8,600 Acres of North Idaho Federal Land Closed After Violations

Nearly 8,600 acres of private timberland near Emida in Benewah County closed to public access this week after Idaho Fish and Game confirmed that Manulife Investment Management had pulled the parcels from the state's Large Tracts Program, ending free hunting and fishing access that North Idaho sportsmen had relied on across Game Management Unit 5.

The land, owned by Manulife Investment Management and enrolled in the Large Tracts Program in Unit 5, was removed from public access due to persistent violations and property damage. 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.

The acreage has been divided into two parcels that will be leased for exclusive access. The shift from open enrollment to a paid lease structure effectively locks out the general public unless they secure a license through Manulife directly.

The list of documented violations is extensive. Unauthorized activities included unauthorized trails, drug and alcohol use, unapproved events, illegal collection of forest products, dumping, vandalism, theft, unpermitted fires, and damage to roads, gates, and wetlands. In a statement, Manulife said managing public use of the properties had become "increasingly challenging" and that licenses for access would "allow us to gain greater control over these activities and cover related costs while keeping our lands accessible for public enjoyment."

Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers in the Panhandle Region, responsible for enforcing motorized use restrictions and other landowner-designated rules on Large Tracts parcels under Idaho Code § 36-126, had also documented persistent violations on the properties.

Mark Maret, senior conservation officer with Fish and Game, said, "Access to private land through programs like Large Tracts depends on mutual respect and following the landowner's rules. 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 Emida closure is not an isolated incident for Manulife. The company, citing a "growing number of unauthorized activities," including vandalism, theft, and unpermitted fires, also withdrew from a public access agreement in Oregon. The pattern suggests a broader reassessment by the investment firm of how it manages recreational access across its timberlands in the Pacific Northwest.

Fish and Game advised hunters and anglers not to assume last season's access remains valid and to confirm land status before any trip by checking the Idaho Hunt Planner, as agreements with private landowners can change between seasons without advance public notice.