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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Deer hunting rules eased

Rich Landers Outdoors editor

It might not be a great year for raising an unfenced garden at the outskirts of North Idaho towns, but it could be a great fall season for bagging venison on the area’s small-acreage farms.

Deer seasons in the Idaho Panhandle have been liberalized starting this summer in answer to complaints about too many deer.

Also, complaints about new restrictions on in-line muzzleloaders have led to a temporary reprieve for sportsmen who hunt with those weapons.

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission last week set 2007 big-game hunting seasons that will include three additional weeks of antlerless white-tailed deer hunting in most Panhandle units.

The commission also authorized extra whitetail “doe tags” in selected Panhandle units.

“This is the first time the Panhandle has had extra permits in the 20 years I’ve been around here,” said Jim Hayden, Idaho Fish and Game Department regional wildlife manager. “We have a lot of deer.”

The commission also vowed to revisit recently set rules that would prevent many modern in-line muzzleloaders from being used in special muzzleloader seasons.

The special muzzleloader seasons are designed to compensate for the limited range and reliability of primitive weapons by putting those hunters in the field during prime times without interference from modern firearms hunters.

Meantime, the commission on March 8 decided to change all Panhandle muzzleloader seasons to “short-range weapon” seasons. That means all designated short-range weapons – archery, muzzleloader and shotgun – will be legal in the former muzzleloader-only seasons.

Short-range weapons include both traditional and in-line muzzleloaders, shotguns, traditional bows, compound bows and crossbows. Neither muzzleloader stamps nor archery stamps are needed for the short-range weapon seasons.

In other words, in protesting their restrictions, the modern muzzleloader groups regained the right to hunt in special seasons, but a broader group of non-muzzleloading hunters will also be allowed during those seasons.

Southern Idaho has had short-range weapons seasons for years, but the south end of the state also has had seasons specifically for traditional muzzleloaders.

The official state rules brochure will come out sometime in April.

For most hunters, Oct. 10 is the opening day for bull elk, any whitetail, and (except for Unit 1) mule deer bucks. Exceptions will be detailed in the 2007-08 hunter regulations pamphlet.

The 450 extra antlerless whitetail permits will be issued by drawing to hunters as “second tags” to help reduce the deer population.

Most of the tags can be used anywhere in the designated units, but the 150 extra tags issued for Unit 3 will be valid only on private land, Hayden said.

“The goal is to add pressure to those deer that are causing complaints,” he said.

Hunters also will be able to apply for 40 extra cow elk tags valid north of Bonners Ferry.

“Applying for one of these extra deer or elk tags does not affect your eligibility to apply for any regular controlled hunt,” Hayden said. Hunters must apply for these tag drawings in May.