A non-profit corporation devoted to quality upland game bird hunting in Idaho.

Idaho Bird Hunters

"Working to Restore and Conserve Quality Game Bird Resources in Idaho"

Idaho Bird Hunters | P. O. Box 6412 Boise, Idaho, USA 83707
russheughins@msn.com

Volume 22; Issue 6
June - July, 2003
Boise, Idaho

No Program until August


Membership and Dues

It is time to renew your Idaho Bird Hunters membership dues. Membership dues are as follows:

Family/Individual - $20.00 per year
Sponsoring member - $35.00 per year

The Access Yes Program is off and Running in the State

On May 27, 2003, the Sportsmen Advisory Committee met in Nampa to review 13 bids from private landowners to participate in the Access Yes Program. Steve Goddard , a member of organization is on the committee and reports that 10 bids were recommended for approval. The properties cover over 11,000 acres in Units 22, 32, 39 and 40 with most of the properties also providing access to public lands. The total cost of the bids is $18,122 or about $1.62/acre. At the present time it appears that Fish and Game will meet the objective of providing public access to 80-100,000 acres of private lands for this fall. A brochure listing these properties as well as properties in the other six districts will be available to sportsmen and women this fall. Other landowners have expressed an interest in the program but want to see how it turns out before signing up for the program. Please make sure you and your hunting companions or other individuals conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner when using these lands. If there are any questions, please call the local regional office of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

Members of the BLM Resources Advisory Council visit the proposed wind farm site located above the Brown's Bench area west of Salmon Falls Reservoir.

Several wind farm projects are being considered in the state of Idaho. The largest of these projects involves approximately 13,000 acres of BLM land above the Brown's Bench area west of Salmon Falls Reservoir. This area is prime habitat and a core stronghold area for sage grouse as well as an important area for deer and antelope and other wildlife species. Because of these concerns the RAC for the Lower Snake River District visited the proposed sites for anemometer towers and the surrounding area on June 2, 2003. Large numbers of sage grouse droppings were observed at the tower sites and the surrounding area was in excellent condition in terms of native vegetation. Pictures and videotape were made of the area in addition to the notes taken by the participants. The RAC will hold a meeting to discuss the field trip with other RAC members who were not able to make the trip.

The state Sage Grouse Advisory Committee holds a second meeting

On June 3, 2003, the Sage Grouse Advisory Committee held its second meeting. The local working groups and the agency personnel discussed their activities since the last meeting. The main focus was a discussion of what is needed to have an adequate conservation plan that would preclude listing of the sage grouse as threatened or endangered. Rich Howard of the US Fish and Wildlife Society gave a presentation of what the service considers in reviewing a petition to list a species and what the service requires for approval of conservation plan. During the meeting it was agreed that the plan must consider the impact of wind farm proposals in sage grouse habitat.

It was also agreed that the state Sage Grouse Management plan approved in 1997 should be redrafted and presented to the Commission for its action. A draft of the Management Plan is to be prepared by late October and presented to the members for discussion at the next meeting in November. Steve Goddard, a member of this organization is one of the members of the group that will prepare a draft of the plan.

It was also agreed that the state Sage Grouse Management plan approved in 1997 should be redrafted and presented to the Commission for its action. A draft of the Management Plan is to be prepared by late October and presented to the members for discussion at the next meeting in November. Steve Goddard, a member of this organization is one of the members of the group that will prepare a draft of the plan.

Spring Rains Raise Waterfowlers' Hopes
Idaho Department of Fish and Game news release dated 6-9-03 raises prospects for the upcoming waterfowl season. Spring rains and snow across the northern U.S. and southern Canadian prairie country helped bring the drought-stricken habitat back from poor to good and in some cases excellent. Western Montana and the portion of Alberta Province to the north provide brood rearing areas for a large part of the migration seen in Idaho. Prior to the rain and snow federal officials were considering significant cuts in duck seasons and bag limits. However. The bounceback numbers may be less than the improvement in nesting habitat because early northward migrations by passed the drought areas prior to the rain and snow. Another factor is nesting habitat normally protected by the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) on private lands was cut for hay or grazed under emergency drought rules.

Mountain Quail Sighting Observations Wanted
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is looking for isolated populations of mountain quail. Once huntable in southwestern Idaho this game bird is a species of special concern. A petition for listing the mountain quail (Idaho and eastern Oregon populations) as threatened or endangered has been file with the Fish and Wildlife Service Mountain quail have a distinctive straight (! As oppose to ? On the California or Valley quail) topknot. The mountain is slightly larger with a chestnut throat patch and they have vertical white barring on the flanks similar to chukars. You usually find mountain quail on brushy slopes or draws and occasionally in forested areas. If you see some mountain quail please record the location and report it to the IDFG Regional Office. For most locations in our area call the Southwest Regional Office at 465-8465.

The Owyhee Initiative
The Owyhee Initiative Coalition is approaching the point where they will produce a final proposal and submit the proposal to Senator Crapo's staff to put into legislative language. Members, for those of you that hunt upland game or big game in Owyhee County your future hunting opportunities are on the line. The latest wilderness proposal floated by the "Conservation Representatives" of the Owyhee Coalition will close access to prime chukar and sage grouse hunting. Those of you that also hunt big game will also lose access under the Owyhee Initiative wilderness proposal. Even more important, the proposals call for the establishment of an advisory council to hear complaints regarding the science BLM uses in reaching land management decisions, especially those on grazing. It also calls for a scientific peer review panel to perform the review. These are poorly disguised political moves by Owyhee County and public land grazing permittees to control and intimidate BLM. The officers and the board of directors are working with other sportsmen's organizations to change the proposal. If we are unsuccessful, and right now it looks that way, we will actively oppose the Owyhee Initiative. We will be calling on you collectively and individually for support.

Volunteers Urgently Needed
In the last newsletter we asked for volunteers to gather signatures for the petition to get the initiative to change the selection of Fish and Game Commissioners on the ballot for the November 2004 election. The initiative will put the selection of future Fish and Game Commissioners in the hands of sportsmen and women where it belongs. The recent appointment of former Representative Wheeler to the Commissioner is a prime example of how unbalanced the Commission has become under the Kempthrone Administration. Let's change that. Al Kiler is the volunteer coordinator. You can volunteer by calling Al at 376-1906.

We also asked for volunteers to help monitor conditions on BLM grazing allotments where we do our hunting. We need your help. The condition of the grazing allotments has a direct effect on the quality of your hunting. If you want improved hunting in the future, then you need to help us. It will not take much of your time. Some of it can be done when you are out there hunting. We are working cooperatively with the Ada County Fish and Game League and the Idaho Wildlife Federation, and have scheduled a training session for the weekend of August 23 & 24. We will have professionals there to provide us with the basics needed to evaluate the conditions regarding grazing and wildlife. Information gathered by our members and teams will be given to BLM for their review and action. We will have members following up on BLM. With good to excellent habitat we can expect improved hunting opportunities in the future, we need you to volunteer NOW! To volunteer call Russ Heughins at 322-8645 or email him at russheughins@msn.com Or you may call Al Logosz at 376-1934

If you have any questions, you can contact either Russ Heughins at 322-8645 or Steve Goddard at 587-1027, who are reviewing and commenting on this issue on behalf of the Idaho Bird Hunters organization.

Copyright 2003 by Idaho Bird Hunters, Inc.
An affiliate of the Idaho Wildlife Federation

Idaho Bird Hunters
P. O. Box 6412
Boise, Idaho, USA 83707

Email: russheughins@msn.com

 

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A private citizenˇ¦s non-profit wildlife educational organization
(IRS 501-C3) affiliated with the Idaho Wildlife Federation

Copyright 2002 by Idaho Bird Hunters, Inc.