New hunting, fishing rules in effect
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January 1, 2013 |
Several new rules, including a mentored hunting
program and changes to fishing rules, take
effect today; all of them are subject of
legislative review.
A new mentored hunting program will allow a
person 8 and older to participate in a mentored
hunt program without being required to hold a
hunter education certificate.
A Hunting Passport is a special authorization
that allows the person to take wildlife only
when they are accompanied by a mentor and
participating in the Mentored Hunting Program.
They may participate in the program only for one
year, and the Hunting Passport expires December
31 of the year it was issued.
A person with a Hunting Passport at least 8
years old may hunt small game and most upland
game birds, but a person must be at least 10 to
hunt turkey or sandhill crane and at least 12 to
hunt big game.
The mentor must be at least 18 and must possess
a valid Idaho hunting license, and he or she may
mentor no more than two others at a time.
For anglers, the most significant statewide
change is a shift to a three-year cycle. This
means the new rules will be effective through
2015. The extension from the former two-year
cycle was done to minimize the confusion
associated with frequently changing rules.
In addition, the limit on trout will go down to
two per day in some streams and urban ponds in
the Clearwater, Southwest, Southeast and Upper
Snake regions on January 1.
Idaho Fish and Game Commission adopted the rule
in November. The goal is to increase opportunity
for more anglers to catch stocked fish and to
reduce the boom and bust cycle with the stocking
program.
Affected waters are Big Elk Creek, Crooked Creek
and Red River in the Clearwater Region;
Parkcenter Pond, Weiser Community Pond, McDevitt
Pond and Wilson Ponds in the Southwest Region;
Edson Fichter Pond in the Southeast Region; and
Becker Pond in the Upper Snake Region.
In addition, in the Magic Valley Region the
length limit is removed on smallmouth bass in
Magic Reservoir; and in the Southeast Region the
bass limit is removed in the Treasureton
Reservoir.
In the Upper Snake Region the limit is removed
on rainbow trout and hybrid trout in the South
Fork Snake River tributaries. The limit on brown
trout is two, with none under 16 inches. In
Henrys Lake Outlet, the 400 yard section from
the USGS gauge to the Henrys Lake Dam opens to
fishing.
The changes take effect January 1. New fishing
seasons and rules brochures for 2013-2015 are
now available at all license vendors, Fish and
Game offices and on the Fish and Game website
at:
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/fish/rules.
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