Elk NetworkState of Deer and Elk: How Idaho Sets Its Seasons

General | March 3, 2023

Below is a news release from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

Every hunter knows there’s a lot of work and preparation, both physical and mental, that goes into a big game hunt. Long before the prehunt work begins, the 2023-24 season-setting process is underway, a valuable time for hunters and Fish and Game wildlife managers to shape the upcoming big game seasons.

Fish and Game’s season setting is when wildlife managers distill down an incredible amount of scientific data and infuse it with comments and suggestions from hunters before presenting a final proposal to the Fish and Game Commission in March.

In the fifth installment of Fish and Game’s State of Deer and Elk, State Wildlife Manager Rick Ward discusses how season setting works, and why thoughtful input from hunters is an important step in the process. See the 2023-24 season proposals and comment here.

Hunters’ collective role in the season setting process cannot be overstated. Real “boots on the ground” testimony pertaining to a particular region or hunting unit provides valuable information that Fish and Game wildlife managers can use when drafting hunting seasons. Understanding how the process works also gives hunters a better idea of the role they play in the process.

(Video source: Idaho Department of Fish and Game)