Social Network

Email: timberwolfinfonetwork@gmail.com
Email: timberwolfinfonetwork@gmail.com

ID: Deer, bear, wolf seasons open

By BOBBY ATKINSON

The summer is winding down and fall’s just around the corner, so many hunters from across the Silver Valley are getting ready for hunting some of the region’s abundant wildlife.

Thursday marked the opening day for bow hunting for antlered and antlerless whitetail deer and antlered mule deer. Those outdoorsmen who aren’t as inclined to using a bow can get a little more adventurous and try their luck at hunting black bears and wolfs, as both seasons opened on Thursday as well.

Those going after deer in the Silver Valley could be in for a successful hunting season this year. Idaho Fish and Game official Josh Stanley said deer populations across the area have shot up in the past year.

“We are very much relying on hunters to control the populations,” Stanley said. “There has been a large increase in deer numbers recently, so [Fish and Game] has a more liberal take on whitetails.”

Hunters going out to find bear and wolves could also be in for some success this year. Stanley said Fish and Game have seen an increase in wolves and after lawsuits were threatening to block wolf hunts earlier this year, the game warden said the Fish and Game was extremely happy that hunters are out in the woods “with wolf tags in their pockets.”

Moreover, the black bear populations across Shoshone County are, Stanley said, at a very healthy level. The healthy population of bears has given way to some changes in bear hunting. Namely, hunters now have the opportunity to bag more bear than in the past.

“Our bear numbers are very, very healthy,” Stanley said. “They are high numbers so the rules are more liberal regarding bear hunts this year. A second reduced bear tag is now available.”

The high population numbers this year could be a result of the milder than usual winter. Stanley said weather is the number one factor that drives changes in population — ahead of hunters and natural predators alike.

Not all of wildlife population numbers were high enough to allow more loose rules. For elk, there have been major changes in buying over the counter tags.

In the past, an elk tag allowed a hunter the chance at either a bull or cow elk. However, with a drop in elk numbers, Stanley said Fish and Game had to limit the number of cow elks killed. Now, only hunters with restricted tags are allowed to kill cow elk.

New restriction in elk hunting, however, shouldn’t keep hunters away from going after the big prize elk. Stanley said despite the new restrictions, there have been plenty of elk spotted across the Silver Valley lately.

“Hunters just need to get out there in forest and off the roads and they’ll shoot some elk. There are lots of them out there,” Stanley said

Source