2017/2018 Hunting Proposals

customweld · Feb 13, 2017

The 2017/2018 Proposals are on Fish and Game's website. Pretty drastic changes proposed for the Weiser River Elk Zone. If you are a fan of hunting elk, I would suggest you read up on them and send your comments.

idahodave · Feb 13, 2017

Agreed. Read up and make your voice heard. A lot of interesting proposals this time around. That weiser river zone proposal is nuts.

idhikker · Feb 13, 2017

Anterless general season hunts (A and B tags) is pretty nuts. However, they had so many controlled hunt tags that I'm wondering how much higher hunter participation would actually be.

I'm surprised they're not planning on adding the quota to the Sawtooth elk zone.

Overall, I don't think it's that exciting. It is nice that there are many units with increased anterled controlled hunts.

I'm not as worried about increased opportunity for elk. I'm guessing the winter kill won't be that bad for elk but I could be wrong.

customweld · Feb 13, 2017

I think there was around 1450 cow tags in 22 and somewhere around 1350 in 32A. That is a lot of tags, but you know exactly how many were being handed out. If you spend anytime up there during hunting season, you know what a circus it is. Now I think you are going to see a dramatic increase, just for the simple fact that if you see any elk you can shoot it. Not to mention, what is this going to do for antlered draws? You know every man puts his wife and kids in for cow tags.Now they can put in for other draws and know they can go kill cows in the general hunt if they don't draw what they put in for. Lastly, It shows how much clout landowners and ranchers have over the commissioners.

idhikker · Feb 13, 2017

Those are some good thoughts. It could definitely be something they change right away. Hard to know. They used to have general cow elk hunting in unit 27, where I hunt, and it wasn't very popular at all. So I think cow elk harvest might not be as high as one might think.

I don't think the controlled hunt stats will change much. Lots of hunts.

The harvest numbers look pretty good in 2015 in 22 but not 32 and 32a.

customweld · Feb 13, 2017

I hope you are right hiker, but with all due respect, unit 27 is a far cry from the southern reaches of the Weiser units which are less that 45 minutes from Boise.

idahodave · Feb 13, 2017

This a a direct response to landowner pressure. Too bad, considering a lot of the major landowners aren't even Idaho based. And I agree with customweld. It will be a blood bath. If you've ever been up there during any of the archery, controlled cow, or general bull seasons you know how crazy it is. Especially that general bull season. In a few years you'll see a noticeable decrease in elk population if this happens. There are a lot of elk in the weiser river zone, but that's not enough to warrant a free for all. It will be pretty devastating.

RedPostBullSlayer · Feb 13, 2017

Not trying to harp on you or bust your balls IdahoDave, but our voices will fall on deaf ears. It is very apparent our F&G have an agenda and are dead set on accomplishing the exact opposite of what we the sportsman need and want. That entire department needs a complete overhaul, through and through. We sportsman need to stand up and come together and get these phony desk jockeys out of their roles. It needs to go to an election system so we get to pick who is controlling our seasons and wildlife before it is too late.

"The problem with society
today, is that we no
longer
drink from the skulls of
our enemies."

andrew12gauge · Feb 14, 2017

There are a pile of elk in the weiser river zone, like somebody else said they already give out piles of antlerless tags and the population just keeps growing. All in all I don't think it will have a huge effect on the population overall and the herd out there is way above IDFG objectives, add in the fact that there is are large amounts of private land to escape too and the majority of hunters still don't leave their trucks and 4 wheelers and I think the elk will be ok

dz · Feb 14, 2017

Just saw this. I know there are not very many wolves harvested in this zone but why would you want to eliminate the hunting opportunity?

GRAY WOLF
?Eliminate harvest limit in the Southern Mountain Zone

andrew12gauge · Feb 14, 2017

They aren't eliminating harvest they are eliminating the quota, and it's not just that zone it is pretty much statewide from the proposals I have seen

dz · Feb 14, 2017

I see that now. I'm not sure how I was reading it before. I did see it in other zones and they had an explanation with it. I just missed this one. Thanks for clarifying it.

DZ