Shed closure

[JPickett]

F&G Commission approves temporary antler gathering closure for Upper Snake and Southeast Regions

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission recently set an antler gathering closure starting Jan. 1, 2024 and running through April 14, 2024 in the Upper Snake and Southeast Regions. The closure will only take place on public land, and activities other than antler hunting will not be affected.

idfg.idaho.gov

 

[Homer]

Link is broken....Http/1.1 Service Unavailable

 

[runamuk]

Closure will run Jan. 1, 2024 through April 14, 2024
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission recently set an antler gathering closure starting Jan. 1, 2024 and running through April 14, 2024 in the Upper Snake and Southeast Regions. The closure will only take place on public land, and activities other than antler hunting will not be affected.
The closure is intended to reduce stress on wintering big game herds, which suffered from the extremely harsh winter of 2022-23, and the closure is intended to help eastern Idaho mule deer herds recover quicker.
This is the first closure for antler hunting in Idaho since 2002. Earlier this year, the Idaho Legislature passed legislation that gave the Commission authority to seasonally restrict the possession, transportation and collection of shed antlers and horns, as well as antlers or horns from animals that died of natural causes.
The antler gathering closure for early 2024 only applies to antlers from white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk and moose.

Temporary antler hunting closure Q&A​

Is this closure statewide?
No. It only applies to the Upper Snake and Southeast Regions.

What are the new restrictions related to possession and transportation of antlers?
New legislation resulted in the temporary restriction on searching for, locating, or gathering shed antlers from deer, elk and moose and antlers from deer, elk and moose that have died from natural causes between Jan. 1, 2024 and April 14, 2024 only in the Upper Snake Region and the Southeast Region.
The temporary closure includes caching, marking locations with GPS, and the use of unmanned aircraft systems to locate antlers.
Can a person be cited for ignoring the closure?
Yes, it can result in a misdemeanor citation.
Does this apply to private lands?
No, the law does not apply to a private landowner or his/her designee on land leased or owned by that person.
Why only restrict antler gathering when so many other activities can disturb wintering big game herds?
Fish and Game can only regulate fishing and hunting-based activities, not other activities that may occur on public lands. Those activities are within the authority of the agency that manages that public land.
Will this closure happen every year?
No. The intent is to protect wintering big game during or after extreme winters, and to help them recover faster. Future closures will depend on future winter conditions.
Are the closures supported by the public?
The legislation to regulate antler gathering was initiated by sportsmen and women wanting to protect wintering big game herds. Idaho Fish and Game hosted a public comment period prior to the Commission’s decision, and 1,913 people provided input regarding antler gathering closures:

• 69 percent supported the concept, (18 percent of those supported it with some concerns)
• 31 percent did not support it

Of those who supported antler gathering closures, 91 percent supported closures in both the Southeast and Upper Snake Regions.

Wildlife Conservation and Management

 

[JPickett]

Link is broken....Http/1.1 Service Unavailable

That’s weird. Looks like runamuk got it on there. Be interesting to see how this is taken by the public. I’ll be out there coyote hunting some of these units. Thank goodness that won’t disturb the winter range…

 

[OLDHORNHUNTER]

F--KING amazing these IDIOTS can implement a shed season to try and reduce the stress on wintering animals. BUT shorten or close a general season to HELP the ones that survived last winter was NOT a F--KING option !!!

 

[runamuk]

No doubt this will increase the shed hunting crowds to the West and cause problems.
Just a matter of time and the shed season will be statewide.

 

[Deerlove]

F--KING amazing these IDIOTS can implement a shed season to try and reduce the stress on wintering animals. BUT shorten or close a general season to HELP the ones that survived last winter was NOT a F--KING option !!!

To be fair they reduced the tags I wanted by 50.

 

[OLDHORNHUNTER]

To be fair they reduced the tags I wanted by 50.

WOW 50 tags are you serious ?? That part of the state had over 80% winter kill, 49 of the 50 radio collared fawns DIED thats a little more than 80% !!

 

[Deerlove]

I'm referring to Elk not deer. Call me old school I have no problem with him protecting the winter range

 

[elkmo41]

Whats the point…No bucks = No sheds

 

[Blindnonresident]

Tuff Sheds has about anything you want.

 

[BrianID]

I have no problem with the shed season closure. If all shed hunters were ethical, this would be a nonissue.
The best solution is to close the winter range to all human activity. A good example of this is what they do on a large area of the winter range in 60A.

 

[OLDHORNHUNTER]

I have no problem with the shed season closure. If all shed hunters were ethical, this would be a nonissue.
The best solution is to close the winter range to all human activity. A good example of this is what they do on a large area of the winter range in 60A.

Exactly the ONLY people these closures keep out are the honest law abiding ones. If it is not closed to ALL access then it will not matter one bit !! Happens every year in the states that have shed seasons !!!

 

[JPickett]

Hell yeah!!! Lock everyone out!

except the 2.5 million cows. their fine. me playing rabbit in distress for 20 minutes at a time is waaaayyyy more impactful...

 

[Blindnonresident]

Boise dudes will never lock out the cows.
If they did they would go without.

 

[JPickett]

When was the last time you were in boise? My guess is 80% of that town thinks cows cause global warming and ranching is evil. Not sure they’re your allies in your over grazing love affair

 

[OLDHORNHUNTER]

Hell yeah!!! Lock everyone out!

except the 2.5 million cows. their fine. me playing rabbit in distress for 20 minutes at a time is waaaayyyy more impactful...

Hey JP I am right there with you I dont hunt that side of the state but I do hunt & trap the western side and I am always around winter range. Which has been F--KING destroyed by cows !! And anyone that says different is Ignorant or Blind !! My comment to closing these units is IF they are going to have any success They have to close it to ALL activities or it is a WASTE of time . Which we all know F&G will not & can not do !!

 

[JPickett]

i absolutely agree. shed "closures" are nothing but feel good lip service to say "look at us! we're doing something!!!"

accomplishes effectively nothing, adds about zero cost to the budget and kicks the can. pretty much par for the course of any government agency

 

[HntHrdr]

Yep, only a matter of time, I will say at least yours coincides closer to your turkey season, CO’s is a joke, plus most sheds are long gone by the time May 1 rolls around

 

[Blindnonresident]

Shed hunting is far too easy.

Really hunters look for calf testicles that have dropped off.
Finding the rubber band still attached is possible if the chipmunks don't find em first.

 

[OLDHORNHUNTER]

i absolutely agree. shed "closures" are nothing but feel good lip service to say "look at us! we're doing something!!!"

accomplishes effectively nothing, adds about zero cost to the budget and kicks the can. pretty much par for the course of any government agency

Nothing but a Phony act pretending like they are really concerned about the animals !! Next they will be insisting a class is required as well as a shed gathering fee, and the closed areas will NOT be patrolled. Just a F--KING waste of time which is what FISH & NO GAME does best

 

[Blindnonresident]

Such a pitty party around here.
Quit shooting animals and you'll have more.

 

[Angry Chair]

When was the last time you were in boise? My guess is 80% of that town thinks cows cause global warming and ranching is evil. Not sure they’re your allies in your over grazing love affair

Does that mean that 80% of Boise residents are BHA members?

 

[Angry Chair]

Such a pitty party around here.
Quit shooting animals and you'll have more.

Nah, "mEaT iN tHe FrEeZeR" is too important, so we have to wack any and all dink mule deer bucks we can find.

 

[Blindnonresident]

Sage raised mule deer.
Yum!

 

[Angry Chair]

It's ok. Whitetail raised on clear-cuts taste much better, though.

 

[BrianID]

Hell yeah!!! Lock everyone out!

except the 2.5 million cows. their fine. me playing rabbit in distress for 20 minutes at a time is waaaayyyy more impactful...

There are several winter ranges in Eastern Idaho that are closed to all human activity. I think the biggest potential problem on the winter range are snowmobiles. There are still plenty of places to call coyotes in Eastern Idaho.
I would agree that some of the winter range is over graze. Sheep are much worse than cows.

 

[SS!]

A state that borders utah deciding to make a shed season.

 

[HntHrdr]

Where will all the Utards go to find that “brown gold”?! Midwest watch out they will come like locusts, with flat brims, trucks covered with stickers and kilos of mountain ops

 

[Blindnonresident]

Filming it all for instant status!!!

 

[Butts]

My Question is what is Wyoming doing differently, that grants a state/federal NO MOTORIZED vehicles on closure areas.

Is it a BLM /NF difference.?

Long story short Idaho says they cannot enforce anything that is not IDFG related per motorized vehicle access? Onto the winter range. Guess we could talk topography..

I just imagine this. A bachelor herd of Bucks meeting up, (deer)Great browse bro.!!! O wait I just jumped 2canyons over cause a turbo sled. Sent me that way..
Rode right up on the southwestern ridge I was calling home for 3.5 months…..them snowmobiles on any transition and winter range. Mule deer are the most threatened species in the west period.

 

[hawkbill]

Where will all the Utards go to find that “brown gold”?! Midwest watch out they will come like locusts, with flat brims, trucks covered with stickers and kilos of mountain ops

The utube shed hunters are now booking trips to Alaska. Google Shed Crazy and Hush picking Moose Sheds in Alaska.

 

[HntHrdr]

The utube shed hunters are now booking trips to Alaska. Google Shed Crazy and Hush picking Moose Sheds in Alaska.

I’ll take your word for it… gross

 

[Homer]

My Question is what is Wyoming doing differently, that grants a state/federal NO MOTORIZED vehicles on closure areas.

Is it a BLM /NF difference.?

Long story short Idaho says they cannot enforce anything that is not IDFG related per motorized vehicle access? Onto the winter range. Guess we could talk topography..

I just imagine this. A bachelor herd of Bucks meeting up, (deer)Great browse bro.!!! O wait I just jumped 2canyons over cause a turbo sled. Sent me that way..
Rode right up on the southwestern ridge I was calling home for 3.5 months…..them snowmobiles on any transition and winter range. Mule deer are the most threatened species in the west period.

I have tried to decipher this......but can't....cryptic