Home Idaho F&G PROPOSES NEW CWD CHANGES IN UNIT 14

F&G PROPOSES NEW CWD CHANGES IN UNIT 14

Photo Credit: IDFG

February 16, 2022

CWD has reared its head in Idaho. Last year, during the hunting season, CWD was found in Idaho for the first time. This sparked the IDFG Department to create late-season. CWD hunts in several units, Unit 14 being one of them. During these CWD hunts, Unit 14 had several animals test positive for CWD. After gathering the data the IDFG is now recommending new management changes to the unit.

Below will list the Department’s proposed changes for each species within Unit 14.

The IDFG has recommended two options for increasing mule deer harvest.
Mule Deer Option 1: Increase antlered mule deer controlled hunt tags from 180 to 400 tags with the hunting season running from Oct. 10th – Nov. 20th.
Mule Deer Option 2: Replace existing antlered controlled hunt (180 tags) with a general-season, antlered-only hunt from Oct. 10 – Nov. 20.
On top of these two antlered mule deer options, they have suggested 200 extra antlerless mule deer tags be added to Unit 14.
Likewise, the IDFG has recommended two options for Whitetail Deer.
Whitetail Deer Option 1: In addition to the existing general season, either-sex whitetail hunt, add a new extra antlerless whitetail hunt with 250 tags, and a new whitetail, extra antlered tag with 250 tags. Each hunt would run Oct. 10 – Nov. 20.
Whitetail Deer Option 2: Option 2 would extend the existing general, either-sex hunt from Oct. 10 – Dec. 31.
Lastly, the IDFG has recommended one change to the elk season. Increase elk tags in one landowner permission hunt in Controlled Hunt Unit 14-1 from 50 tags to 80 tags and extend the southern boundary of the hunt unit about 3 miles.

Public Comment Period.

As a result of these proposed changes in Unit 14, the IDFG is asking for public comment. The public comment period will run from Feb. 22nd to March 13th. This comment period will also include a virtual public meeting that is scheduled for sometime in early March. This public meeting will give the public more information on the proposed changes as well as information on CWD as a whole.

The IDFG says that the overall goal of these changes is to keep CWD prevalence below 5% in Unit 14.

You can read more about these proposed changes and the public comment period by clicking here. Likewise, you can read more Idaho hunting news by clicking here.