New trespassing, animal salvage and trapper laws begin soon

Many new Idaho laws that passed in the last legislative session take effect July 1, including laws that affect outdoor recreationists such as hunters, anglers and trappers.

Under Idaho’s latest trespass law, people must have written permission or other lawful permission to enter private property.

The new salvage law includes dispatching injured wildlife struck by a vehicle and amends the existing law that allows people to salvage any big game, upland game, upland game bird, furbearer, predatory wildlife or unprotected wildlife when unintentionally struck on a roadway with a vehicle.

The latest law taking effect July 1 also allows for any person who hits an animal classified as those previously mentioned to dispatch it in a safe and humane manner when the collision severely injures the animal.

Under new trapping rules, any trapper who purchased their first trapping license after June 30, 2011, will be required to attend and pass a mandatory trapper education course before they can purchase an Idaho trapping license.