The Courier
NEWS Fall Hunting Begins
By Brian Pearson, Conservation Public Information Specialist Many small game and archery hunting seasons in Idaho started opening this this week with opportunities including upland birds, upland game, doves, deer and elk. On August 30th, seasons opened statewide for Forest Grouse (Dusky, Ruffed and Spruce Gouse), Red squirrel, and Cottontail rabbit and Snowshoe hare. The general fall turkey season is open in the Panhandle and Clearwater regions, and portions of the Southwest and Southeast regions. Some general turkey seasons will open September 15th in eastern Idaho. Hunters should know that for the first time this year, Hunting Passport holders who are 8 or 9 years old are now allowed to purchase turkey tags to participate in over-the-counter turkey hunts, including general season and general youth-only hunts. Most deer and elk archery seasons are open, but check the Fish & Game “2020 Seasons & Rules” for your specific area. Mourning and White-winged dove seasons open statewide on September 1st, and remember... you need your Migratory Bird (HIP) Permit to hunt doves.
Small Game Highlights:
There are a number of squirrel species in Idaho, but only the red squirrel is classified as a game animal. Red squirrels are native to Idaho and found all over the state’s forests. They are typically active throughout the day in the fall, as they work to stockpile food to get ready for the winter. This is the best time to get out into Idaho’s forests and search for your quarry. -- -- -- -- - You’re likely to find mountain cottontails near agricultural land and in the brushy, rocky areas of Idaho’s sagebrush country. Focus on edge habitat — or where two types of habitat come together -- with ample cover. Cottontails like dense sagebrush, thick plants along a streamside or the brushy edges along a forest, and are most active in the couple hours after sunrise and before sunset. Away from agricultural areas, grasses, sagebrush and juniper are food sources for mountain cottontails, and a good place for hunters hone in on. Cottontail hunters should be aware that in much of Idaho, the cottontail’s range overlaps with the pygmy rabbit, for which there is not a hunting season in Idaho. As their name would suggest, pygmy rabbits are smaller than cottontails, but it can be difficult to judge how big an animal is in nature. To know if you are looking at a pygmy or cottontail rabbit, you need to look at the tail. Unlike cottontail, pygmy rabbits don’t have the white puffball of fur on the underside of their tails. Before heading out into the field, contact your local regional Fish and Game office to determine if pygmy rabbits are found in your area of interest.
News from the Heart of Idaho Camas • Lincoln • Gooding
September 2, 2020
Vol 44 Num 36
South Fork Boise River Road Open for Labor Day Weekend
The Forest Road 227 will once again be open to public travel between Featherville and Big Smoky starting on Labor Day Weekend! While there may be a few finishing touches to be completed after that, the road will be open for travel. The weekday, daytime closures (8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.) will continue on the Fleck Summit Road (FR 012) for the next three to four weeks as crews finish the widening project. The bridge over Willow Creek on Forest Road 227 west of Baumgartner Campground (in Elmore County) will be temporarily closed on Tuesday, September 8th, for required maintenance. Please contact David Skinner, Project Manager at 208-7643475 or david.skinner@usda.gov for additional information.
Health Advisory for Mormon Reservoir
South Central Public Health (SCPHD) and Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) have issued a public health advisory for Mormon Reservoir. Recent samples the DEQ took of water in those reservoirs show levels of a cyanotoxin, Microcystin, are now at unhealthy levels because of a recent cyanobacteria harmful algal bloom (HAB) in the reservoir. Cedar Creek Reservoir and Thorn Creek Reservoir are also under public health advisories for HAB's announced on August 11th. • The public is advised to take the following steps to protect their health: • Avoid exposure to water in reservoirs under a HAB health advisory. Make sure children, pets, and livestock are not exposed to the water. • Do not drink water with a HAB advisory. Boiling and disinfecting DO NOT remove toxins from water. • Do not allow pets to eat dried algae • If fishing in HAB water, remove all fat, skin, and organs before cooking. Toxins are more likely to collect in those tissues. Wash hands after handling. For updates, visit www.deq.idaho.gov or www.phd5.idaho.gov