Thousands of acres of private forest near Emida in Benewah County are now closed to public access due to persistent violations and property damage, according to Idaho Fish and Game.

Owned by Manulife Investment Management, the nearly 8,600 acres in Unit 5 were previously part of the Large Tracts Program. Through the program, private landowners enter into agreements with Fish and Game to allow hunting and fishing access, with each landowner setting rules for that access. 

“Our goal is to keep properties in North Idaho available for recreational access while maintaining them as working forests and managing the costs and risks associated with providing access,” said a statement from Manulife. 

But managing public use of the land has become “increasingly challenging” for Manulife, according to Fish and Game. 

Unauthorized activities have become increasingly common, a Manulife statement said, including “unauthorized trails, drug and alcohol use, unapproved events, illegal collection of forest products, dumping, vandalism, theft, unpermitted fires, damage to roads, gates and wetlands.” 

Idaho Fish and Game officers in the Panhandle Region have also documented “persistent violations” on the acreage. 

“Access to private land through programs like Large Tracts depends on mutual respect and following the landowner’s rules,” said Mark Maret, senior conservation officer with Fish and Game. “Unfortunately, we’ve continued to see violations on these properties despite ongoing education and enforcement. In this case, those violations led the landowners to change how the properties are managed, which meant a loss of public access.” 

The acreage is divided into two parcels, each to be leased for “exclusive access.” 

“Licenses for access allow us to gain greater control over these activities and cover related costs while keeping our lands accessible for public enjoyment,” Manulife said. 

According to Fish and Game, changes in land management like this “are a reminder that all Large Tracts parcels are private lands and access can change at any time.” 

Hunters, anglers and recreationists should never assume last season’s access is still valid this season, the agency said, and should confirm land status before a trip by checking the Idaho Hunt Planner. 

Info: www.idfg.idaho.gov/access/large-tracts