdahoJobs #FinanceJobs #Fisheries #SoftwareEngineer #LawEnforcement #ConservationOfficer #GameWarden #GIS #HunterEducation #ConservationEducation #Grants #Hatcheries #ITJobs

Higher stream temperatures have become more common in recent years, leading anglers to ask two common questions. First, is catch-and-release fishing actually harming trout populations by fishing on summer days when water temperatures get warm? Secondly, should Fish and Game use “hoot owl” fishing closures to prohibit even catch-and-release fishing when water temperatures get too warm? Last summer, Idaho Fish and Game biologists performed a study to help answer these questions and provided a real-world example to put this in perspective of actual trout populations. Using fisheries science, we evaluated "hoot owl" closures. Read more about this study and what it means here: https://lnkd.in/ggcKSiF3 #FishIdaho #IdahoFishing #FisheriesResearch