Hunts go short-range

Until the Idaho Fish and Game Commission firms up its definition of primitive firearms, all of the Panhandle muzzleloader seasons this year have been changed to “short-range weapons seasons”

That means all designated short-range weapons – archery, muzzleloader and shotgun – will be legal in those hunts.

“This is a stop-gap measure,” said Jim Hayden, Idaho Fish and Game regional wildlife manager. “We all know that a guy with a shotgun (00 Buck or larger ammo required) will be far more effective than a muzzleloader.”

In the Clearwater Region, two of the four previous muzzleloader hunts have been changed this year to “short-range weapons” hunts.

The Panhandle has had the best muzzleloader seasons in the state, Hayden said, including the only two general muzzleloader units for shooting buck deer, as well as the only two general season units in the state open to any bull elk (units 4 and 7 on the A tag).

Also open to short-range weapons this year, another former muzzleloader-only hunt on the B tag targets spike elk in all units of the region Dec. 2-9.

Last year, the Panhandle region attracted 1,332 elk muzzleloader hunters. Muzzleloader success rates have tended to be higher than modern rifle hunters in the Panhandle, except in Unit 4 hunts for bull elk.