Panhandle Campers Limited To 14 Days

Camping

This is the second hunting season in which the Idaho Panhandle National Forests will be limiting campers to no more than 14 days at any one campsite.

Some hunters are having trouble adjusting to the change in tradition of establishing camps for the duration of the big-game seasons, forest officials said.

The Colville, Clearwater, Lolo and Kootenai national forests adopted the 14-day stay policy a decade ago.

Dave Wright, Panhandle Forests supervisor, said long-term camps are more likely than short-term camps to damage ground, inflict elaborate “improvements” and foul the area with human waste.

Campsites must be at least 200 feet from lakes, streams and meadows, he said. Starting in 1996, feed taken into the national forest must be certified as being free of noxious weeds and their seeds.

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