Some Big Game Hunting Seasons Have Already Opened In Idaho

For many years, there have been big game hunting seasons opening on Aug. 30 in Idaho. In the last decade or so, some hunts have been moved up to as early as Aug. 1.

The Salmon Region started this trend in Idaho in a move to haze elk (and deer) away from agricultural fields. Elk tend to forage on standing crops just before harvest, causing financial losses for farmers and ranchers. These hunts were designed to address this problem. The thought was that a few hunters around these fields would cause the elk to look for food elsewhere.

Some of the hunts restricted hunters to within one mile of agricultural fields, so they came to be known as “greenfield” hunts. Some hunts just required that hunters hunt within one mile of private land so that their activities would alter the feeding patterns of the elk.

For more information and for help with planning hunts, go to fishandgame.idaho.gov and use the “Hunt Planner.”