HUNTING – Idaho Panhandle hunters will have an extra 16 days to hunt wild turkeys next fall under new season adopted for the next two years by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission Thursday.

Panhandle Region fall general turkey season turkey hunts will be extended to Dec. 31 in Units 1, 2 (except Farragut State Park and Farragut WMA), 3, 4, 4A, 5 and 6. 

Rules for upland bird and turkey hunting across the state will be available in February.

Changes will appear in the 2016 and 2017 Upland Game, Furbearer and Turkey Seasons and Rules booklet available by Feb/ 20 at all Fish and Game license vendors. The 2016 spring turkey information, including controlled hunts, will be available online by Feb. 1.

Here's a heads up on changes the commission approved for other areas of the state:

Clearwater Region:

• No changes.

Southwest Region:

• Split current spring controlled turkey Hunt 9003 (all of Unit 38 and that portion of Unit 32 in Payette County) into two separate hunts. Increase total permits by 20.

• Restructured the fall controlled turkey Hunt 9018 (all of Units 22, 32, 32A) and Hunt 9019 (all of Unit 31) by combining Units 22 and 31 and maintained the hunt in Units 32 (except that portion in Payette County) and 32A.  75 permits each for both hunts. 

• Created a new youth-only controlled turkey hunt in Units 22 and 31 with 20 permits.

• Created a new fall controlled turkey hunt in all of Unit 38 and that portion of Unit 32 in Payette County with 40 permits.

Magic Valley Region:

• Increased permits in each of the spring controlled turkey hunts in Unit 54 to 30 permits each. 

• Opened the Lime Creek beaver trapping closure in Elmore County, with the exception of Hunter Creek is closed.

Southeast Region:

• Eliminated spring controlled turkey hunts in Unit 71 and replaced with a general spring hunt and includes Unit 70 as part of the general hunt from April 15 – May 25.

• Eliminated fall controlled turkey hunts in Units 73, 74, 75, 77 and 78 and replaced them with a general season from September 15 – October 31. 

• Increased the number of turkey tags available in the controlled hunt in Unit 71 by 100 permits.

• Reduced controlled beaver take in Unit 201 from 10 to 5.

• Opened controlled beaver trapping in Logan River drainage in Franklin County, including Beaver Creek and Whites Creek drainages with a take of 5. 

• Closed beaver trapping in Franklin County, Birch Creek drainage above the Forest Service boundary is closed. 

• Opened beaver trapping on private lands in the Willow Creek drainage of Bingham County.  Cedar Creek, Miner Creek, and public lands (i.e., Fish and Game, IDL, Forest Service, and BLM lands) within the Willow Creek drainage, including all tributaries are closed.   

Upper Snake

• Added Cartier Slough, Market Lake, and Mud Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA) to the list of WMAs where shooting hours for upland game birds begin at 10 a.m. during the pheasant season.  

• Opened beaver trapping on private lands in the Willow Creek drainage of Bonneville County.  Public lands (i.e., Fish and Game, IDL, Forest Service, and BLM lands) within the Willow Creek drainage, including all tributaries are closed.

Salmon

• Added Unit 36A to spring turkey controlled hunts 9001 and 9002, and added five permits to youth controlled hunt 9002.

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