Idaho Fish and Game must evolve for the future of wildlife conservation
A man fly fishes at Idaho's Silver Creek Preserve, a world-class trout stream fishery that arises from cool desert springs at the base of the Picabo Hills south of Sun Valley. ()
The challenges of modern wildlife conservation are far more complex than anything managers faced when the Idaho Department of Fish and Game was created by a citizens' initiative in 1938.
The agency is now undertaking a once-per-decade strategic planning process. This offers a critical opportunity for every Idahoan that enjoys what native wildlife brings to our lives. It's now time for Idaho to embrace bold, reimagined conservation strategies that confront the growing landscape-level threats common to all wildlife species that call Idaho home.
CONTACT US
Since the late 1800s, when many species were taken to the brink of extinction, game animal populations have largely rebounded thanks to taxes on equipment purchased by hunters and anglers. While effective for a tiny number of species like deer and elk, this approach is now woefully inadequate to address the enormous challenges Idaho's native wildlife face today.
Threats like habitat fragmentation, invasive species and disease, sprawl and climate change cannot be confronted by the same management mindset that worked for a handful of game species disappearing from overexploitation. Instead, all Idaho's voices must come together to seek lasting conservation solutions.
Over 95% of Idaho's species are not hunted, trapped or fished. Yet, only 3% of Fish and Game's budget is allocated for their conservation.
This disproportionate focus on game species neglects the vast majority of Idaho's wildlife, including pollinators, amphibians, birds, most mammals and more. It also shirks the fundamental mission of Fish and Game — to manage ALL of Idaho's wildlife on behalf of ALL Idahoans. As stewards, Fish and Game needs to give nongame species a bigger seat at the table.
To truly protect Idaho's diversity of wildlife, Idaho Fish and Game must embark on a new era of holistic conservation. This pivot would be smart for wildlife and smart for Idaho.
Idahoans connect with wildlife differently than when Fish and Game was created. Idaho's wildlife is a public trust resource to be managed by Fish and Game for the benefit of all Idahoans — not just hunters and anglers. Managing for a broader range of conservation values will also make Fish and Game a more resilient, contemporary, science-driven wildlife agency — not only for this decade's strategic plan, but for generations to come.
Reimagining a funding model for Idaho Fish and Game based on revenues contributed by a wider diversity of Idahoans is also part of that evolution. Idaho Fish and Game's budget has doubled in the last 20 years, yet nongame funds have been reduced by 50%.
The current system, which still relies heavily on hunting and fishing revenues, is inadequate for the stewardship of all wildlife. We wish that money for nongame species from tax check-offs and license plate sales were enough, but it's not.
By diversifying funding sources, we can ensure all Idaho's wildlife is taken care of. Nationwide, states are beginning to adopt innovative funding tools that enjoy popular support. Instead of robbing Peter to pay Paul, we need to grow a bigger conservation pie.
Idaho's wildlife belongs to all of us. Let's imagine a brighter future for all the species we love — in all their shapes and sizes.
Idahoans can submit comments to Idaho Fish and Game until April 15.
All wildlife enthusiasts — whether you fish, hunt, birdwatch, or simply appreciate nature — must collaborate on conservation priorities that protect Idaho's immense wildlife heritage. The future of wildlife in our state cannot and must not be taken for granted.
With leadership from Fish and Game, the entire conservation community can ensure the agency fulfills all its wildlife stewardship responsibilities and finds new funds to carry them out. It's time for Idaho Fish and Game to work with all wildlife advocates and build a stronger, more resilient wildlife management agency for everyone.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
The Most Popular Pasta Shapes in Every State — And It's Not All Spaghetti
A new map of America's pasta preferences is stirring the pot—literally. Inspired Taste just dropped a state-by-state breakdown of the most searched pasta shapes across the U.S., and while spaghetti still holds the national title, the local picks get way more interesting. We're talking regional loyalties to rigatoni, cult followings for fettuccine, and one surprising state that gave rotini the majority of its vote. And sorry to elbows—no state gave the mac-and-cheese classic their top spot. Regardless it's fresh pasta or dried, here's what stood out. Idaho: Rotini Rules With 44% of Idahoans choosing rotini, the Gem State showed the strongest loyalty to any pasta shape nationwide. It makes sense: rotini's spiral shape is a red sauce magnet, ideal for hearty meat sauces or creamy ranch pasta salads—two staples in cold-weather comfort food culture. Both states crowned rigatoni as their favorite—a tube-shaped pasta known for its ridged exterior and sturdy structure. It's a natural pick for baked pasta dishes and rich Southern-style casseroles, offering plenty of bite and sauce-holding power. These states might not seem similar on the surface, but all three share a love for fettuccine. Long, flat, and famously paired with Alfredo sauce, fettuccine holds up well to cream- and seafood-based sauces, both of which are popular in coastal cuisines. The Great Elbow Snub Elbow macaroni—despite ranking #4 overall—wasn't the top pick in any single state. A surprise, considering its role in iconic dishes like mac and cheese and pasta salad. It's beloved, but not enough to be anyone's number one. Orzo and Angel Hair: Least Loved Nationwide At the bottom of the barrel? Orzo and angel hair, with 18% of respondents naming them their least favorite pasta types. Orzo's rice-like shape can be confusing to some eaters, and angel hair often gets knocked for turning mushy too fast. National Winner: Spaghetti Still Reigns Despite all the regional quirks, spaghetti held onto its crown as the country's favorite shape, topping the list in 20 states. Its classic status and versatility make it a crowd-pleaser—equally at home in a quick weeknight dinner or a long-simmered Sunday sauce. Pasta is more than just pantry stock—it's identity food. The shape you reach for reflects how you cook, what you crave, and what recipes feel like home. A box of penne might mean baked pasta passed down from grandma. Spaghetti might mean Tuesday night comfort or a go-to cheap dinner. And that state loyalty? It says a lot. New Jersey going hard for penne? Feels on brand. Idaho's love for rotini? Unexpected but kind of charming. These picks reveal little snapshots of how Americans really eat. How to See Your State's Pick Check out the full pasta shape map at Inspired Taste or search your state's breakdown online. Then look at your pantry—are you in the pasta majority or marching to your own noodle beat? Whether you're team spaghetti or flying the rigatoni flag, there's no wrong answer—just more excuses to boil some water.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Yahoo
Low flow blues: springer fishing made tougher by below-average flows on Clearwater River
Jun. 1—By the time you are reading this, the spring chinook fishery on the lower end of the Clearwater River may be fading. It is the first day of June and the tail of the run should start to get thinner and thinner as biology urges the fish upriver and closer to their spawning grounds — be it hatcheries or natal streams. At the same time, fishing should pick up closer to the hatcheries and acclimation sites where the fish were released as juveniles. Late last week, Joe DuPont, regional fisheries manager for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game at Lewiston, speculated that about 75% of the adult chinook bound for the Clearwater River had already passed Lower Granite Dam. At the time, he was hopeful that a bump in flows related to warmer weather would deliver a corresponding bump in catch rates during what has been a tough season for many anglers on the lower Clearwater. Despite the best run since 2016 that has produced an estimated harvest share of more than 4,800 adult chinook, anglers had caught only about 800 adult chinook as of the last update. There is much speculation about what is causing the low catch rates but the leading theory behind them and the one DuPont adheres to is that fishing is more difficult when river flows, measured in cubic feet per second, are low. "I would say once flows drop below the upper 20-thousands, we see catch rates drop in the pass-through fisheries," he said. "It's very evident, when flows go down, catch rates go down." Higher flows will push chinook to the edges of the river. But DuPont said his experience, which spans four decades starting as a guide in Alaska to his job now, tells him chinook prefer deeper water far from shorelines. "Something is ingrained in them. It has to be a safety type thing. It comes with the depth and probably staying away from the shoreline. The low flow theory shows up, he said, at places like Big Eddy where fishing can be hot during high flows when fish confused by the strong and swirling current stall and stack up. But during low flows, they plow through and fishing quality drops. It shows up at the Hog Line — the string of boats across the Clearwater just above the Railroad Bridge at Lewiston. Daily headlines, straight to your inboxRead it online first and stay up-to-date, delivered daily at 7 AM "When flows drop, the center boats are the ones catching," he said. The Clearwater River was forecast to flow at a rate of about 30,000 to 34,000 through Monday before starting a steep slide. The next run update, expected early this week, will show whether the higher flows did indeed help anglers. DuPont said the Nez Perce Tribe has reported that its gillnet fishers are also having a tough season. As of last week, about 240 chinook had been caught in gillnets. Even if fishing is tough here, the strength of the run should lead to better angling farther up the Clearwater where chinook concentrate at places like the North Fork of the Clearwater River and the area in front of Clear Creek. Fish stack up at both spots as they seek to return to the hatcheries from which they were released as juveniles. Likewise, the South Fork of the Clearwater, which is much smaller than the main Clearwater, should give anglers a better shot even if chinook travel up the middle instead of along the edges. Rapid River On the Salmon River, the estimated harvest share jumped last week following genetic analysis of fish trapped at Lower Granite Dam, which showed a better-than-projected return to Rapid River that fuels fisheries on the lower Salmon and Little Salmon rivers. The harvest share had been pinned at about 800 but is now estimated to be about 1,200. Lower Snake The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will allow four more days of fishing on the lower Snake River. The fishery at Little Goose Dam will be open Tuesday and Friday and the Ice Harbor fishery will be open Wednesday and Thursday. The days were added when the return of hatchery spring chinook to the Snake River and its tributaries was upgraded. Barker may be contacted at ebarker@
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
NH's only venomous snake is the most endangered animal in the state. What to know about them
Most snakes in New Hampshire are relatively harmless. You leave them alone, and they'll leave you alone while keeping your yard's ecosystem in balance (think fewer rodents). But, there are one species – just one, this isn't the Southwest – that is venomous and whose bite packs a punch: the timber rattlesnake. The timber rattlesnake is critically endangered, both regionally and nationally, after humans hunted them for decades and due to habitat loss. The snakes are incredibly rare in New Hampshire, likely the most endangered species within the state. "Since 2007, the population has recovered a bit from a devastating snake fungal disease (SFD) outbreak that was first identified in our population in 2006 that was estimated to kill over half of our remaining population," New Hampshire Fish and Game Department wildlife biologist Melissa Winters said in an email. "New Hampshire's native timber rattlesnake population is still considered highly endangered and on the brink of extirpation. Up to recent history, timber rattlesnakes were heavily hunted out of fear, which almost resulted in their disappearance from the state." That population was found by a forester in 1992 after a decade of no one finding a rattlesnake in New Hampshire, which had led to speculation the species had been extirpated, like it is in nearby Maine. People do occasionally see one, but exactly where they live is a carefully guarded secret to protect that last of these snakes. But if you do see one of these rare snakes, here's what to know. How to identify: Most timber rattlesnakes have a yellow, brown and black back like the picture seen above. But the New Hampshire timber rattlesnake actually comes in the black morph. "A large, thick black snake measuring 36-60 inches," the Fish and Game description reads. "Brown cross-bands arranged across the surface may be difficult to see. Has a large triangular head and keeled scales giving them a rough appearance. At the end of the tail there is a large, blunt rattle." Why New Hampshire only seems to have the black morph isn't known with certainty, "but we speculate that it has been lost due to an overall loss of genetic diversity (a result of their extreme isolation and relatively small population)." Winters said. The snakes are most commonly confused with the milk snake, northern water snake, black racer snake and garter snake, according to the state, which are all non-venomous species. The best way to tell the timber rattlesnake apart is the rattle, because while other snakes might try to mimic the rattle, only the rattlesnake actually has one. Where they are most often found: The location of timber rattlesnakes in New Hampshire is protected information, but scientists believe that historically their range likely included the majority of the state. Some landmarks, such as Rattlesnake Mountain, were likely named for the snakes. What to do if you get bit: This should go without saying, but try to avoid getting bit in the first place by giving the timber rattlesnake a respectful amount of space. But if the encounter does go awry and you get bit, the good news is that a bite, while painful, is rarely fatal, according to MassWildlife. Timber rattlesnake bites do have an antivenom. If you are bit, move away from the snake and remove items like rings, bracelets and watches and call for help. Ideally, health experts recommend you get to a hospital with antivenom within one hour of being bit. What health experts do not recommend is trying to cut out the bite, suck out venom or create a tourniquet. How to report a sighting: If you see, or even believe you see, a timber rattlesnake in New Hampshire, contact the NHFG Wildlife Division at 603-271-2461 during business hours (Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or email a report to RAARP@ with rattlesnake observation included in the email subject line. If the sighting is outside of business hours, for an urgent or immediate report people can reach out directly to NHFG wildlife biologists via group text at 603-479-1129 and 603-944-0885 or call. These numbers are only for timber rattlesnakes, all other observations can be sent to RAARP@ Photos are appreciated in the report as well as a location and detailed description. However, do not approach a snake to take a photo. "Under no circumstances should anyone try to capture and get close to the snake as they are protected as a state-endangered species," Winters wrote. "Timber rattlesnakes are not an aggressive and will try to avoid interactions with people. Most of the time they will try to blend into their surroundings and remain still to avoid being seen as a defense strategy. However, if they are surprised or feel threatened they will try to flee, like most wildlife species, or may coil up in a defensive posture (i.e. a strike pose) so if they are attacked, they can defend themselves." This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH has only one venomous snake, and it's endangered. What to know
