Hunting Territories Take On Homey Feeling In Idaho

Instead of searching for wild game, Idaho sportsmen are starting to hunt for a place to hunt.

Private hunting clubs are replacing the thousands of acres of farmland once open to all. Many traditional hunting spots in southeastern Idaho have been sold, leased or require a trespass fee paid to the owner before the shooting can begin.

Forest Service wildlife biologist Ken Timothy said the trend is only beginning.

“People who see hunting as a major part of their lives are willing to invest in a farm or ranch so they can hunt it,” he said.

“A group from another state will see a ranch around here go up for sale, and they will pool their money and buy it. Then they post it ‘no hunting’ and keep it for their hunting trips.”

Some ranchers lease ground; others charge a trespass fee. Those costs are not regulated, so they can command whatever the market will bear.

Janet Harris has been allowing big-game hunters from other states to hunt her 10,000 acres in Bear Lake County for the past few years.

“The extra money is nice, but that’s not why we started charging,” she said.

“We couldn’t afford all the damage done by hunters. We closed the land because hunters were ruining our roads, shooting holes in sprinkler pipes, killing cattle.

“We couldn’t afford not to close our land to hunting by the general public.”

She charged $60 per day last year.

The Harrises have a bunkhouse where groups of hunters may stay for about $50 per room.

“I don’t cook for them,” Janet said. “They seem to want to cook their own meals on the stoves out there.”

The Harrises recently have obtained licenses so they will be able to act as guides for the sportsmen.

One result of privatized hunting is that wildlife populations may increase because fewer people hunt an area, Timothy said.

Another result is local sportsmen are forced to depend more on Idaho’s public lands, he said.

Angler opportunity

Washington anglers will have a chance to review the state Fish and Wildlife Department’s first attempt at writing a statwide policy for wild salmon, trout, chare, grayling and whitefish.

The agency has scheduled statewide meetings to present the Wild Salmonid Policy, which has implication for management of timber, water and other natural resources.

Meetings in this region begin at 7 p.m. as follows:

Spokane - Nov. 29 in the Lair (Building 6) at Spokane Community College.

Moses Lake - Nov. 28 at the Grant County PUD auditorium.

Gift idea

Need a unique gift for the family fly fisher?

Attend the annual fly auction sponsored by the Spokane Fly Fishers. More than 40 dozen fly patterns tied by club members will be offered in the fund-raising event Nov. 16, 7 p.m. at Spokane Teachers Credit Union, 107 W. Nora.

, DataTimes