DEPREDATION CLAIMS – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the payment of depredation claims.

This Idaho bill (H 651) revises rules for paying landowners who suffer damage to crops or property from big game animals like deer, elk, and pronghorn. It establishes a nonexpendable fund ($2.25 million) and an expendable fund that receives annual $200,000 transfers from the fish and game account. Key changes include requiring a $750 deductible per claim (waived for repeated crop damage in the same location), capping total annual payments at $125,000 per landowner, and adding rules for distributing funds when claims exceed available money. The bill directly affects ranchers and landowners seeking compensation for wildlife-related property damage.