ID S1236

Amends Section 36-408, Idaho Code, regarding the Fish and Game Commission's authority to issue tags and permits for wildlife hunting.

Changes Governor's Wildlife Partnership Tags from discretionary ("may") to mandatory ("shall") annual issuance: up to 3 tags per species per year for deer, elk, and pronghorn antelope; 1 tag per year for moose; and 1 tag per species per year for mountain goat and bighorn sheep.

Governor-signed tags remain available to both residents and nonresidents through auction by nonprofit wildlife conservation organizations, with no more than 5% of proceeds retained for administrative costs.

Auction proceeds allocated up to 30% for sportsmen access programs (such as Access Yes) and the remainder for wildlife habitat projects, wildlife management projects to increase big game herds, and other approved research and management activities.

Maintains existing restrictions prohibiting proceeds from being used for private property acquisition, federally managed grazing permits, bighorn sheep transplants in southwest Idaho south of the Snake River and west of U.S. Highway 93, or litigation and environmental impact statements involving bighorn sheep.