Coeur d'Alene River Wildlife and Fish

Wildlife
The entire WMA is an important area for waterfowl. It serves as a production area for local birds and major feeding and resting area for both spring and fall migrants. The greatest waterfowl use of the WMA occurs during the fall migration. Common migrants include mallards, American widgeon, pintails, Canada geese and tundra swans. A large portion of the waterfowl hunting in northern Idaho occurs on the WMA each fall. Hunting is excellent for ducks early in the season. When weather is mild good hunting for ducks and Canada geese continues through November.

Common big game species on the Coeur d’Alene River WMA include white-tailed deer, elk and black bear. White-tailed deer are the most numerous, occupying the WMA year-around. Elk use of the WMA occurs primarily in winter and spring. Black bear are frequently observed in late spring and early summer feeding on new grasses. Moose, mule deer and mountain lion are occasional WMA visitors. Big game hunting for black bear, elk and white-tailed deer occurs throughout the WMA and is popular with local residents.

Ruffed grouse, common snipe, mourning doves, American coots, Merriam’s turkeys and snowshoe hares are also common the WMA. None-Game bird species includes a pair of bald eagles, which has nested near Killarney Lake since 1992. A second bald eagle nest was discovered in 1994 adjacent to Anderson Lake. Over 50 pairs of osprey nest on the lower Coeur d’Alene River, and an additional 30 pairs of osprey nest near the mouth of the St. Joe river. Other conspicuous non-game birds common to the WMA include great blue herons, red-tailed hawks, northern harriers, American kestrels, Virginia and sora rails, belted kingfishers, common ravens and northern flickers.

Furbearers common to the WMA are muskrats, mink, beaver, raccoons and weasels. Non-game mammals common to the WMA are chipmunks, pine squirrels and Columbian ground squirrels. Seven reptiles and six amphibians are known to inhabit the WMA. The most visible of these are painted turtle, western garter snake and spotted frog.

Fisheries
The lakes and deeper marshes of the lower Coeur d’Alene and St. Joe rivers support good populations of largemouth bass, black crappie, yellow perch, pumpkinseed sunfish and northern pike. Anderson Lake holds the state record for largemouth bass, which weighed 10 pounds 15 ounces. Thompson Lake held the state record for northern pike until 1990, when a pike caught in Coeur d’Alene Lake broke the record. Bullhead catfish are also abundant in the lakes and in the mainstem of the Coeur d’Alene River.