permits question - help please!

[*Bowdude*]

From the Fish and game site info I can not believe what I am reading. You can only get baiting permits at an IDFG office! Based on my trip in from out of state and the area I want to hunt that adds another 300 plus miles and shoots a whole day for *$^%** $12 permit!!!! Plus about $50 in gas!!
If Idaho is serious about reducing the bear pop they have to eliminate this BS as it TOTALLY unacceptable!

Does anyone have any news contrary to this or know of an easy way to get this permit? I see I can get the licence and tags in Missoula on my way thru. But the bait permit aquisition is real bull.

 

[Washington Hunter]

I can't help you with your question, but I'm just curious how you plan on baiting bears in Idaho if you're coming from Wisconsin? Are you bringing all your bait with you and how much time do you have planned for your hunt? I'm no expert on baiting bears but I would think that it could take a week or two of putting out bait to get bears accustomed to coming in to your bait sites, before you would even begin actually hunting them. Like I said I'm just curious how you plan on doing this hunt as it sounds almost impossible for somebody coming from out of state, unless you have unlimited time and money to spend. (but if that were the case the lost day and extra gas money wouldn't be a problem either)

 

[Elkgunner]

Good questions WH.... I doubt you can get a baitsite up and active in a week. And there is a ton of "downtime" while baiting. Certainly enough time to drive to the F&G office for the permit.

Asterisk,
Try calling F&G and see if they can offer them over the phone and mail them to you. The only reason I know they issue them at the office is they have to hand you the little plastic tag for the site.

But you might want to "re-think" your strategy if you are on a limited time and going to be trying to establish a baitsite in a few days....

I don't know that Idaho is "serious about reducing" the bear population. Bears are bears, they are native here, they live here, they eat here, they belong here. They go in cycles, are impacted by nature, etc.... Idaho is serious about increasing Elk populations because of the money generated by Elk hunting, so Idaho does all sorts of artificial stuff to try and inflate the populations.

If you really want to whack a bear, the best option is to find one of the Outfitters who has baitsites, or just start hunting and spot and stock the bruin of your choice.

 

[*Bowdude*]

True being a resident would be a big plus, but my experience in WI is that if you place a baitsite where bears frequent it only takes a couple of days. This would be travel zones and near current feeding areas. I have taken 2 bears. One over bait and one over hounds. I prefer over bait, and bowhunting obviously. I have turned down others in years waiting for big daddy, as neither I nor my wife am crazy about the meat. I would love to have plenty of time to get a few nice bears "addicted"to a site. But from here I can't do that. So you make up for with GOOD bait. Make the bear want to come to your site first. When you are only baiting for 2 weeks, it is not so expensive. What you save in gas from driving around for a month or better you can spend on goodies. The problem is you end up having to go farther from the road, etc as the closer "prime sites" are taken by locals. Especially those that go year after year.

 

[bowhuntinmaniac]

Last year, we bought everything at a Walmart.........did it change?

 

[Ten Bears]

I think you can only get the bait site tags at a idfg office. I know when I bought mine they gave me three site tags.

 

[*Bowdude*]

For those who are interested - I found out today that AFTER you have your licence and tag purchased online, you can send a check with the info needed (licence, tag #s, Soc sec #) to an IDFG office, and they will mail the stuff to you.

 

[GatoMan]

It says right in the regulations they can be issued by mail.....should have read a little better, could have saved yourself some stress.....lol

 

[Moosie]

YAh, Everything can be mailed.

I'm curious were you're planning to go and set up a Baitsite for a week and Pack in away from the road. Jsut a general Location. I know from experience that it's tough in this area.

Good luck to you though, Glad it worked out on the tag. Next time take the Blue pill and not the red pill