(a) Organization — Meetings. The members of the commission shall annually meet at their offices and organize by electing from their membership a chairman, who shall hold office for a period of one (1) year, or until his successor has been duly elected. In addition to the regular annual meeting, to be held in January, said commission shall hold other regular quarterly meetings each year at such places within the state as the commission shall select for the transaction of business. Special meetings may be called at any time and place by the chairman or a majority of the members of the commission. Notice of the time, place and purpose of any and all special meetings shall be given by the secretary to each member of the commission prior to said meeting.
(b) Authorization for Commission Powers and Duties. For the purpose of administering the policy as declared in section 36-103, Idaho Code, the commission is hereby authorized and empowered to:
1. Investigate and find facts regarding the status of the state’s wildlife populations in order to give effect to the policy of the state hereinbefore announced.
2. Hold hearings for the purpose of hearing testimony, considering evidence and determining the facts as to when the supply of any of the wildlife in this state will be injuriously affected by the taking thereof, or for the purpose of determining when an open season may be declared for the taking of wildlife. Whenever said commission determines that the supply of any particular species of wildlife is being, or will be, during any particular period of time, injuriously affected by depletion by permitting the same to be taken, or if it should find a longer or different season, or different bag limit should be adopted for the better protection thereof, or if it finds that an open season may be declared without endangering the supply thereof, then it shall make a rule or proclamation embodying its findings in respect to when, under what circumstances, in which localities, by what means, what sex, and in what amounts and numbers the wildlife of this state may be taken.
3. Whenever it finds it necessary for the preservation, protection, or management of any wildlife of this state, by reason of any act of God or any other sudden or unexpected emergency, declare by temporary rule or proclamation the existence of such necessity, and the cause thereof, and prescribe and designate all affected areas or streams, and close the same to hunting, angling or trapping, or impose such restrictions and conditions upon hunting, angling or trapping as said commission shall find to be necessary. Every such temporary rule shall be made in accordance with the provisions of chapter 52, title 67, Idaho Code.
4. At any time it shall deem necessary for the proper management of wildlife on any game preserve in the state of Idaho, declare an open season in any game preserve as it deems appropriate.
5. (A) Upon notice to the public, cause to be held pursuant to the provisions of section 36-104A, Idaho Code, a drawing giving to license holders, under the wildlife laws of this state, the privilege of drawing by lot for a controlled hunt permit or tag authorizing the person to whom issued to hunt, kill, or attempt to kill any species of wild animals or birds designated by the commission under such rules as it shall prescribe.
(B) The commission may, under rules or proclamations as it may prescribe, authorize the director to issue additional controlled hunt permits or tags and collect fees therefor authorizing landowners of property valuable for habitat or propagation purposes of deer, elk, antelope, bear or turkey, or the landowner’s designated agent(s) to hunt deer, elk, antelope, bear or turkey in controlled hunts containing the eligible property owned by those landowners in units where any permits or tags for deer, elk, antelope, bear or turkey are limited.
(C) A nonrefundable fee as specified in section 36-416, Idaho Code, shall be charged each applicant for a controlled hunt permit or tag. Successful applicants for controlled hunt permits or tags shall be charged the fee as specified in section 36-416, Idaho Code. Additionally, a fee may be charged for telephone and credit card orders in accordance with subsection (e)11. of section 36-106, Idaho Code. The department shall include a checkoff form to allow applicants to designate one dollar ($1.00) of such nonrefundable application fee for transmittal to the reward fund of citizens against poaching, inc., an Idaho nonprofit corporation. The net proceeds from the nonrefundable fee shall be deposited in the fish and game account and none of the net proceeds shall be used to purchase lands.
(D) The commission may by rule establish procedures relating to the application for the purchase of controlled hunt bonus or preference points by sportsmen and the fee for such application shall be as specified in section 36-416, Idaho Code.
6. Adopt rules pertaining to the importation, exportation, release, sale, possession or transportation into, within or from the state of Idaho of any species of live, native or exotic wildlife or any eggs thereof.
7. Acquire for and on behalf of the state of Idaho, by purchase, condemnation, lease, agreement, gift, or other device, lands or waters suitable for the purposes hereinafter enumerated in this paragraph. Whenever the commission proposes to purchase a tract of land in excess of fifteen (15) acres, the commission shall notify the board of county commissioners of the county where this land is located of the intended action. The board of county commissioners shall have ten (10) days after official notification to notify the commission whether or not they desire the commission to hold a public hearing on the intended purchase in the county. The commission shall give serious consideration to all public input received at the public hearing before making a final decision on the proposed acquisition. Following any land purchase, the fish and game commission shall provide, upon request by the board of county commissioners, within one hundred twenty (120) days, a management plan for the area purchased that would address noxious weed control, fencing, water management and other important issues raised during the public hearing. When considering purchasing lands pursuant to this paragraph, the commission shall first make a good faith attempt to obtain a conservation easement, as provided in chapter 21, title 55, Idaho Code, before it may begin proceedings to purchase, condemn or otherwise acquire such lands. If the attempt to acquire a conservation easement is unsuccessful and the commission then purchases, condemns or otherwise acquires the lands, the commission shall record in writing the reasons why the attempt at acquiring the conservation easement was unsuccessful and then file the same in its records and in a report to the joint finance-appropriations committee. The commission shall develop, operate, and maintain the lands, waters or conservation easements for said purposes, which are hereby declared a public use:
(A) For fish hatcheries, nursery ponds, or game animal or game bird farms;
(B) For game, bird, fish or fur-bearing animal restoration, propagation or protection;
(C) For public hunting, fishing or trapping areas to provide places where the public may fish, hunt, or trap in accordance with the provisions of law, or the regulation of the commission;
(D) For public shooting ranges to provide places where the public may engage in target shooting, training, and competition.
(E) To extend and consolidate, by exchange, lands or waters suitable for said purposes.
8. Enter into cooperative agreements with educational institutions and state, federal, or other agencies to promote wildlife research and to train students for wildlife management.
9. Enter into cooperative agreements with state and federal agencies, municipalities, corporations, organized groups of landowners, associations, and individuals for the development of wildlife rearing, propagating, management, protection and demonstration projects.
10. In the event owners or lawful possessors of land have restricted the operation of motor-propelled vehicles upon their land, the commission, upon consultation with all other potentially affected landowners, and having held a public hearing, if requested by not less than ten (10) residents of any county in which the land is located, may enter into cooperative agreements with those owners or possessors to enforce those restrictions when the restrictions protect wildlife or wildlife habitat. Provided, however, the commission shall not enter into such agreements for lands that either lie outside or are not adjacent to any adjoining the proclaimed boundaries of the national forests in Idaho.
(A) The landowners, with the assistance of the department, shall cause notice of the restrictions, including the effective date thereof, to be posted on the main traveled roads entering the areas to which the restrictions apply. Provided, however, that nothing in this subsection shall allow the unlawful posting of signs or other information on or adjacent to public highways as defined in subsection (5) of section 40-109, Idaho Code.
(B) Nothing in this section authorizes the establishment of any restrictions that impede normal forest or range management operations.
(C) No person shall violate such restrictions on the use of motor-propelled vehicles or tear down or lay down any fencing or gates enclosing such a restricted area or remove, mutilate, damage or destroy any notices, signs or markers giving notice of such restrictions. The commission may promulgate rules to administer the restrictions and cooperative agreements addressed in this subsection.
11. Capture, propagate, transport, buy, sell or exchange any species of wildlife needed for propagation or stocking purposes, or to exercise control of undesirable species.
12. Adopt rules pertaining to the application for, issuance of and administration of a lifetime license certificate system.
13. Adopt rules governing the application and issuance of permits for and administration of fishing contests on waters under the jurisdiction of the state. The fee for each permit shall be as provided for in section 36-416, Idaho Code.
14. Adopt rules governing the application for and issuance of licenses by telephone and other electronic methods.
15. Enter into agreements with cities, counties, recreation districts or other political subdivisions for the lease of lands or waters, in accordance with all other applicable laws, including applicable provisions of titles 42 and 43, Idaho Code, to cost-effectively provide recreational opportunities for taxpayers or residents of those local governments or political subdivisions.
16. Adopt rules governing a mentored hunting program.
17. Enter into agreements with and assist counties, cities, recreation districts, other political subdivisions, and nonprofit clubs or associations in locating or relocating shooting ranges.
(c) Limitation on Powers. Nothing in this title shall be construed to authorize the commission to change any penalty prescribed by law for a violation of its provisions, or to change the amount of license fees or the authority conferred by licenses prescribed by law.
(d) Organization of Work. The commission shall organize the department, in accordance with the provisions of title 67, Idaho Code, into administrative units as may be necessary to efficiently administer said department. All employees of the department except the director shall be selected and appointed by the director in conformance with the provisions of chapter 53, title 67, Idaho Code.
[36-104, added 1976, ch. 95, sec. 2, p. 318; am. 1977, ch. 116, sec. 1, p. 249; am. 1986, ch. 52, sec. 1, p. 149; am. 1986, ch. 288, sec. 1, p. 725; am. 1986, ch. 329, sec. 1, p. 810; am. 1987, ch. 159, sec. 1, p. 311; am. 1989, ch. 316, sec. 1, p. 812; am. 1989, ch. 372, sec. 1, p. 937; am. 1990, ch. 372, sec. 1, p. 1023; am. 1992, ch. 81, sec. 1, p. 222; am. 1993, ch. 197, sec. 1, p. 539; am. 1993, ch. 216, sec. 17, p. 599; am. 1994, ch. 82, sec. 1, p. 190; am. 1994, ch. 218, sec. 5, p. 687; am. 1995, ch. 64, sec. 1, p. 158; am. 1998, ch. 170, sec. 1, p. 568; am. 1999, ch. 372, sec. 1, p. 1016; am. 2000, ch. 211, sec. 1, p. 539; am. 2001, ch. 183, sec. 12, p. 621; am. 2002, ch. 224, sec. 1, p. 644; am. 2004, ch. 17, sec. 1, p. 16; am. 2009, ch. 201, sec. 1, p. 643; am. 2011, ch. 109, sec. 1, p. 280; am. 2014, ch. 104, sec. 1, p. 305; am. 2016, ch. 103, sec. 1, p. 300; am. 2020, ch. 85, sec. 1, p. 222.]