OutdoorWriter
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 8,340
More here:
Hunters can comment on proposed changes for 2022 deer and elk seasons from Feb. 22 through March 13
By Roger Phillips, Public Information SupervisorTuesday, February 22, 2022 - 4:13 PM MST
Changes are largely in response to two disease incidents that affected herds
Hunters and other interested parties can comment on proposed changes to the 2022 deer and elk seasons from Feb. 22 through March 13. Proposals are in response to the first-ever detection of Chronic Wasting Disease in Unit 14, as well as a recurrence of another disease that unexpectedly reduced whitetails herds in Clearwater Region. The commission is scheduled to decide on changes at its March 23-24 meeting at 600 S. Walnut St. in Boise.
Most hunt changes are prompted by CWD detection
Fish and Game officials discovered six cases of CWD in deer and elk in Unit 14, and wildlife managers are proposing hunt changes there to slow, the spread of CWD. The goal is to keep the prevalence low, which is the number of animals within herds that have the disease, and prevent, or slow, its spread into other areas.Fish and Game’s 2021 CWD testing showed the amount of disease – or prevalence – is estimated to be less than 2 percent for deer and likely less in elk. Research from others states has shown that keeping the prevalence rate less than 5 percent can slow its spread, but when CWD prevalence rates increase above 5 percent, the disease is more likely to rapidly spread within a herd and also expand geographically.
“Structuring hunts to achieve lower densities of deer, and younger age classes within herds, has also shown to slow the geographic spread of CWD and hold prevalence at current levels or lower,” Fish and Game State Game Manager Rick Ward said.
Proposed hunt change options
Increase mule deer harvest
Option 1: Increase antlered mule deer controlled hunt tags from 180 to 400 tags with the hunting season running from Oct. 10 – Nov. 20.Option 2: Replace existing antlered controlled hunt (180 tags) with a general-season, antlered-only hunt from Oct. 10 – Nov. 20.
Add antlerless mule deer hunt
Add new mule deer extra antlerless hunt with 200 tags from Oct. 10 – Nov. 20. “Extra tags” allow hunters to harvest an additional animal in addition to a regular or controlled hunt tag.Add White-tailed deer extra tags
Option 1: In addition to the existing general season, either-sex whitetail hunt, add a new extra antlerless whitetail hunt with 250 tags, and a new whitetail, extra antlered tag with 250 tags. Each hunt would run Oct. 10 – Nov. 20.Option 2: Extend the existing general, either-sex hunt from Oct. 10 – Dec. 31.
