Wildlife Auction Tags
SB 1256
This bill creates special big game auction tags and directs proceeds to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) to be used for sportsmen access programs, wildlife habitat projects and wildlife management. However, this bill also restricts the ability to use funds to retire grazing allotments in areas where conflict exists between livestock and wildlife, such as bighorn sheep.
While, on the surface, this bill appears to support the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) by funneling proceeds from special big game auction tags to fund wildlife management programs, the estimated IDFG revenue increase is only 0.3%—an almost insignificant amount.
More importantly, this bill contains a notable change: terminating IDFG's ability to use funds to purchase land/grazing permits in an effort to keep domestic livestock separate from declining wild populations like bighorn sheep. Right now, grazing buyouts are an important tool to minimize conflict between wild and domestic populations because they help keep ranchers whole, but also protect wildlife from harmful disease carried by livestock.
Prior to this bill no such restriction existed, allowing IDFG funds to be used to retire grazing allotments in areas of conflict between livestock and wildlife.
