For those of you who took advantage of the archery, any weapon seasons and controlled hunts — some that lasted into November — hopefully you were successful in harvesting the game you hunted and had a good time with family and friends.
There are still some opportunities for white-tailed deer in the panhandle units of the state and elk hunting with muzzle loaders, as well as archery hunting into late December. Check your Idaho Big Game 2017-18 Seasons and Rules Handbook available at most sporting goods stores and Fish and Game offices if you want to legally hunt for another month.
For those who think winter puts a damper on outdoor recreation, you couldn’t be more mistaken. After this past snowfall that left quite a bit of snow in the valley and a lot of snow in the mountains, there is a lot to look forward to. Pebble Creek Ski Area in Inkom as well as other ski areas around Idaho are encouraged by the snow fall and some may open earlier than they normally do this winter. I believe Grand Targhee Ski Resort, just up the road from Driggs, has already opened. Pebble Creek was open this past weekend and will open again Friday, when it plans to open for the whole season. The East Fork Mink Creek Nordic Center outside of Pocatello is now open as well.
Idaho State University maintains a series of yurts that sleep up to six people in the mountains east of Inkom that folks can snowshoe or cross-country ski into and spend the night. The yurts are equipped with a log-fueled stove for warmth as well as a smaller Coleman-type stove for cooking.
The Catamount Yurt may be the easiest to access for those who aren’t used to snowshoeing or cross-country skiing most of the day. It is only about 2 miles southeast of McNabb Road, but in the winter the road isn’t plowed up to the sheep pens, so you might have to add an additional mile of snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. There is quite a bit of privately owned land around the Catamount Yurt, which is situated on Bureau of Land Management land. Most of that land has a no trespassing signs posted on it, so be sure to ask at the ISU Outdoor Adventure Center how they want people to travel to the yurt.
There is also a yurt up Inman Canyon for those who are in good condition and want a longer more scenic route through the mountains before getting to the yurt. The ISU Outdoor Adventure Center and equipment rental office can supply you with maps showing you how to get to the various yurts and should be able to answer any questions about the routes into and out of the yurts.
Sledding is a popular winter sport and there are numerous places around Pocatello to go sledding, particularly in — but not restricted to — the mountains in the Mink Creek area.
If you own a snowmobile, you have access to a lot of BLM and U.S. Forest Service land, but make sure you know where you can and can’t ride and don’t enter or cross private property without permission.
Ice fishing is popular in Idaho. I have never tried it because I keep worrying about falling through the ice. but I see a lot of people at Devils Creek Reservoir and other lakes and ponds happily sitting outside or in ice fishing huts during most of the winter months.
Another idea that might appeal to some is going to Yellowstone National Park and snowmobiling to Old Faithful to see it erupt in the winter. There is also a snow coach that leaves the Stage Coach Inn in West Yellowstone early in the morning and takes people to Old Faithful. When you are dropped off back at the inn later in the day, you can eat at any of West Yellowstone’s fine restaurants and then soak in the hot tub area at the inn. West Yellowstone is an interesting city and the park is gorgeous during the winter months.
Ice skating is a lot of fun and there are a couple of places in Pocatello where they try to have ice skating rinks when the temperature is low enough. I’m wondering if the new recreation center in Pocatello might try to provide an ice skating rink.
If you haven’t soaked in the hot pots at Lava Hot Springs during the winter months, try it. You just might become addicted to cold weather and hot pots for soothing all the muscle aches that come from skiing and other activities.
So get outdoors and enjoy the winter this year. Don’t be a couch potato and sit around and watch football and basketball all winter while your physical conditioning deteriorates.
Smokey Merkley was raised in Idaho and has been hunting since he was 10 years old. He can be contacted at mokeydo41245@hotmail.com.
