How the season-setting process works

The 2025-26 Big Game Season Setting process began with biologists and managers across the state assessing wildlife populations and their capacity to sustain harvest, as well as where those populations stand compared to the guidelines established in Fish and Game’s species management plans. In addition, Fish and Game wildlife staff receive comments and feedback from hunters all year long. The feedback received is incredibly important and is used to develop initial season proposals. The season setting process ended with the Fish and Game Commission considering Department staff’s recommendations and making decisions that are reflected in the 2025 big game brochure. 

The most important part of that process is what happened in between – the presentation of the preliminary proposals to the public, and the opportunity the public to participate by providing feedback.  

In addition, prior to the March Commission meeting, regional wildlife staff across the state hosted public open houses and meetings to provide interested sportsmen and women the opportunity to meet face-to-face and discuss proposals. That included a total of four open houses in the Panhandle Region, including open houses in Coeur d’Alene, St. Maries, Kellogg and Bonners Ferry.  

Recognizing not everyone has the time to attend an evening open house, Fish and Game staff also prepared videos that summarized proposals. The meetings and videos included descriptions of each proposed change, the rationale behind it and where the ideas came from. In total, over 1,400 people reviewed and provided feedback about the initial season proposals for the Panhandle Region.  

Before presenting final recommendations to the Commission, regional wildlife staff evaluated all comments provided by the public and identified opportunities to adjust proposals in accordance with public feedback while balancing biological limits and management plan objectives.   

“There were several season proposals developed this year aimed at addressing biological objectives for big game in the Panhandle. Once the initial proposals were floated with the public and feedback was analyzed,” said Micah Ellstrom, Panhandle Region Wildlife Manager, “we were able to go back to the drawing board and work towards better addressing voiced desires of hunters while still considering the biological needs of regional deer and elk populations.”

Please contact the Panhandle Regional office at (208) 769-1414 with questions or concerns. 

You can also follow the Panhandle Region Facebook page to get regular news and updates.