Public comment period open for Idaho moose, sheep, goat tag number changes

There are some potential changes on the horizon for moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat hunts in Idaho for the 2023/2024 seasons.

Below you'll find all the proposed changes broken out by region and species showing the decrease in tags or increase in tags. Below each table I have included a link to the region page where you can learn more about why these changes are proposes for each hunt area.

Note: there is a public comment period. You can submit comments from December 13 to December 29, 2022 by 8 a.m. MST on Idaho Fish and Game's website here. And also there are several open house meetings, and the dates are coming up quickly. So if you can't make a meeting, be sure to leave your comment on their website for each proposed changes.

Moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat seasons will be finalized by the Fish and Game Commission during its Jan. 26, 2023 meeting in Boise. The application period for moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat controlled hunts in Idaho runs April 1-30, 2023.

Region by region breakdown of proposed changes

Moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat proposals are grouped by region. 

Panhandle Region
Species	Hunt No.	Hunt Area	Tags	Season Dates	Description/explanation of change
Moose	3001	1-1	15 to 10	Sep 15 - Dec 1	Decrease tags by 5
Moose	3002	1-1	5 to 3	Oct 1 - Oct 14	Decrease tags by 2
Moose	3003	1-1	5 to 3	Nov 1 - Nov 14	Decrease tags by 2
Moose	3004	1-2	10 to 8	Sep 15 - Dec 1	Decrease tags by 2
Moose	3005	1-2	3 to 2	Oct 1 - Oct 14	Decrease tags by 1
Moose	3006	1-2	3 to 2	Nov 1 - Nov 14	Decrease tags by 1
Moose	3008	1-3	3 to 1	Oct 1 - Oct 14	Decrease tags by 2
Moose	3009	1-3	3 to 1	Nov 1 - Nov 14	Decrease tags by 2
Moose	3010	2	20 to 18	Sep 15 - Dec 1	Decrease tags by 2
Moose	3011	2	10 to 8	Oct 1 - Oct 14	Decrease tags by 2
Moose	3012	2	10 to 8	Nov 1 - Nov 14	Decrease tags by 2

Panhandle Region proposed changes details

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Clearwater Region
Species	Hunt No.	Hunt Area	Tags	Season Dates	Description/explanation of change
Sheep	5001	11	1 to 2	Aug 30 - Oct 13	Increase tags by 1
Moose	3034	10-3	10 to 6	Aug 30 - Nov 23	Decrease tags by 4
Moose	3035	10-4	2 to 1	Aug 30 - Nov 23	Decrease tags by 1
Moose	3044	12-2	8 to 4	Aug 30 - Nov 23	Decrease tags by 4
Moose	3049	16	2 to 1	Aug 30 - Nov 23	Decrease tags by 1
Mountain Goat	6002	10-1	2 to 1	Aug 30 - Nov 12	Decrease tags by 1

Clearwater Region proposed changes details

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Southwest Region - McCall Update: No proposed changes

Southwest (McCall) Region proposed changes details

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Southwest Region - Nampa Section
Species	Hunt No.	Hunt Area	Tags	Season Dates	Description/explanation of change
Sheep	7002	41-1	1 to 4	Aug 30 - Oct 8	Combine hunt areas 41-1 and 41-2, reduce total tags from 5 to 4
Sheep	7003	41-2	4	Aug 30 - Oct 8
Sheep	7004	42-1	3 to 6	Aug 30 - Sep 14 Oct 8	Combine 42-1 and 42-2 into one long season
Sheep	7005	42-2	3	Sep 22 - Oct 8

Southwest (Nampa) Region proposed changes details

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Magic Valley Region
Species	Hunt No.	Hunt Area	Tags	Season Dates	Description/explanation of change
Moose	3091	54-1	3	Oct 15 - Nov 23	Change hunt area boundary to all of unit 54
Moose	3053	44*	3 to 1	Aug 30 - Nov 23	Decrease tags by 2, change hunt area boundary
Moose	New Hunt	48*	4	Aug 30 - Nov 23	New hunt with 4 tags, all of units 48, 49, 52
Mountain Goat	6017	43*	5 to 6	Aug 30 - Nov 12	Increase tags by 1
Mountain Goat	6018	50*	4 to 6	Aug 30 - Nov 12	Increase tags by 2

Magic Valley Region proposed changes details

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Southeast Region
Species	Hunt No.	Hunt Area	Tags	Season Dates	Description/explanation of change
Moose	3090	68A-1	4	Aug 30 - Nov 23	Change Hunt Area
Moose	NEW HUNT	68A-2	1	Aug 30 - Nov 23	New hunt with 1 tag
Moose	3078	70	6 to 9	Aug 30 - Nov 23	Increase tags by 3
Moose	3081	73	5 to 8	Aug 30 - Nov 23	Increase tags by 3
Moose	3082	73A	2 to 3	Aug 30 - Nov 23	Increase tags by 1
Moose	3088	77	5 to 3	Aug 30 - Nov 23	Decrease tags by 2

Southeast Region proposed changes details

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Upper Snake Region
Species	Hunt No.	Hunt Area	Tags	Season Dates	Description/explanation of change
Moose	3061	60A	5	Aug 30 - Nov 23	Expand hunt area, short range weapons in portion of unit
Moose	New Hunt	63-1	1	Aug 30 - Nov 23	New hunt with 1 tag, short range weapons only on Mud Lake WMA
Moose	3069	65	10	Aug 30 - Nov 23	Add short range weapons only within 1/2 mile of the Teton River
Mountain Goat	6018	50*	4 to 6	Aug 30 - Nov 12	Increase tags by 2
Mountain Goat	New Hunt	61-1*	1	Aug 30 - Nov 12	New Hunt with 1 tag
Mountain Goat	6020	67	2	Aug 30 - Nov 12	Eliminate hunt

Upper Snake Region proposed changes details

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Salmon Region
Species	Hunt No.	Hunt Area	Tags	Season Dates	Description/explanation of change
Moose	3051	29*	11 to 8	Aug 30 - Nov 23	Decrease tags by 3
Moose	3052	36A	2 to 1	Aug 30 - Nov 23	Decrease tags by 1
Bighorn Sheep	New Hunt	21L*	2	Oct 14 - Oct 31	New Hunt
Bighorn Sheep	New Hunt	28-1L*	2	Oct 14 - Oct 31	New Hunt
Bighorn Sheep	5011	27-4*	3	Aug 30 - Oct 13	Combine hunt areas 27-4 and 36 (4 tags), reduce total tags by 1 (3 tags)
Bighorn Sheep	5015	36*	1	Aug 30 - Oct 13
Mountain Goat	6008	27-5	3 to 2	Aug 30 - Nov 12	Decrease tags by 1

Salmon Region proposed changes details

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Public comment meetings/open house dates

The public comment process will also include meetings and open houses hosted at Fish and Game’s regional offices at the time and dates listed below. Staff at some regions will host a meeting and provide an overview of their proposals, while others will hold office hours where people can stop in and talk to a biologist during that time. 

Panhandle Regional Office

2885 W. Kathleen Avenue, Coeur d'Alene
Open House: Coeur D’Alene Regional Office
Tuesday, Dec. 20, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Open House: Ponderay Event Center
401 Bonner Mall Way, Ponderay
Wednesday, Dec. 21, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Clearwater Regional Office

3316 16th Street, Lewiston
Open House: Tuesday, Dec. 20, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Southwest Regional Office – Nampa

15950 N. Gate Blvd., Nampa
Public Meeting: Wednesday, Dec. 14, 6-8 p.m.

Southwest Regional Office – McCall

555 Deinhard Lane, McCall
Open house: on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 3-5 p.m.

Magic Valley Regional Office

324 South 417 E. Suite 1, Jerome
Open House: Thursday, Dec. 15, 3-7 p.m.

Southeast Regional Office

1345 Barton Road, Pocatello
Open House: Tuesday, Dec. 27, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Upper Snake Regional Office

4279 Commerce Circle, Idaho Falls
Open House: Thursday, Dec. 15, 3-7 p.m.

Salmon Regional Office

99 Highway 93 North. Salmon
Open House: Tuesday, Dec. 20, 4-6 p.m.

Submit comments online for proposed changes here