BigGameHoundsmen.com

How did the hound hunters permit start?

outfitters.

fox hunter wrote:outfitters.

Not true. It was started by the I.H.A to prevent our hunting areas from getting flooded with out of state hunters. Several of the sates surrouning us do not allow either bear hunting with hounds, and or lion hunting with hounds. There are 75 out of state hound permits given across the state.

Too bad Montana doesn't do the same.

It started around the mid 80's, about two years after Washington lost their spring season. Montana had never had a bear season with dogs. And it was just before the Grizzly Corridor was established. These three factors combined is what cause it to be put in place. And what it was set up to be is nothing like what it has been turned into.

At that time there was 4 predominate clubs in Idaho. The IHA in the Boise area. The EIHA in Idaho Falls area. The SIHA in Twin Falls. And the NIHA in the Northern part of the State. All these clubs were represented to each other and the F&G, Legislator and such by the ISDA (Idaho Sporting Dogs Association).

Because of not having a season, Washington and Montana hunters came to the Panhandle. Obviously with those combined with the Idaho hunters already there, it was a bunch of hunters. The F&G came to the ISDA and said to find a solution for the "over crowding" or loss hunting with hounds in Idaho. The ISDA then took it to the clubs to find a solution. That's what they said, but looking back in hind sight now, the dang Grizzly Corridor and the Grizzly reintroduction that shortly followed was in their minds too. But that's my opinion only.

Obviously we had a couple of options. Shut down spring hunting and save the fall. Loose the entire Northern part of the State to save the larger southern part. There were others suggested too, but the Hound Permit is what we came up with and used. Back then there was a "law" that said 10% of the resident tags was what the out of State quota should be. When the Houndsman Permit first came out it was at 55 permits.

That's the short story of why and how the Hound Permit started. I better not go into what I think of what it has become.

Dennis Fisher wrote:That's the short story of why and how the Hound Permit started. I better not go into what I think of what it has become.

I would sure love to hear the rest of the story.