Idaho Fish and Game Southwest Region

A total of eight instructor-led courses with open seats are slated to start in the next couple months across several program types, including courses for Hunter & Bowhunter Combo Certification and Trapper Certification. There are also some unique Hunting & Shooting Sports Courses being offered, including a brand-new Beginner Pistol Reloading course.

Here is a list of upcoming courses and scheduled start-dates. See the May 19, 2026 press release for more information: https://idfg.idaho.gov/article/these-instructor-led-hunter-education-courses-are-coming-southwest-idaho-3

Hunter & Bowhunter Combo Certification Courses
June 1 – Fruitland
June 2 – New Plymouth
June 15 – Middleton
July 23 - Kuna: https://www.register-ed.com/events/view/244674

Trapper Certification Courses
May 30 – Nampa
July 11 - Weiser: https://www.register-ed.com/events/view/244660

Hunting & Shooting Sports Courses
May 24 – Kuna – Introduction to Wingshooting
May 30 – Boise – Pre-Hunter Education Firearm Safety Basics
June 13 – Boise – Pre-Hunter Education Firearm Safety Basics
June 17 – Nampa – Beginning Pistol Reloading
June 28 – Kuna – Introduction to Wingshooting

These instructor-led hunter education courses are coming up in Southwest Idaho A total of eight instructor-led courses with open seats are slated to start in the next couple of months across several program types, including courses for Hunter & Bowhunter Combo Certification and Trapper Certification. There are also some unique Hunting & Shooting Sports Courses being offered, i...

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭.

It's officially spring, folks. And that means the peak of baby wildlife season is in full bloom. And it doesn't matter whether you're a backwoods hunter, hiker, bird watcher, or sidewalk stroller: People are bound to see young wildlife when they venture outdoors during the spring and early summer. And there is a pretty good chance that they will see a baby animal—including goslings, ducklings, and fawns—that appears to be alone, with mom nowhere in sight.

While a well-intentioned human’s first instinct might be to rescue these adorable, fuzzy, and seemingly helpless creatures, Idaho Fish and Game has a simple suggestion to people who discover baby animals that appear to be abandoned: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐛𝐞.

Every spring, Fish and Game receives calls from well-intentioned humans who claim to have “rescued” baby animals that they assume were lost, abandoned, or orphaned. While these folks typically mean well, the sad reality is they are often doing more damage than good when they intervene—and typically, mom was not far away to begin with.

Here's the hard truth. Animal parents will periodically leave their young for an extended period of time for a myriad of reasons, whether it’s to search for food, to rest, or to divert attention from their vulnerable offspring, especially if they sense danger. When it comes to wildlife babies, wildlife mothers know best.

Mammals such as deer, elk, and pronghorn routinely leave their young in a secure location like a clump of sagebrush like in the photo below. It is normal for them to leave to feed and return later—sometimes several hours later—to quickly feed their young, then leave again. The young animals know instinctively to remain still and wait for their parent to return.

The same goes for flying critters. As baby birds mature, they often leave the nest in their efforts to hone their flying skills. Adult birds continue to feed their offspring until a point in time when their young can survive on their own...even if they fall out of the nest.

If you find a baby bird, duckling, gosling, deer fawn, or other critter, the best approach is to leave it undisturbed. Then if you wish, contact your nearest Fish and Game office. Fish and Game employees are happy to take calls about apparently orphaned or injured animals, answer your questions, and when it is absolutely necessary, retrieve animals.

In addition, do not plan to raise wild animals on your own. Young wild animals require special care and feeding that is beyond what the average household is prepared to manage. 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐝𝐚𝐡𝐨.

In the spring when the wildlife baby boom is at its peak, you may have the good fortune to observe a nest of birds or a litter of young mammals with no adult in sight. Enjoy the sight, but remember it is best to leave young wildlife alone.

Living in the midst of Idaho's vibrant and diverse wildlife populations can be one of the most rewarding aspects of life in our state. Be sure to check out our Living With Widllife webpage to learn more. The page features all kinds of helpful tips on how to properly coexist when living among wildlife.

The 2026 Big Game Seasons and Rules booklet is now available online!

- View the full brochure here: https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/big-game

Printed booklets are expected to arrive at Fish and Game offices and license vendors at a later date.

Fish and Game and BLM staff will be conducting a prescribed burn on Pond 3 at the Ted Trueblood Wildlife Habitat Area sometime between April 8 and April 17, depending on weather conditions. The burn will be followed by the application of herbicide to reduce bullrush and cattail that have begun to choke out open water, making it difficult to hunt and reducing the quality of habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds.

A portion of the property will be closed to public access while the burn activity is taking place.

“Our goal is to open up around three-quarters of the pond with this treatment,” said Samantha Suszynski, Regional Wildlife Habitat Biologist. “More open water means more opportunities for us to grow duck food through moist-soil management techniques, as well as better hunting access for waterfowl hunters.”

Similar habitat-improvement work has been carried out on the other two ponds at the Ted Trueblood WHA over the past several years, which were also overgrown with cattails and bullrush. Following treatment on Ponds 1 and 2, habitat staff were able to plant and grow high-quality feed along the shoreline for waterfowl and shorebirds.

“Because of the recent habitat work we’ve done at the Trueblood ponds, there has been an increase in migratory birds using the ponds over the last two years,” Suszynski said. “We are hoping to have similar results on Pond 3 once the work is complete. The idea is to create more food for ducks and improve opportunities for waterfowl hunters.”

Read more: https://idfg.idaho.gov/article/prescribed-burn-will-take-place-ted-trueblood-wha-sometime-between-april-8-and-17

Remember back in January when we told you about those California bighorn sheep we translocated from Oregon to the Jacks Creek area in the Owyhees? How's this for an update:

A wildlife biologist recently snapped this photo of one of the translocated ewes nursing the newest sheep in the Jacks Creek population (and the first lamb to drop from the sheep we released).

Most of the sheep released were females, which play a critical role in boosting herds. All released sheep were fitted with GPS collars, allowing biologists to closely monitor their survival, movements, reproduction, and lamb survival. To date, 28 of the 30 sheep that were released remain alive and well.

Biologists are hopeful that this is a positive sign because relocated sheep can be prone to mountain lion predation until they learn their new terrain and how to avoid the cats that live there.

Most of the sheep translocated were also pregnant ewes, so this is probably the first lamb born in a larger baby boom, but that population bump could be short-lived if lambs don’t survive to adulthood.

Fish and Game's annual auction of furs, hides, antlers, skulls, and other items will be held online from April 6 through April 20 by Wears Auctioneering West.

Buyers can view photos of auction items at https://www.wearswest.com/

There will be no in-person viewing of items.

All items were either found, seized as evidence or salvaged. All carcasses are considered unfit for human consumption and are sold for use of non-edible portions only. Antlers may be sold as bundles by weight or as single sets attached to skull plates.

A Taxidermist-Fur Buyer license is required to purchase raw bear, mountain lion or wolf skins, or parts of bears, mountain lions or wolves or any raw furbearer hide, skin or pelt. Resident licenses are $40 for one year, and a resident 5 year is $176.75. Nonresident licenses are $187 for one year or $74.25 for three-days. The licenses can be purchased at any Idaho Fish and Game office and are required at the time of pick up.

Nonresident purchasers should be aware that their state may not allow import of certain animals or animal parts. Be sure to check your state’s regulations before purchasing.

A person who has killed an animal illegally, and that animal has been confiscated and put up for sale at the auction, may not buy that animal or any part of it at the auction; nor may another person buy the animal or any part of it on their behalf. A violation would be considered an illegal purchase of wildlife.

A ten percent buyer’s premium will be added to each sale. Sales tax will be assessed against all sales unless the buyer provides a Sales Tax Resale or Exemption Certificate.

Winning bidders must pick up their items at the Idaho Fish and Game Southwest Regional Office 15950 N. Gate Boulevard Nampa, ID 83687

Pick up dates and times are April 22-24 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (MST). Appointments should be made 24-hours prior to pick up. Shipping is not available.

For more information about the auction visit www.wearswest.com or contact the Southwest Regional office at 208-465-8465.

Annual Fish and Game fur auction to run online April 6-20 This year’s auction of furs, hides, antlers and other items will be run through Wears Auctioneering West. The online auction opens on April 6 and ends on April 20 at 3 p.m. (MDT). Buyers can preview photos of auction items on Wears Auctioneering West’s website. There will be no in-person viewing...