OCTOBER TOWN HALL
We hope you’re out hunting, fishing, trapping, or in your own way taking advantage of all the opportunities afforded to Idahoans this time of year. Far be it from us to argue against the decision to be outdoors as opposed to sitting in the office or working in the fields.
So, if you missed our October Town Hall, we have a newsy recap that provides the latest on chronic wasting disease monitoring, another round of treatment in the Snake River to eradicate quagga mussels, and Senate confirmations of some Idahoans in key positions here and in Washington, D.C.
The October Town Hall kicked off with Idaho Fish and Game Director Jim Fredericks and a reminder that the agency has established chronic wasting disease (CWD) management zones in hunting units 14, 18, and part of unit 1. There is also a mandatory testing rule in place for units 23, 24, 32a, and 63a. Testing can be done by agency staff at certain locations or individually, simply by removing the animal’s lymph node and testing with a kit provided by the agency. The agency has more details on CWD management and mandatory testing on its website.
Fredericks says the agency is also working to manage an outbreak of Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) among white tail and mule deer in north Idaho. A virus transmitted by gnats, EHD tends to appear during periods of hot and dry conditions. There were fatalities among the deer populations, but Frederick says there is no long-term cause for concern as white tail and mule deer tend to bounce back from outbreaks like this within three to four years.
Of special interest for hunters, Fredericks points out that the public comment period is open for a couple of rules dealing with technology in the field. For more than a year, the agency and a working group discussed and crafted rules governing the use of transmitting trail cameras on public land and the use of thermal imaging binoculars. Fredericks says the agency has received a robust amount of comments across the opinion spectrum on these rules, which could advance to the Legislature in 2026.
We’ve been engaged and monitoring the state’s response to the discovery of quagga mussels in a stretch of the Snake River in the Magic Valley. We will continue to monitor the success of the Department of Agriculture’s eradication project, which resumed a few weeks ago with a third treatment of a copper-based chemical.
Mike Edmondson, director of the Office of Species Conservation, said this year’s treatment is tailored to be more specific by targeting a new stretch of river and mixing the copper into deeper pools and tight riverbank spots where the mussels were recently detected. Fredericks said he anticipates fish mortality to be low this year given fish mortality during the last two years of treatment.
As you may know, the Idaho Legislature is engaged in a project to review spending and programs in an effort to make state government leaner and less expensive. Cut from the same cloth as the federal DOGE experiment earlier this year, Idaho DOGE committee members are compiling a list of agencies, programs, commissions, and boards to eliminate or consolidate.
The Office of Species Conservation has been added to that list. Edmondson said he will be working to educate DOGE committee members and other legislators about the important work his team does on chronically challenging issues around sage grouse restoration and management of grizzly bears and wolves. Stay tuned because the DOGE panel is likely to make recommendations that could be considered by the Legislature next year.
Some prominent and savvy Idaho minds are now officially on the job in key posts, thanks to votes in the U.S. Senate. The list of Idahoans confirmed includes Michael Boren as Undersecretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and the Environment. We’re confident Boren will be pursuing policies and initiatives that are in the best interest of Idaho and our sportsmen community. So, this is good news.
Additionally, longtime Idaho state Senator Bart Davis was confirmed to another term as U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho. He previously served in this position during the first Trump Administration. Alex Adams, former director of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, was confirmed to his new role as Assistant Secretary for Family Support with the Department of Health and Human Services. That’s a long title, but Adams is worth every bit of it. His passion for Idaho and bright ideas will be missed and we wish him well. You may recall that Idaho Sportsmen worked with Adams last year to provide free fishing licenses to kids enrolled in Idaho’s foster care program.
Sticking on the federal policy side, Darren Parker, from the staff of U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, said his boss recently introduced the FIRE Act, which stands for the Freedom from Improper Regulation and Enforcement Act. The legislation is intended to pre-empt state or local regulations that attempt to impose any limitation, prohibition, or penalty related to the capacity of a firearm magazine. Stay tuned as we’ll provide updates when appropriate.
As for policies being considered for the upcoming session, Sen. Ben Adans has a constitutional amendment to manage federal lands that get sold or transferred to the state of Idaho. We will be discussing this more as we get closer to the session.
We are also looking into the progress made on moving the non-resident hunters to a draw system, which will go live this December. As a result, we will continue to watch and support the department and the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board in managing the outfitted resident population, the outfitted non-resident population, and the general “DIY” hunting population of residents and non-residents. This has become a complex and labor-intensive effort, but we believe the state is doing a tremendous job managing the growth and issues that have been at the forefront of policy the last few years.
That’s it for now. Thanks to all the agency and legislative officials who attended and shared information, and to all of our interested partners from around the state who spent an hour of their time to tune in. We appreciate your support and interest in the work we’re doing.
Our next Town Hall is scheduled for November 4th at 6 p.m. at the headquarters of Idaho Fish and Game.
