Idaho Fish and Game commissioners are considering a change at an upcoming meeting in the way they auction tags for big-game hunts.
The deadline to comment on line is tonight at 5 pm. The plan would add one auction tag each for elk, mule deer, mountain goat, pronghorn and moose.
In the past 28 years Idaho Fish and Game has auctioned a tag for bighorn sheep every year, the most recent tag sold for $90,000.
In 2012 the Idaho Legislature gave the commission permission to auction up to 12 Governor’s Wildlife Partnership big-game tags. So far the commission has not used that authority. The meeting to make a decision on the auction tags is a conference call at 8 a.m. Thursday.
At least 95 percent of proceeds from auction tags would go to Fish and Game. Up to 30 percent of the money could be used for sportsman access programs.
A Fish and Game press release says it found that 55 percent of hunters surveyed considered auction tags acceptable to generate funds for wildlife management. Fifty-one percent said Fish and Game should release all of its auction tags to help fund wildlife management and hunter access programs.

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