Below is a summary of the Idaho Fish and Game Commission meeting that took place on March 25 in Boise. 

Elk & Deer Management 

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game reported a statewide elk population estimated at approximately 135,000 animals, with the 2025 harvest up from the prior year and above the long-term average. Calf and cow survival rates remain strong. Mule deer fawn survival is trending upward heading into 2026, aided by a mild winter across most of the state. Low snowpack, however, raises some concern for summer forage conditions critical to mule deer. 

Five-Day Waiting Period (Capped Elk Zones) 

A motion to eliminate the five-day waiting period for capped elk zone tags failed for lack of a second. The commission agreed to revisit the rule on a zone-by-zone basis during the big game season-setting process, rather than making a blanket statewide change. 

CWD Update 

Mandatory chronic wasting disease (CWD) sampling was removed from Game Management Units (GMU) 24 and 32A (returning to voluntary) and added to GMUs 64 and 69, where positive detections have been found in captive cervid facilities but not yet in wild populations. The agency detected a new positive in GMU 15. The commission approved a negotiated rulemaking to restrict carcass movement within CWD management zones to the specific GMU of harvest — a rule expected to come before the commission in July. 

Bighorn Sheep 

The Reynolds Creek California bighorn herd was depopulated in January–February to protect surrounding herds following a pneumonia outbreak. Hunt Area 40 will be closed for the 2026 season. Separately, an augmentation of 30 Oregon-origin bighorn sheep into the Jacks Creek (Owyhee) population is showing strong early survival — 28 of 30 animals remain, and lamb monitoring begins next week. 

Nonresident Tag Draw 

The first-ever nonresident general deer and elk tag draw concluded successfully, with 97.5 percent of available tags sold. More than 42,000 unique hunters applied. The $18 application fee waived for 2026 will apply in 2027 under current rule. The commission took no action to waive it again. 

About Hunt 2 Conserve 

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org. 

(Photo credit: Idaho Department of Fish and Game)