Everything you need to know about the IDAHO Hunting and Advanced Technology Working Group (HAT Working Group)

[44hunter45]

IDFG's working group advising IDFG on the limits of technology which might be applied in future Idaho regulations.

I applied to be on this group and was not selected. I was told there were more than 700 applicants.

I recently emailed the IDFG co-coordinator asking how I can communicate with the HAT group to express my convictions. These cover where technology limits need to be applied, and where they need to be relaxed.

The group charter, member bios, upcoming meeting agendas are listed on the website. At the bottom there is a public comment form.

It is worth noting that the January 5th, 2025 scheduled meeting has time allotted (short though it may be) for the reading of submitted comments. In a perfect world, HT provides so many comments that the time to read them must be expanded. I know several HTers who applied to be in this working group. None of them had convictions perfectly aligned with mine. That is what makes HT great, but also why you need to submit comments. Don't assume the committee already knows what you think about this.

You can follow HAT and provide comments at this this URL: ( I expect you all to be able to get what you need from the page without my instructions.)

Hunting and Advanced Technology Working Group (HAT Working Group)

idfg.idaho.gov

 

[cgasner1]

Best of luck to them with this project

 

[bigsky2]

It’s encouraging to see the recent efforts to address some of this stuff in other states. It’s definitely not happening in my state.

 

[rogerthat]

I agree. This seems like a proactive step on an issue that has become very evident to me will need to be addressed by all state game departments. Kudos to idaho…now if they would just get rid of their stupid nr deer and elk gen tag system

 

[44hunter45]

New updates to the HAT Group activities and website.

The next meeting is Feb 17,2025 @ 6PM MT

Public comments are still available at the bottom of the main page:

Hunting and Advanced Technology Working Group (HAT Working Group)

idfg.idaho.gov

On the right sidebar you will see the meeting schedule. At the bottom is the Zoom link for the meetings. There is no public comment allowed live during the meetings, but there is an agenda item to review online submitted comments.

My most recent comments regard to fuzziness of definitions in the survey below. I contend that the HAT group must first define where the quite specific features of things like rifle scopes place them on this survey.
I.E. Are turrets a "Modern Rifle Scope"?
I.E. Is the leveler on a VX-6HD a "Smart Scope" feature? Especially when a shooter can get the same (or better) result with a bolt-on bubble level?

The "2024 Hunting and Advanced Technology Statewide Survey Report" is available here:

https://idfg.idaho.gov/sites/default/files/proj_idfg_2024_hunting_technology_topline_v02.pdf

For you camera users - For cameras there is a pretty clear line drawn in the survey between SD card cameras and cell phone cameras. Survey responders clearly opposed real-time communication from cameras.