North Idaho provides numerous waterfowl hunting opportunities, as it lies between the Pacific and Central  Flyways.  Its river and wetland habitats provide important habitat for migrating waterfowl, it also produces resident populations of ducks.

Even before birds start flying overhead on their migration south, duck hunters like Lane Robinson are planning their hunts and scoping out where to go.  Idaho Fish and Game’s Wildlife Management areas are high on his list of hunting spots.  Early in the season he leans toward Boundary-Smith Creek and McArthur Lake WMAs because these wetland complexes normally ice over in mid to late November.

Join Lane Robinson on his fall waterfowl hunt on the Boundary-Smith Creek WMA.

Robinson will be hunting until the last day of the season in North Idaho, January 28th.  When the snow flies and wetlands freeze up, he shifts to open water locations along the Coeur d’Alene and Clark Fork rivers, which include the Coeur d’Alene and Pend Oreille WMAs.

A temporary closure of the Clark Fork Driftyard Access will impact hunting access this fall on the Pend Oreille WMA.

To learn more about duck hunting, check out this back to basics article on the Fish and Game website.