Our Recreation Report in the Sports section of the Idaho Statesman this morning (Nov. 14) is ever evolving as the seasons change.

We've added more information about snow depths in the high country to aid hunters heading to the mountains and also whet the appetite of skiers and snowboarders.

We've picked some of the more popular mountain passes and also ski areas to list snow depths, even though they are meager.

Fish and Game will stock more than 250 steelhead in the Boise River on Thursday, Nov. 15, the second and last steelhead stocking of the year.
Because of their size – six to 12 pounds – the actual number of steelhead stocked will depend on the capacity of the tanker truck hauling the fish from Oxbow Hatchery on the Snake River. The fish will be stocked in the Boise River from Glenwood Bridge to Barber Park.

The big news from Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area this season is the “first ever” top-to-bottom terrain park on the front side of the mountain.

“There’s an extreme demand for it,” J.J. McLeod, Bogus Basin director of mountain events, told me today as we toured the park's area. It was snowing a little, yaaa!!!

New Belgium Brewery's annual Tour de Fat is a goofy, fun annual event based around bikes and beer, but it also raised some serious bucks for the Southwest Idaho Mountain Biking Association, Treasure Valley Cycling Alliance and Boise Bike Project. The 15-stop tour raised a cool half-mill during the summer, including nearly $50K for Boise nonprofits. Notice how we whupped on every city except Tempe, Ariz. and those pesky Colorado towns. Not that it's a beer-drinking contest or anything.

Here's a breakdown by cities:
Boise, ID – August 18
Total Funds Raised: $49,675
Attendees: 6,500

I saw the first bald eagle of the season flying over Veteran's Bridge in Boise, which is wonderfully symbolic on Veterans Day. Bald eagles winter along the Southern Idaho rivers and reservoirs, including the Boise River right here in town. Check out Zimo's article on Thursday in Idaho Outdoors to find out where.
Photo by Roger Phillips/Idaho Statesman

I was jump shooting along the Snake River over the weekend and surprised by the number of ducks for this early in the season.

I saw nice flights of mallards, some wigeons and even some teal.

I usually throw on the chest waders and hunt the banks of the river trying to jump shoot everything from quail to pheasants to mallards. You can hunt near prime corn fields but be on the public land below the high water mark.

There was a nice layer of snow in the Foothills this morning. I was in a blizzard in late October and sunny, 70-degree weather in early November. The snow last night is rebalancing my equilibrium. We're working on the Winter Recreation guide for Nov. 22, and it's easier to write about snow sports when I can actually see snow. So what are my weekend plans? Mountain biking. I am clearly a confused boy. Have a great weekend, whatever you decide to do, and keep the snow coming.

A large sturgeon was poached on or around November 7, in the King Hill area of the Snake River. Remains were found near the King Hill Bridge. People with information are encouraged to call the Jerome Regional Fish and Game Office, at 208-324-4359.
Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) is offering a $1000 reward for information in the case and callers can remain anonymous. Contact CAP at 1-800-632-5999. The line is open 24 hours a day.

I voted for it for obvious reasons. I am a hunter and angler who respects the tradition that has been passed down through generations. I believe hunters, anglers and trappers are integral not only for wildlife management, but ensuring that all wildlife, whether or not it's utilized by hunters, anglers and trappers, has a chance to exist and thrive now and in the future.

It's going to continue to be a good fall for fishing with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game stocking about 16,000 rainbow trout in Southwest Idaho waters.

Here's the stocking schedule for November:

Boise River - (above Glenwood Bridge), Nov. 5, 1,500.

Boise River - (below Glenwood Bridge), Nov. 5, 750.

Caldwell Pond 2 - Nov. 5, 400.

Caldwell Pond 3 - Nov. 5, 400.

Eagle Island State Park Pond - Nov. 5, 500.