Thane Anderson of Salmon was the first angler to catch a legal Chinook salmon in the Upper Salmon River in more than three decades.

On July 1, he caught a 22 inch "jack." Boise resident C.W. Hurliss caught the second salmon, this one a 32 inch adult Chinook.

Jacks are salmon that have only spent one year in the ocean and are less than 24 inches long. Only hatchery Chinook with a clipped adipose fin can be kept.

Chinook fishing on the Upper Salmon River is expected to improve over the next week. Numbers of salmon being trapped at the Sawtooth Hatchery are on the rise, indicating more fish have journeyed upstream. Dropping water levels will also improve angler success.

More information on fishing and fishing conditions in the Salmon Region can be found at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov.

A phone call from a fisherman led to the recent sentencing of Mark H. Hansen of Draper, Utah, for poaching a deer near North Fork in the Salmon Region.

The incident happened on November 13, 2006. The angler had taken a day off from work to enjoy fishing for steelhead on the Salmon River. Deer season was closed and he might have expected a quiet day. Instead, his casting was interrupted by two rifle shots on the hill above him.

He looked up in time to see a deer tumbling down the hillside. A pickup truck was parked below the deer.

That evening the angler called his local conservation officer to describe the incident and the truck. Officers found the un-gutted deer carcass with only the head and cape removed.

The fisherman's phone call led to a 16 month investigation that included visits to 26 taxidermy businesses in Salt Lake City as well as an interview with the suspect. The evidence resulted in a warrant being issued for Hansen's arrest.

Because the poaching incident was a misdemeanor Hansen couldn't be arrested in Utah. Idaho conservation officers had to wait until he crossed the state line. On May 20, 2008, officers located Hansen in Pocatello and made the arrest.

Hansen was sentenced on June 3, by Judge Stephen Clark in Salmon. Clark fined Hansen the maximum $1,000 and assessed a civil penalty of $400 for the deer.
Hansen's hunting and fishing privileges were revoked for three years in Idaho and Utah.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game encourages the public to "make the call." Call the Idaho Citizens Against Poaching Hotline at 1-800-632-5999 any time, night or day.

Tony Latham is the senior conservation officer in the Salmon Region.

The legislature this winter amended existing law to allow anglers exempt from buying a fishing license to buy a two-pole permit.

The change went into effect July 1 and allows children who aren't required to have a fishing license to fish with two poles, similar to provisions for steelhead and salmon permits.

Previously, to fish with two poles, anglers had to buy a "validation" on their fishing license. But that did not allow anyone exempt from having a fishing license, primarily children, to fish with two poles.

Idaho Fish and Game wanted to allow anyone who wanted to fish with two poles to do so, even though they may not have a fishing license. Changing the validation on the fishing license to a separate permit allowed this.

Idaho resident children under 14 are not required to buy a fishing license, but now they can buy a two-pole permit. Unlicensed nonresident children under the age of 14 also may buy a two-pole permit if they are accompanied by a valid fishing license holder. Any fish caught by the nonresident child, however, would be included in the bag and possession limit of the license holder.

The bill passed the House and the Senate unanimously.

With the arrival of warmer weather and mosquitoes, the Salmon Region of Idaho Department of Fish and Game will continue to cooperate on a four-year-old surveillance program for West Nile virus with the District 7 Health Department and Idaho Department of Agriculture.

West Nile virus is an exotic viral disease that was introduced to North America in the New York City area in 1999. The disease spread across the continental U.S. by 2004 and local transmission of the virus was found in Lemhi and Custer counties in 2006.

West Nile virus is primarily a bird virus that is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. Horses and humans are accidental hosts and can be susceptible to the virus. Most people bitten by an infected mosquito do not become ill, though some may experience mild fever, headaches, and body aches.

Fewer than 1 percent of people infected with West Nile will suffer serious complication, such as inflammation of the brain or paralysis. In severe cases, infection can lead to death.

The first clue that West Nile virus may be present in an area is presence of dead birds. Three wild bird groups are especially susceptible to the virus - the corvids (crows, ravens, jays, and magpies), birds of prey (hawks, owls, and eagles), and sage-grouse.

These birds are Idaho Fish and Game's primary species of interest - or "target species" - for West Nile virus surveillance. The public is encouraged to report dead birds of these target species and possibly submit them for testing to the Fish and Game Salmon Region office.

When reporting dead corvids, birds of prey or sage-grouse, people will need to describe the type of bird and when and where it was found. If the bird has been dead for less than 48 hours, it may be tested for the virus.

When collecting a fresh specimen for testing, people should use latex or rubber gloves or a plastic bag without touching the bird. Birds should be placed into a plastic bag and then double bagged. Birds can be submitted fresh, refrigerated or frozen to the Fish and Game Salmon Region office. Gloves should be discarded in the trash after use. If birds are not to be submitted for testing, they should be handled as described above and disposed of in the trash.

While the number of bird cases of West Nile virus in Lemhi and Custer counties dropped significantly in 2007, the virus probably is still present. The best protection is to avoid mosquito bites.

Simple tips for prevention include:

• Cover exposed skin when outdoors.
  
• Apply insect repellent with DEET to exposed skin and clothing, and follow instructions on the product label, especially for children under 12.
  
• Avoid outdoor activities at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
  
• Eliminate standing water that may provide mosquitoes a place to breed.
  
• Empty birdbaths and clean decorative ponds every three to six days.
  
• Repair or install screens on window and doors.
  
• Have horses vaccinated. One-third of horses infected by West Nile virus die.
  
• Wear latex gloves when field dressing and handling wild game and cook meat thoroughly.
  

Question: "I was unsuccessful drawing a controlled hunt permit and tag for mule deer. In previous years I noticed that permits were available during the second round drawing in a hunt that I had applied for. Why would there be permits available in a second-round drawing for this hunt when I was not successful in drawing a permit in the first drawing?"

Answer: The second round drawing for leftover controlled hunt permits also contains permits that had been drawn and designated to individuals but were not purchased by August 1.

This is a common question among unsuccessful controlled hunt applicants. The reason there may be permits available during the second round drawing is because applicants that have successfully drawn a controlled hunt permit have until August 1 to purchase their permits and tags.

Successful applicants whose plans have changed can consciously decide to not purchase their controlled hunt permits and tags and instead purchase general tags and hunt a different area.

Once a controlled hunt permit and tag is drawn and purchased, the applicant is only allowed to hunt that controlled hunt. General any-weapon big game tags may be purchased at any vendor up until the last day of the hunting season. Nonresident hunters are subject to tag quotas for big game species.

The application period for the second-round drawing is August 5 through August 15. Hunters interested in applying for the second round should view the Department website listed below to discover what permits are available. Applications for the second-round drawing can be completed at any Fish and Game vendor.   

If you have any further questions you may call the Magic Valley Regional Office of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game at (208)324-4350 or e-mail us at the Fish and Game web site at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov.

Idaho Fish and Game will host an open house from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 17, at the Magic Valley regional office, 319 South 417 East, Jerome, to discuss five proposed nonbiological rule changes.

Proposed changes:
" Eliminate evidence-of-sex requirement for meat being transported from a commercial meat processor.
" Allow disabled archery hunters to use crossbows with nonmagnifying scopes having battery-powered or tritium-lighted reticles during archery-only hunting seasons.
" Allow visually-impaired hunters to use nonmagnifying scopes during muzzleloader-only hunts.
" Allow holders of senior combination and disabled combination licenses to apply for, and participate in, leftover youth-only deer and elk controlled hunts.
" Include bait containers in the current commission rules on black bear bait placement.

The proposed rule changes are posted on the Fish and Game Website for public review and comment at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/public/. On-line comments must be submitted by July 14. Comments may also be submitted by mail to: Nonbiological Rules, Idaho Fish and Game, P.O. Box 25, Boise ID 83707.

Nonbiological rules include equipment restrictions, controlled hunt application and eligibility requirements, possession requirements and motorized vehicle use restrictions. They do not include seasons, bag limits, size limits, sex restrictions, or species restrictions.

Commissioners will take action on the proposed changes at the July 23-24, 2008 Commissioners meeting being held in the conference room at the Cabela's store in Post Falls.

Other items on the agenda include sage-grouse seasons, release of bighorn sheep tags for auction and lottery, expenditure of Animal Damage Control funds, legislative proposals and migratory game birds discussions.

For more information on the open house, call 208-324-4359.

UPDATE (Monday, July 7, 2008): ODFW is still attempting to trap the male adult bear involved in the encounter with Dora Sue Redford of Sandy on June 29. This morning an adult sow and two cubs were found in traps set at the site. All of these bears were relocated out of the area this morning after the homeowner verified they were not involved in the attack. Efforts to trap the offending bear will continue.

– ODFW News

SALEM, Ore.—A Sandy-area woman received non-life threatening injuries late Sunday night when she encountered a black bear at her home according to Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife troopers.

On June 29, at approximately 11:00 p.m., the 58-year old woman was at home about five miles northeast of Sandy when she heard noises coming from her back porch. Upon investigating the noises she opened her rear door and found the bear feeding on sunflower seeds stored in an aluminum garbage can. The bear swiped at her, injuring her on the arm, foot and thigh. The bear then ran off.

At about 3:00 a.m. early Monday morning, the bear returned but was scared off by the woman's husband who then called police. An OSP Fish & Wildlife trooper and two Clackamas County sheriff deputies responded to the couple's home but could not find the bear.

The woman suffered scratches and a puncture wound. She initially treated herself, and later sought medical attention at a local hospital.

Wildlife biologists from ODFW are working with OSP Fish & Wildlife troopers, and the USDA Wildlife Services to place a bear trap near the area of Coalman Road, northeast of Highway 26.

Because of the recent increase of bear and human encounters, ODFW reminds residents to not feed bears or any other wildlife. Feeding bears - even unintentionally by leaving garbage bins accessible - habituates them to people and makes them a public safety risk.

For tips on how to reduce unintentional bear feeding, visit the link below or see the news release below.
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/living_with/black_bears.asp

NEWPORT, Ore.—With sport catch of some rockfish higher than anticipated, fishery managers decided this week to reduce the marine fish bag limit for anglers from six to five and move the fishery inside of 20 fathoms.

Sport anglers may still retain two lingcod, but that fishery is also restricted inside of 20 fathoms. The regulation changes will take effect July 7 and are scheduled to continue through December 31.

“The catch of numerous groundfish species is higher than last year,” said Don Bodenmiller, sport groundfish project leader for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Marine Resources Program. “And restrictions on ocean salmon fishing have put increased pressure on sport groundfish this summer. If we take no action to slow things down, we project the groundfish fishery will close early.”

Several groundfish species in Oregon waters are managed using state and federal harvest caps including black rockfish and yelloweye rockfish. In 2004 the nearshore sport groundfish season closed just before Labor Day, when anglers reached the harvest cap for black rockfish. In 2005 the fishery for black rockfish was closed in mid October.

Black rockfish make up the majority of an angler’s marine bag, so reducing the marine fish bag limit should forestall reaching the harvest cap for that species. Yelloweye rockfish generally live in deeper waters, so bringing the fishery inside of 20 fathoms should reduce the number of that species anglers catch incidentally.

“Yelloweye rockfish catch is up coastwide off Oregon” reported Bodenmiller.
“We made this decision after careful consideration and consultation with our Sportfish Advisory Committee, which includes private anglers, charter boat operators and a port representative,” Bodenmiller said.

“Further changes to the fishery may be needed in the event anglers approach or reach other state or federal harvest caps on species such as other nearshore rockfish, canary rockfish, cabezon or greenling.”

The marine fish bag includes rockfish, greenling, cabezon and some other marine species. Anglers occasionally catch, but may not keep, yelloweye rockfish and canary rockfish. The two species are considered depleted by the National Marine Fisheries Service and a certain percentage of those incidentally caught must be reported as mortality.

Anglers may fish for flatfish, like sanddabs, flounder and sole, inside the 40-fathom line through Dec. 31, since anglers can generally avoid incidental catches of rockfish when targeting those species. In addition, anglers may continue to fish for Pacific halibut, salmon and species such as tuna under current regulations.

“Halibut fishing as been good and coho salmon fishing is improving coastwide, said Steve Williams, Marine and Columbia River Program Manager.

A list of groundfish and fish included in the five-fish marine bag limit and waypoints for the 40-fathom line can be found in the 2008 Oregon Sport Ocean Regulations for Salmon, Halibut and other Marine Fish Species.

Those items as well as waypoints for the 20-fathom line may be found at www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/regulations/sport_fishing/.

SALEM, Ore. - Oregon's Fish Screening Task Force will meet on Friday, July 11 at the Malheur National Forest office, 431 Patterson Bridge Road, John Day, to discuss statewide projects.

The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the agenda includes an overview of the state fish screening program, program status and an update on projects completed by the John Day and Central Point screen shops. The meeting is open to the public, as is a tour of various screen sites in the area scheduled for Saturday, July 12 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. To join the tour meet at the Best Western John Day Inn at 8:00 a.m. Members of the public will need to provide their own transportation.

The ODFW Fish Screening and Passage Program coordinates a cost share program for installation of screens at water diversions.

Fish screens prevent the loss of fish when water is used for irrigation, municipal, hydroelectric or other beneficial purposes. They are a crucial part of any system that diverts water from a public water body.

The Task Force is appointed by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission and its members represent agricultural, fisheries and public interests. It meets several times a year to advise the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on fish screening policies and issues.

Reasonable accommodations are provided as needed for individuals requesting assistive hearing devices, sign language interpreters or large-print materials. Individuals needing these types of accommodations may call the Information and Education Division at 800-720-6339 or 503-947-6002 at least 24 hours before the meeting. For more information, call Alan Ritchey, Fish Screening & Passage Program Manager, at 503-947-6229.

SALEM, Ore.—The female blacktail deer removed from a private residence in Molalla where it was being held without ODFW authorization was transferred Wednesday to Wildlife Safari in Winston, south of Roseburg.  The doe will be placed in the children’s petting zoo and can be seen starting today at 11 a.m. 

Wildlife Safari has a fulltime, on-site veterinarian so the doe can receive the long-term veterinary care she needs due to her deformities. The doe suffers from congenital and degenerative conditions, making her permanently disabled and also causing her arthritis and long-term pain.

“The doe will be in great hands at Wildlife Safari, in the care of people who understand her needs,” said Peregrine Wolff, ODFW state veterinarian.

“The Wildlife Safari is happy to be able to assist ODFW by providing the deer long-term care for her welfare and continued medical needs,” said Dan Van Slyke, Executive Director for the Wildlife Safari.

Since October 2007, the deer has been under the care of state wildlife veterinarians at a state wildlife area.

For more information about visiting the deer, contact Wildlife Safari at (541) 679-6761.