BOISE, Idaho (CBS 2) — "Where can I go hunting in Idaho? That's a great question for first-timers, seasoned hunters, travelers, or people who've just moved to the state.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game provides millions of acres for hunters, anglers, and others to enjoy. And, now that hunting season is here, it would be helpful to know where to go.

Believe it or not, two-thirds of the state is public land, and a majority of that is open for hunting.

IDFG owns/manages 370,000 acres in public lands, and provides millions more through agreements and leasing programs.

Here's where you can go...

Wildlife Management Areas:

These make up the 370K acres that IDFG manages. All of the Wildlife Management Areas, maps and information can be found here.

WMA's are in six of Idaho's seven regions; The Panhandle, Clearwater, Southwest, Magic Valley, Southeast, and Upper Snake.

If you want to hunt for pheasant, check out your local area. IDFG has extensive pheasant stocking programs, mostly found on WMA's.

There are six WMAs within the Southwest Region of Idaho:

Access Yes!:

Access Yes! is an IDFG revolving collection of properties where it leases land from private owners for public access.

Here is a list of all the active properties with the locations, hunting opportunities, restrictions and dates of access. IDFG included filters to make your search quicker.

Right now there are 98 properties available until the new year. As a reminder, trespassing rules changed in 2018.

Endowment Lands:

Idaho has 2.3 million acres of state endowment lands which can be used to hunt, fish, and trap.

IDFG has a map that lets you search WMA's, Access Yes! properties, and more. Use the Idaho Hunt Planner map to plan out your next hunt!

This map, for example, has areas highlighted for Endowment Land access in light blue, Access Yes! properties in purple, and state/federal land management in yellow/pink/grey/orange

More Tips from IDFG:

Five principles for responsible land use

  • Whether you’re on public land or private land (with permission), consider these guiding principles for being a responsible user:
  • Treat all lands with respect. Leave them as good or better than you found them.
  • It’s your responsibility to know whose land you’re on, and follow the rules for that property.
  • Be careful with fire, and respect burn restrictions when they’re in effect. Never leave a burning or smoldering campfire. It should always be completely extinguished.
  • Do not damage roads and trails, and abide by travel restrictions, such as closed roads, nonmotorized trail restrictions, vehicle restrictions, camping restrictions, etc.
  • If you see someone damage lands, or violate travel restrictions, be a good witness. Get a vehicle license number, vehicle description, or other information. Report them to the county sheriff’s office, or other law enforcement agency. Avoid a direct confrontation with the violator.

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