BIG GAME HUNTING -- Bad news for the growth of southern Idaho mule deer herds: 

Fish and Game Department big-game managers said  last week the overall over-winter fawn survival among 15 study areas is the lowest since the agency began monitoring:

69 percent of radio-collared fawns had died by April 30.

Mule deer fawn survival was lowest in the McCall-Weiser, at 9 percent, and the Island Park, at 18 percent.

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission has reduced the number of mule deer controlled hunt tags based on these over-winter survival surveys.

Read on for the details of the permit reductions by hunting unit.

Because of the below normal over-winter survival of mule deer in some areas of Idaho, the commission approved the following reductions to tag numbers set in the 2011 big game hunting seasons and rules booklet and the Landowner Appreciation Program brochure:

Hunt Type – Hunt Number – HuntArea – Unit(s) – Proposed change

Controlled – 1039 - 60-1 - 60,60A, 62A - Reduce tags from 50 to 25 (buck only).

Controlled  – 1040 – 62 – 62 – Reduce tags from 30 to 15 (buck only).

Controlled  – 1042 – 67 – 67  – Reduce tags from 40 to 20 (buck only).

Controlled  – 1047  – 22  – 22  – Reduce tags from 350 to 150 (antlerless hunt).

Controlled  – 1049 – 31 – 31 – Reduce tags from 350 to 150 (antlerless hunt).

Controlled –  1050  – 32  – 32 –  Reduce tags from 450 to 225 (antlerless hunt).

Controlled  – 1051  – 32A  – 32A  – Reduce tags from 450 to 225 (antlerless hunt).

Controlled  – 1062  – 60-1  – 60, 60A, 62A –  Reduce tags from 50 to 0 (antlerless hunt).

Controlled  – 1063  – 60-2  – 60, 61, 62A  – Reduce tags from 400 to 40 (either-sex hunt).

Controlled  – 1064  – 62  – 62  – Reduce tags from 100 to 10 (either-sex hunt).

Controlled  – 1066  – 67  – 67  – Reduce tags from 75 to 20 (either-sex hunt).

Controlled  – 1088  – 64  – 64, 65  – Reduce tags from 50 to 10 (either-sex hunt).

LAP  – TBD  – 22  – 22 Reduce tags from 35 to 15 (antlerless hunt).

LAP  – TBD  – 31  – 31  – Reduce tags from 35 to 15 (antlerless hunt).

LAP  – TBD  – 32  – 32  – Reduce tags from 45 to 23 (antlerless hunt).

LAP  – TBD  – 32A  – 32A – Reduce tags from 45 to 23 (antlerless hunt).

LAP  – TBD  – 60-1  – 60, 60A, 62  – Reduce tags from 5 to 0 (antlerless hunt).

LAP  – TBD  – 60-2  – 60, 61, 62A –  Reduce tags from 40 to 4 (either-sex hunt).

LAP  – TBD  – 62  – 62  – Reduce tags from 10 to 1 (either-sex hunt).

LAP  – TBD  – 67  – 67  – Reduce tags from 8 to 2 (either-sex hunt).