Fish and Game Commission sets seasons for waterfowl in Idaho

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission, during its meeting in Idaho Falls Monday, approved waterfowl seasons for 2009, including a new spring light goose hunt in parts of the state.

The season will open for the maximum number of days allowed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A season on canvasbacks re-opens, the bag limit is increased on pintails and season restrictions for greater and lesser scaup continue.

Waterfowl experts predict a good season for Idaho hunters. Most of the birds harvested in Idaho are produced in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Habitat conditions in these breeding areas were characterized as above-average in 2009. The pond index increased 45 percent from 4.4 million in 2008 to 6.4 million in 2009. The estimated mallard abundance increased 10 percent from 2008 levels to 8.5 million in 2009.

This year, a 107-day fall season will open for Canada and greater white-fronted geese with a four-goose daily limit. In addition a two-part season for snow and Ross' geese opens in the southwest, Magic Valley and part of the southeast regions, with a 10-goose daily limit runs from Oct. 3. through Jan. 15.

Dates for hunting Canada geese in Washington have been shifted

OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife reminds hunters that there will not be a two-day September season for Canada geese in eastern Washington this year.

Instead, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission shifted those two days of hunting to the October-January season when migrant geese are present in the state.

The commission, which sets policy for the department, took that action at its April meeting in response to ongoing declines in resident goose production on the east side of the state.

September goose seasons in western Washington were not affected by that action and will proceed as planned.

Testing day for online hunters education course is Aug. 29

PULLMAN - A testing day for students who have completed Washington's online hunter education course will be held from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Aug. 29 at 991 Sunshine Road between Pullman and Moscow.

Students must bring their Washington Hunter Exam Certificate, a notarized affidavit of online certification and the Hunter Education Online Home Study registration form. More information is available by contacting Jeremy Lessmann at (509) 330-1822 or jlessman@wsu.edu.

Expect delays on Forest Service Road 250 along the North Fork

PIERCE - Motorists traveling on Forest Service Road 250 along the North Fork of the Clearwater River should expect delays lasting up to 30 minutes.

An undersized culvert is being replaced with a bridge at milepost 31.6, two miles west of the Weitas Creek Campground. Traffic will be diverted over a temporary bypass at the construction site. The project is necessary to improve fish passage and is expected to take two weeks to complete.

More information is available by calling the Clearwater National Forest Information Desk in Orofino at (208) 476-8267.

Ranger district offers program for mobility-impaired hunters

ELK CITY - The Red River Ranger District of the Nez Perce National Forest has a program for mobility-impaired hunters in hunting units 15 and 20.

To participate in the program, each hunter must have an Idaho Handicapped Person Vehicle Hunting Permit, hunting licenses and tags issued by the Idaho Fish and Game Department and a Road Use Permit from the Elk City Ranger Station, located in Elk City.

The road permit allows access behind certain locked gates on National Forest land. Hunters with the necessary documentation may be accompanied by one non-hunting assistant at a time behind the closed gate. Portions of Forest Roads 1150 and 1110 in Unit 15 and Forest Road 9550 in Unit 20 are included in the program. However, due to an ongoing timber sale, there is a possibility that Forest Road 1110 may not be open.

More information is available by calling the Red River District at (208) 842-2245.

TRIBUNE