Fish and Game Commission to meet in Lewiston
Nov. 10—The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will make its annual stop in Lewiston next week to discuss and take action on a number of hunting and fishing issues.
Commissions are scheduled to vote on an update to the state's mountain lion and white sturgeon management plans; consider several land acquisitions, including riverfront fishing property near Harpster; look at allowing non-lead and lead alloy bullets in muzzleloader-only hunts; and establish shed antler hunting rules.
They will also hear a report on the latest detection of chronic wasting disease near New Meadows, be briefed on the elk carrying capacity in the Lolo Zone, and hear an update on the state's elk management plan.
The Lewiston stop starts with a public comment hearing at 7 p.m. Wednesday and will be followed by the commission's formal business meeting from 8 a.m. to about 5 p.m. Thursday. Both meetings will be held at the Idaho Fish and Game Clearwater Regional Office at 3316 16th St. in Lewiston and are open to the public. Public comment will be taken only at Wednesday's hearing.
Commissioner Don Ebert, of Weippe, said he is inclined to support several action items, including rules to allow nonlead muzzleloader bullets, acquisition of land along the South Fork of the Clearwater River that will accommodate steelhead fishing and rules that will govern shed hunting.
"We are not talking about a statewide antler season," he said. "My understanding is we are talking about emergency closures and what I prefer personally is on an as-needed basis."
For example, Ebert pointed to emergency closures in southeastern Idaho to protect deer and elk herds that suffered high mortality during last year's severe winter there.
When steelhead move into the South Fork of the Clearwater River, hundreds of anglers can flock there and finding a fishing spot can be difficult. Ebert said acquisition of a 21-acre parcel north of Harpster and a 15-acre parcel south of Harpster will help. Both pieces of property are connected to a 10-acre parcel already owned by the state and were appraised at a cumulative price of $185,000.
"If you've ever been steelhead fishing on the South Fork, you know it's pretty hard to find a spot to fish, so I see that as a good thing."
Ebert is eager to hear more information on the CWD detection in Unit 32A near New Meadows. He said the commission is aware that any response plan will have to consider factors relevant to the area and that it is likely to be different than the response to the outbreak near Slate Creek. On Wednesday, the Idaho Fish and Game Department announced a hunter-killed mule deer tested positive for the disease. It was taken about 7 miles south of New Meadows.
Department Director Jim Fredericks said the two CWD areas are different from each other and that will be a factor in developing a response plan.
"In the Slate Creek area north of Riggins, most animals remain nearby year-round, but migration patterns and winter ranges of deer where this particular animal was harvested are more complex. Most animals have already moved out of the northern part of unit 32A and will not return until spring," Fredericks said.
Commissioners will also hear a report looking at how many elk the habitat in the Lolo Zone will support. The Lolo Zone once supported a herd of 16,000 elk. There are about 2,000 elk there now. The population was reduced by severe winters in the 1990s. About the same time, wolves became established in the area and added to predation losses from mountain lions and black bears. In addition, the habitat in the area has changed over the past 40 years. It was once dominated by young forests and brush fields that followed large fires in the first half of the 20th century. Since then, those brush fields have aged and the young trees are now middle aged.
According to a 2016 estimate, the Lolo Zone can support an elk population of about 3,125.
"Whether we like it or not, there are places in the state that will not support as many animals now as they would 20 years ago, and I think it's time we started to take a realistic look at all the things in place that drive populations," Ebert said.
He said predators and vegetation changes are driving carrying capacity there. He is hopeful a good neighbor agreement between the U.S. Forest Service and Fish and Game will help restore some of the habitat so it is more beneficial to elk.
Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker.
