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Idaho Wildlife Management Areas


MT Fellwalker

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Groundspeak has received the following letter from an employee of the Idaho Fish & Game Commission -

 

I recently removed "Homestead Trail Head Geocache at N 43 34.482 W 116 06.714".

 

This geocache was located on the Boise River Wildlife Management Area which is operated by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Geocaching is prohibited on all Wildlife Management Areas in Idaho by order of the Idaho Fish and Game Commission.

 

Please advise your members that geocaching on Idaho's Wildlife Management Areas is illegal. Thank you.

 

Since the container has been removed I have archived the listing. For anyone reading this, please note that there appears to be other nearby geocaches that may also be in this management area, as well as other management areas across the state. They should be removed and archived as soon as possible. If the policies of Idaho Fish & Game change in the future, we'll be more than happy to once again list geocaches in these areas.

 

Thank you.

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Just a couple questions regarding this post.

 

Is this something just recently adopted and can you give me a link to the website you are referring to. It would be appreciated. The ID Fish & Game in our area (Northern Idaho) have gone out of the way to help the geocachers in our area. They provided a fest for us at last year's CITO event and have given written premission to place caches out on their land. They were excited to have some there. I will definite recontact our local office but would like to read the info first. Thanks.

Edited by ogeo
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I have searched with google for the commissions report or anything to that effect on F&W website and google. The only thing that I came up with was some minutes from a meeting stating public input was needed. Also here is the public use page from Boise river Wildlife management area page on F&W's website

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/wildlife/wma/boiseriv/public.cfm

 

Public Use of Boise River WMA

 

Public use of the Boise River WMA has increased dramatically over the past several years, along with the concurrent increase in the human population of the Treasure Valley. An increasingly difficult challenge for managers is to accommodate visitor desire for access to the WMA and still provide conditions that will ensure the long term health of southwest Idaho’s largest migratory mule deer herd. Each year, herds of mule deer, elkand pronghorn antelope wintering on the Boise River WMA attract wildlife enthusiasts, an attraction that can prove fatal to these big game species. Winter is a difficult time for them. Forage is often at a premium, and winter temperatures, wind and snowfall tax their already limited energy reserves. Human disturbance can be extremely harmful to big game animals during this period, in some cases causing death or loss of fetuses. For this reason, some areas within Boise River WMA are closed to the public during winter. Reducing human disturbance allows more animals to survive the winter.

 

Despite these restrictions, large herds of wintering mule deer can still be seen relatively easily, with some of the best viewing opportunities offered directly from State Highway 21. Several pullouts along the highway allow wildlife watchers to scan the hillsides of the Boise Front segment in search of mule deer. It is not uncommon to see several hundred deer in a single outing. Small, scattered herds of elk can also be seen from the highway. For your safety and that of others, please use the pullouts when watching for deer and elk; do not stop on or just off of the highway.

 

Just above mile marker 11, Lucky Peak Viewpoint provides a panoramic view of Lucky Peak Lake and the lower portion of Boise River WMA’s Charcoal Creek segment which lies across the reservoir. Adjacent to the overlook, the reservoir backs into Sheep Creek; look for two raptor perch poles, and perhaps their occupants, along the lava rock rim above the creek.

 

A drive along Highland Valley Road, open to motorized vehicles from May 1 through November 15, takes the visitor through upland shrub and grassland communities, along several riparian corridors and eventually reaches the Douglas-fir covered slopes of Lucky Peak itself. Along the way, visitors are treated to spectacular views of the Boise River Valley and, far to the west, the Owyhee Mountains. The turnoff to Highland Valley Road is between highway mile markers 13 and 14. Though the gravel road starts out gently, steep grades and a rough surface restrict this road to high clearance four-wheel drive vehicles.

 

Near highway mile marker 17, the More’s Creek turnout may provide views of mule deer and eagles during winter months and glimpses of other wildlife throughout the year. Just across the More’s Creek Bridge, visitors may choose to leave Highway 21 to drive Forest Service Road 268. This route follows the contours of Lucky Peak Lake, eventually passing Lucky Peak State Park and the Spring Shores Area. The road continues to Arrowrock Dam and Reservoir and beyond.

 

In addition to the numerous wildlife viewing opportunities, big game, upland bird and small game hunting are all available on Boise River WMA lands.

 

You can kill the animals but you can have a piece of tuperware placed in there so more people can go enjoy our lands!

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Please contact your local Fish and Wildlife office in the region that you cache in to clarify the rules, request a copy of the new rule and the minutes from the meeting that it was decided along with the next time there is a meeting in your area that you can attend to let them know this rule is not right and you would like it changed since it is our land.

 

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/about/offices/

 

this is a link to the directory for the F&W field offices. Thanks Brad

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My thanks to those who were able to provide additional confirmation of this policy.

 

I informed everyone of the regulations regarding geocaching and Idaho's wildlife management areas as soon as I learned of them. There is of course no requirement that agencies contact Groundspeak when new policies are implemented, so often we learn of them only after receiving a letter similar to the one I quoted. Going forward we will endeavor to avoid listing geocaches in these areas, but as always rely upon individual cache owners to ensure that they have adequate permission.

 

We certainly understand that due to the timing of this announcement it may not be possible for all of the containers in the areas in question to be removed in the immediate future, but please remember the importance of maintaining good relations with local land managers and get to them as soon as possible.

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We will be contacting our local office because as the policy reads all Fish and Wildlife lands are off limits. I have a few caches that are now not allowed according to this policy. The funny thing is a Fish and Wildlife manager wanted us to place caches at access areas to promote the use of our lands. It is very important that we take care of our caches in a timely manner and contact LOCAL land managers.

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Doing some digging around and here is the land use agenda for the commission meeting July 23rd 2009.

 

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/about/commission/09agenda/july/13.pdf

 

Here is the commission meeting minutes from that meeting.

 

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/about/commission/2009/jul22.pdf

 

So these rules have been in place since July 2009

 

I read all the Links provided.

 

Nowhere did I see geocaching as absolutely prohibited. I did see this quote in all the links:

 

"Without a permit, prohibiting landing or launching aircraft, discharging paintball guns,

placing of geocaches,"

 

So if a permit was approved a geocache could be placed. Seems to be similar to the National Parks stance.

 

I also noted this quote:

 

"Jeff Gould, Chief, Bureau of Wildlife, presented the revised rules for public use of department

managed lands. Mr. Gould stated that these rules help keep public use of Department lands

consistent with wildlife habitat needs, public safety, and other management constraints. The last

major update of these rules was in 1993. The proposed changes are:

• Allowing the Director to delegate more authority to regional staff".

 

Seems quite appropriate that regional staff may permit geocaches in some areas.

Edited by ironman114
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Doing some digging around and here is the land use agenda for the commission meeting July 23rd 2009.

 

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/about/commission/09agenda/july/13.pdf

 

Here is the commission meeting minutes from that meeting.

 

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/about/commission/2009/jul22.pdf

 

So these rules have been in place since July 2009

 

I read all the Links provided.

 

Nowhere did I see geocaching as absolutely prohibited. I did see this quote in all the links:

 

"Without a permit, prohibiting landing or launching aircraft, discharging paintball guns,

placing of geocaches,"

 

So if a permit was approved a geocache could be placed. Seems to be similar to the National Parks stance.

 

I also noted this quote:

 

"Jeff Gould, Chief, Bureau of Wildlife, presented the revised rules for public use of department

managed lands. Mr. Gould stated that these rules help keep public use of Department lands

consistent with wildlife habitat needs, public safety, and other management constraints. The last

major update of these rules was in 1993. The proposed changes are:

• Allowing the Director to delegate more authority to regional staff".

 

Seems quite appropriate that regional staff may permit geocaches in some areas.

If you look up at my link above, there is a rule there which does expressly state that placing a geocache on WMA lands is prohibited.

Public use restrictions

 

You have to scroll down a bit, look under rule 100.22 It is posted under public use restrictions for activities prohibited

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Doing some digging around and here is the land use agenda for the commission meeting July 23rd 2009.

 

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/about/commission/09agenda/july/13.pdf

 

Here is the commission meeting minutes from that meeting.

 

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/about/commission/2009/jul22.pdf

 

So these rules have been in place since July 2009

 

I read all the Links provided.

 

Nowhere did I see geocaching as absolutely prohibited. I did see this quote in all the links:

 

"Without a permit, prohibiting landing or launching aircraft, discharging paintball guns,

placing of geocaches,"

 

So if a permit was approved a geocache could be placed. Seems to be similar to the National Parks stance.

 

I also noted this quote:

 

"Jeff Gould, Chief, Bureau of Wildlife, presented the revised rules for public use of department

managed lands. Mr. Gould stated that these rules help keep public use of Department lands

consistent with wildlife habitat needs, public safety, and other management constraints. The last

major update of these rules was in 1993. The proposed changes are:

• Allowing the Director to delegate more authority to regional staff".

 

Seems quite appropriate that regional staff may permit geocaches in some areas.

 

 

Rule 100.22

 

ScreenHunter_01Feb212123.jpg

ScreenHunter_02Feb212123.jpg

 

And in July 2009 this is the section of the meetings minutes about the land use

 

ScreenHunter_03Feb212129.jpg

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Doing some digging around and here is the land use agenda for the commission meeting July 23rd 2009.

 

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/about/commission/09agenda/july/13.pdf

 

Here is the commission meeting minutes from that meeting.

 

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/about/commission/2009/jul22.pdf

 

So these rules have been in place since July 2009

 

I read all the Links provided.

 

Nowhere did I see geocaching as absolutely prohibited. I did see this quote in all the links:

 

"Without a permit, prohibiting landing or launching aircraft, discharging paintball guns,

placing of geocaches,"

 

So if a permit was approved a geocache could be placed. Seems to be similar to the National Parks stance.

 

I also noted this quote:

 

"Jeff Gould, Chief, Bureau of Wildlife, presented the revised rules for public use of department

managed lands. Mr. Gould stated that these rules help keep public use of Department lands

consistent with wildlife habitat needs, public safety, and other management constraints. The last

major update of these rules was in 1993. The proposed changes are:

• Allowing the Director to delegate more authority to regional staff".

 

Seems quite appropriate that regional staff may permit geocaches in some areas.

If you look up at my link above, there is a rule there which does expressly state that placing a geocache on WMA lands is prohibited.

Public use restrictions

 

You have to scroll down a bit, look under rule 100.22 It is posted under public use restrictions for activities prohibited

 

I did scroll down to 100.22. Yes I see it does say that placing a geocache is prohibited. But if you read again the part at the beginning of Section 100 BEFORE it say prohibited it does say that the following items 1-25 may be allowed by permission by several authorities including "Regional Supervisors".

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This is all hidden deep in the rules and you cant search their website to come up with the answers. There is no spot to get a permit for Geocaches. With no permit process there is no geocaching on Fish and Wildlife lands period. This needs to be addressed and made simple for all parties involved.

 

I understand that there is no "ONLINE" place to get a permit.

 

That is why someone would have to make a personal visit to a Regional Office to meet with someone that "may" have the authority to issue one. Even if it isn't an "Official" State document.

 

I was able to place a geocache inside the Mt. ST. Helens National Monument just by contacting the "Regional Supervisor" by phone and email. I didn't even have to visit their office.

 

Hydnsek was even able to work with the National Parks and get permission for two geocaches inside a National Park.

 

So by working with Local authorities sometimes geocaches can be placed. It may be beneficial if you contact the Fish and Wildlife manager that wanted you to place caches at access areas to promote the use of our lands. Who knows maybe he has the Authority to OK them!

 

You won't know until you try.

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