Idaho Canned Hunting Statutes and Regulations

No Ban: Mammals permitted.  

Statute

The Idaho Fish and Game Department is "authorized to issue shooting preserve licenses for the purpose of permitting shooting of privately owned upland game birds on privately owned premises..." I.C. §36-2201.

The Department is authorized to make rules and regulations regarding the operation and maintenance of such facilities consistent with the statute. Id. Idaho law provides that the "game which may be hunted under this act shall be confined to artificially propagated upland game birds." Id. at §36-2205.

However, in addition to the authorized taking of upland game birds, "one hundred percent of exotic species not established and classified as game birds in this state may also be taken under the provisions of this act." Id. at §36-2208.

Shooting preserve operators may provide their own shooting limitations and restrictions as to the sex and number of those species that may be taken by shooting preserve hunters. Id.

A license or permit, issued by the director, is also necessary to "engage in any propagation or (to) hold in captivity any species of big game found wild in this state." Id. at §36-701(a).

Any other species of wildlife, except for species of special concern or threatened and endangered species, can be held in captivity without a permit so long as the wildlife was lawfully obtained. Id. at §36-701(b).

This requirement for a license or permit does not apply to "any domestic cervidae farm," Id. at §36-701(c)1 or to any "exotic wildlife." Id. at §36-701(c)2.

A commercial wildlife farm license is required to "obtain, possess, preserve, or propagate any species of big game animals found wild in this state for the purpose of selling the same..." Id. at §36-703.

Such farms must be constructed so as not to contain any land where wild big game animals naturally abound and must be enclosed to prevent escape of big game commercial farm animals and prevent entry of publicly owned big game animals. Id. at §36-703(a)2-3.

Furthermore, any person "who imports, possesses or sells any wildlife, exotic or found wild in this state, shall keep accurate records as to the dates, names and addresses of persons or facilities from which the wildlife was obtained, as well as records of disposal, purchase or sale of any wildlife in their possession or possess during the past five years." Id. at §36-709(c).

Regulation

Idaho regulations pertaining to shooting preserves specify that a permit from the Director of the Department of Fish and Game is required to operate a shooting preserve. I.A.C. 500.01.

No shooting preserve permit "shall be issued except upon verification by the Department that the proposed area has suitable habitat to provide food and cover for birds released for hunting purposes. Id. at 500.07.

Only "those species of upland game birds specified on the shooting preserve permit may be held and/or released on such shooting preserve facility." Id. at 500.04.

Idaho also maintains a list of species, including Rocky Mountain elk, Reindeer, Caribou, Bison/Buffalo, Gray/Hungarian Partridge, Pheasants, Chukar Partridge, Wild Quail, which are permitted to be imported into the state with a license. Id. at 700.01 and 700.02.

The importation of all species of live wildlife not listed under 700.02 are subject to consideration on a case-by-case basis. Id. at 700.04.

Return to canned hunting map.