Latest news with #IdahoDepartmentofFishandGame
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Hunter cited for illegal killing of grizzly in North Idaho
May 15—Game wardens have issued a citation to a hunter who shot a grizzly bear in North Idaho last week. Speaking to a meeting of grizzly bear managers Thursday, Idaho Department of Fish and Game Panhandle Regional Supervisor Carson Watkins said the hunter killed the bear in the Lucky Creek drainage north of Priest Lake in Bonner County. The hunter mistook the grizzly for a black bear and immediately reported himself to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Grizzly bears are protected under the Endangered Species Act and under Idaho state law. Watkins said wardens investigated the incident and cited the hunter for killing an animal in a closed season, which comes with a maximum penalty of a fine of $10,000, up to 6 months in jail and a potential loss of hunting privileges. TJ Ross, a Fish and Game spokesman, said that because the hunter was forthcoming and self-reported the killing, agency officials will work with Bonner County prosecutors to try to ensure the penalty reflects that. Fish and Game officials declined to release the hunter's name. A call to the Bonner County Prosecutor's Office on Thursday afternoon was not returned before deadline. It was the second time in the past three years that a spring black bear hunter had mistakenly shot a grizzly in the Priest Lake area. This instance also came in the first season since Idaho began requiring black bear hunters to pass a bear identification test. Watkins said the hunter had passed the test "days before he went bear hunting." The 5-year-old female bear had an ear tag and had just shed a radio collar that had been put on last August, according to Wayne Kasworm, the Libby-based grizzly bear biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Kasworm's crews first collared the bear in 2022 and reattached it this past summer. At that time, it weighed about 200 pounds. When the bear emerged from its den this spring, however, it left the collar behind. Kasworm said bears sometimes lose collars that fit poorly or grow out of them. He said it hadn't produced cubs. Grizzlies don't typically reproduce until they're six or seven years old. The bear spent most of its time in the portion of the Selkirk Range north of Priest Lake. Based on DNA sampling and images gathered on trail cameras, Kasworm's monitoring team has found there are at least 57 individual grizzlies in the U.S. portion of the Selkirks.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Idaho Hunter Self-Reports Bear Identification Error After Mistaking a Black Bear for a Grizzly
A hunter in Bonner County, Idaho, mistakenly shot and killed a grizzly bear, which they mistook for a black bear while legally hunting on Friday, according to a statement by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The incident occurred in the Idaho Panhandle's Priest Lake drainage. Upon correctly identifying the bear as a grizzly at the scene, the hunter reported the error via IDFG's Citizens Against Poaching hotline. IDFG said the hunter is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation, which is standard procedure in this situation. Black bears are common across Idaho, with as many as 30,000 roaming the state. Grizzlies are much less common, with up to 100 living in northern Idaho, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The hunter's mistake is also example of the importance of accurate bear identification in the field, particularly in areas where black bear and grizzly habitats overlap, such as Idaho's Panhandle, the Upper Snake Region, and areas surrounding Yellowstone National Park. Grizzly bears are protected as threatened under federal and state laws, and hunters are responsible for correctly identifying their targets before they pull the trigger. A new law that took effect on Jan. 1 requires hunters pursuing Idaho black bears to pass a bear identification test. Beyond the mandatory test, hunters are also encouraged to regularly review basic bear ID to avoid cases of mistaken identity. Read Next: Shed Hunter Kills Charging Grizzly with a Handgun in Montana Because North American bears in various life stages vary widely in size and color, neither is a dependable method for accurately identifying species. For instance, black bears can sometimes take on a color phase that makes them appear blonder — a coat similar to many grizzlies. Instead, hunters should use a combination of physical traits, including ear shape, facial profile, and body structure. Shoulder Hump: Grizzlies have well-developed shoulder muscles they use for digging and foraging. These strong muscles create a prominent shoulder hump that black bears lack. Facial Features: When turned to the side, grizzlies appear to have a dished area between the eyes and the snout. In contrast, black bears have long, straight profiles. When viewed from the front, a grizzly's face is broad while a black bear's is narrower. Ears: Grizzly bears have short, rounded ears. Black bear ears are taller and more pointed. Claws: Grizzly bears have much longer claws than their black bear cousins. Grizzly claws are at least 2 inches long, but can grow to as long as 4 inches. Black bears have shorter claws (generally less than 2 inches) that are more curved and better suited for climbing trees.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Hunter kills grizzly bear in North Idaho
May 12—A hunter shot and killed a female grizzly bear in North Idaho Friday evening after mistaking it for a black bear. The hunter killed the grizzly in the Priest Lake drainage and immediately self-reported the killing using the Citizens Against Poaching hotline, according to a news release from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Grizzlies in the Lower 48 are protected as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. An investigation into the killing is ongoing, and the hunter is cooperating, according to Fish and Game. The killing comes in the first season since Idaho began requiring black bear hunters to pass a bear identification test to help them differentiate between the two species. The requirement, which had already been in place in other states, went into effect on Jan. 1. TJ Ross, a Fish and Game spokesman, said the hunter had taken the bear identification test. Ross did not have more information about where the bear was killed. He also said there wouldn't be a decision on whether the person gets cited until the investigation is over, but that the agency appreciates that the hunter self-reported. "People make mistakes, and we understand that," Ross said. "We always appreciate when folks are forthcoming and self-report. It makes the whole process much easier." It's the third consecutive year that a black bear hunter has mistakenly killed a grizzly in North Idaho. Last June, a hunter shot a grizzly near St. Maries after consulting with Idaho Fish and Game about whether the bear — which he'd seen on a trail camera — was a grizzly or black bear. Fish and Game officials had assured him it was a black bear. A year earlier, a hunter killed a grizzly north of Priest Lake. That hunter was issued a citation. In the release, Fish and Game officials said black bear hunters need to be aware that they could encounter protected grizzlies in the upper Snake River drainage and in the Panhandle, and that they should not rely solely on size and color to differentiate between the two species. North Idaho is home to between 70 and 100 grizzlies from small populations in the Selkirk and Cabinet mountains, according to a Fish and Game document.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Yahoo
Taxidermists Linked in Idaho Trophy Poaching Scandal: Father-Son Business Charged
A high-profile Idaho poaching investigation has widened, with new charges filed against a father-son taxidermy team from Filer. Tom and Ryan Schiermeier of Schiermeier Taxidermy are now facing criminal charges after authorities allege they processed dozens of trophy mounts tied to illegally harvested animals, without proper documentation or record-keeping. Schiermeier Taxidermist Studio built a reputation over 40 years in southern Idaho for producing lifelike mounts and sought-after taxidermy work. The duo is now accused of accepting orders for trophy mounts of 43 animals taken illegally, and failing to maintain the required records. During a search of their business, investigators discovered intake forms and documents linked to the poaching case hidden in a filing cabinet. Tom Schiermeier faces eight charges, including two felonies. Prosecutors charged his son, Ryan, with one felony for destroying and preparing false evidence, along with seven misdemeanors. The court scheduled both men to appear for preliminary hearings on May 9. The taxidermists' charges are linked to a broader investigation of Karl W. Studer, a 43-year-old resident of Rupert, Idaho. Studer is facing a total of 20 charges stemming from a comprehensive investigation by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The charges include five felonies and 15 misdemeanors related to various wildlife violations. Unlawful possession of wildlife Unlawful killing or wasting of wildlife (multiple counts) Molesting game animals or birds with a motorized vehicle or unmanned aircraft Hunting to spot or communicate the location of wildlife from an aircraft Interfering with hunting, fishing, and predator control Criminal solicitation to commit a crime Outfitting and guiding without a license The investigation revealed that Studer allegedly hired a helicopter pilot to scout and harass wildlife, disrupting other hunters and violating state laws. He is also accused of purchasing and reselling Landowner Appreciation Program (LAP) tags, which are nontransferable and illegal to sell. Court documents indicate that Studer spent over $150,000 acquiring these tags. Additional allegations include the unlawful killing of multiple elk, exceeding legal bag limits, and the illegal possession of a live, wounded pronghorn antelope. Investigators used cellphone location data, text messages, and helicopter flight records to support the charges. Studer's preliminary hearing is scheduled to take place in September 2025. If convicted, he could face significant fines, imprisonment, and the suspension of his hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses. GearJunkie reached out to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, but representatives declined to comment. Smugglers Sentenced After 113 Exotic Birds Drown in Botched Heist
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Spear pressure: Idaho eyes spearfishing proposals
Apr. 18—Bass, pike, walleye and lake trout may soon become fair game in parts of Idaho for anglers who prefer shooting spears to baiting hooks. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is proposing to allow spearfishing for certain non-native game fish species across the state. In North Idaho, the agency's proposal would allow anglers to spear northern pike, walleye and lake trout in Lake Pend Oreille and Upper Priest Lake. Farther south, officials are proposing more generalized seasons on bass and walleye. Spearfishing is legal in Idaho for unprotected nongame species, such as carp and suckers. The new rules would allow spearfishers to target more desirable species — and some spearfishers are pretty excited about it. Dustin Clay, a spearfisher who lives in Payette, said letting folks like him spear species like walleye and pike will help the state's efforts to control those non-native predators. He also thinks it would be nice to shoot something other than carp and pikeminnow. "It's not about just going out and killing fish," Clay said. "It's about getting some things that I can also bring home and feed my family with." Idaho Fish and Game announced its spearfishing proposals in a news release on Monday. Public comment is being taken until April 28 and the Fish and Game Commission will consider them next month. Spearfishing is thought of more commonly as an ocean activity. In Washington, it's allowed for saltwater fishing but not for freshwater. Freshwater spearfishing is allowed in other states, including Montana, but generally only for specific species. Andy Dux, the fisheries manager for Idaho Fish and Game's Panhandle region, said Idaho's proposals are being put forward about a year after spearfishers asked the Fish and Game Commission to allow them to target species the agency is actively trying to remove. This winter, the Idaho Legislature approved a rule change that made killing fish with a mechanically or manually propelled spear while submerged underwater a legal method of take. That change allows the commission to set seasons and bag limits for spearfishing. If approved, spearfishing seasons would start July 1. All of the seasons proposed limit spearfishers to specific non-native species, ranging from smallmouth bass to northern pike. No season dates or bag limits are proposed — where it would be allowed, anglers could take all they can spear. The proposals vary between regions. In the Lewiston-based Clearwater region, for example, officials are suggesting letting anglers target bass in any river or stream, citing the threat the meat-eating warmwater beasts pose to salmon and steelhead. Spearfishing for bass would be off-limits in stillwater, such as Dworshak Reservoir. Walleye would be fair game wherever they're found in the Clearwater region. Identical rules are proposed for the Salmon region. Elsewhere, targeting bass would be limited to certain waterbodies. In the Panhandle, spearfishers could target walleye wherever they find them — so far, they're considered to be established in Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend Oreille and Clark Fork rivers. The other proposals would allow spearfishing for northern pike and lake trout in Lake Pend Oreille and Upper Priest Lake. All three species are ones Fish and Game has tried to suppress in the Panhandle because of their impacts on native fish. Dux said allowing spearfishing gives the state another tool to try to keep their numbers down. He also said he doesn't expect that there will be large numbers of spearfishers flocking to the lakes. "We're not expecting this to generate high-level mortality in these populations," Dux said. "It's going to be more of a niche opportunity." There will be a following, though. Clay, who grew up in New Meadows, picked up spearfishing on a vacation to Hawaii. He bought a cheap spearfishing gun on Amazon, and once he tried it he was hooked. He started a Facebook page a while back under the name Idaho Spearfishing Club as a way to find some dive partners. He's met a few people that way, and the group now has more than 250 followers. He likes spearfishing because it's nothing like sitting on a boat or on the bank waiting for a bite. Instead, he dives into the fish's environment and looks for fish. He has to move smoothly to get a good shot. "Spearfishing is more like if you combine hunting with fishing," Clay said. "It's a very fun way to go about it. There's nothing else quite like it." The rule will require spearfishers to be completely submerged — no sniping big fish while standing on a boat. They'll either need to be snorkeling, scuba diving or free diving. Clay snorkels. Others dive much deeper, like Dennis Haussler. Haussler, who lives in Sandpoint, learned spearfishing as a kid on the coast of California and has competed in professional spearfishing tournaments around the world. He free dives, meaning he goes underwater for as long as he can hold his breath. Two-minute dives are common for him. He said some elite spearfishers do three-minute dives. He said spearfishing seems to be growing in popularity in freshwater, thanks at least in part to organized tournaments. "I don't think it will ever be huge up here, but it will gain some interest," Haussler said. Since moving to Sandpoint three years ago, he's been doing a little bit of spearfishing on Lake Pend Oreille for nongame species like northern pikeminnow. He's seen northern pike and walleye around, and he thinks there will be a handful of anglers who will chase pike in particular when they're hanging out on weed beds. For the most part, he motors around the lake on a boat looking for fishy structure. Then he drops into the water and waits for the fish to come to him. Spears aren't effective from more than 10 or 12 feet away. "Generally, we shoot fish because they come to us to see what they're doing," Haussler said. "We don't chase them. We don't really stalk them." Divers use red flags with white diagonal slashes on them to signal to other lake users that they're underwater. The hope is that other boaters will see the flag and steer clear, but Haussler said divers always have to be monitoring their own safety. Haussler said he's met a few other spearfishers in North Idaho. He also thinks there are more of them out there who will be excited about the opportunity to target more desirable species. For him, there's one species in particular he's looking forward to shooting. "Walleye," he said. "I love eating them."
