Deadline Alert: Elk plan comment period ends May 5

How does a management plan differ from season setting?

The plan creates sideboards for elk management, and season setting involves the actions within those sideboards that help carry out strategies in the plan. The two work hand-in-hand, but serve two different roles.

The management plan guides wildlife managers' decisions and allows different strategies to be applied to each elk zone.

Some zones might provide more opportunities for muzzleloader and archery seasons through A tags, others are better suited for any-weapon seasons through B tags, and some zones will be limited to controlled hunts.

Season setting is where much of the plan is implemented and uses specific actions - typically hunting seasons - to carry out the management plan.

"Every proposal made during the season-setting process aims to achieve at least one of three things," said Rick Ward, State Wildlife Manager. "Maintain the population within management plan's objectives, provide hunting opportunities, and make sure the elk populations are not causing problems, such as depredation on agriculture lands."

Upcoming open houses

PANHANDLE
April 11 | 4-6 p.m. PDT
Panhandle Regional Office - 2885 W. Kathleen Ave., Coeur d'Alene

SALMON
April 16 | 4-7 p.m. MDT
Salmon Regional Office - 99 Hwy. 93 N., Salmon

CLEARWATER
April 18 | 4-6:30 p.m. PDT
Clearwater Regional Office - 3316 16th St., Lewiston

SOUTHWEST - MCCALL
April 22 | 4-6:30 p.m. MDT
Southwest Regional Office - 555 Deinhard Lane, McCall

SOUTHWEST - NAMPA
April 25 | 4-7 p.m. MDT
Southwest Regional Office - 15950 N. Gate Blvd. Nampa

MAGIC VALLEY
April 25 | 4-6 p.m. MDT
Magic Valley Regional Office - 324 South 417 East - Suite 1, Jerome

SOUTHEAST
April 30 | 4-6 p.m. MDT
Southeast Regional Office - 1345 Barton Road, Pocatello

UPPER SNAKE
April 30 | 4-7 p.m. MDT
Upper Snake Regional Office - 4279 Commerce Circle, Idaho Falls

SOUTHWEST - HEADQUARTERS
April 30 | 4-7 p.m. MDT
IDFG Headquarters - 600 S. Walnut, Boise

What comes next?

After a public comment period, Fish and Game staff will look at the public input and decide what, or whether, to change things. They will make those revisions and then forward the revised plan to the Fish and Game Commission for their approval. After the Commission approves it, it will guide elk management until at least 2030.

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