Forecast: Idaho roadside surveys suggest robust California quail numbers across southern Idaho, according to upland game and migratory bird coordinator Jeffrey Knetter with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. “Early field and hunting reports have also noted abundant quail,” he said. “It should be another excellent quail year.”
During the past several years, quail hunting has been very good in Idaho, and it appears there is another above average crop this year. Quail production was excellent in both 2015 and 2016. Quail should have survived the winter well, and hunting should be good to excellent again this year. Hunters should expect to find areas with abundant quail along the Snake River and its tributaries west of Twin Falls and north to the Clearwater Region near Lewiston.
Like many other years, hunting can vary widely geographically, since Idaho is an extremely geographically diverse state. “However, given the weather over the last eight months or so and most reports from the field, this fall should be promising,” Knetter said. In addition to quail, a multitude of upland game bird hunting opportunities exist in Idaho on millions of acres of public land. “Season lengths are long and the bag limits are generous,” Knetter noted.
“Like many other locales, some of the best hunting can be found off the beaten path and on private lands,” Knetter advised. “Hunters willing to wear through some boot leather, as well as knock on doors, can find good success.”
Idaho is at approximately 570,000 acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program, including continuous practices like CRP’s State Acres For wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program. SAFE projects are being implemented in the Southeast, Magic Valley and Upper Snake regions to improve or enhance game bird habitat. Idaho’s current SAFE acreage exceeds 114,000 acres, with room for continued landowner enrollment as the acreage cap is more than 162,000 acres. Another CRP program, the Habitat Buffers for Upland Wildlife (officially known as CRP practice 33) is another program that is helping conserve upland birds in Idaho. USDA and Idaho Department of Fish and Game are putting a renewed effort into promoting CRP mid-contract management, which should result in better game bird habitat on these acres.
Additionally, there are abundant public land (state and federal) and many Access Yes! properties that provide access for hunting. Access Yes! is a program designed to improve sportsmen and women's access to private land or through private land to public land by compensating willing landowners who provide access. In 2016, Idaho will provide nearly 1 million acres of private and landlocked public lands through this program.
Season Dates: Area 1: September 17, 2016 through January 31, 2017; Area 2: Closed
Daily Bag Limit: 10 (Aggregate of California and bobwhite quail)
Possession Limit: 30 (Aggregate of California and bobwhite quail)
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