Registration is OPEN for the 2026 ICTWS Annual Meeting!

Upcoming Meeting

2026 Annual Meeting

2026 Annual Meeting Registration is OPEN!:

The ICTWS 2026 Annual Meeting is coming back to southeast Idaho on March 3-5, 2026 to the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel Event Center in Fort Hall, Idaho! This year's theme is "Rooted in Science: Promoting Conservation".

March 3 - Workshops, Working Groups, & Welcome Reception
March 4 - Plenary, General and Special Sessions, & Poster Session/Evening Social
March 5 - General and Special Sessions, ICTWS Business Lunch, & Banquet/Awards Ceremony

Registration Rates

Regular Professional Member: $350
Regular Professional Non-member: $400
Young Professional: $175
- A young professional is someone < 5 years since graduation who is currently working in seasonal or temporary work. Supervisors are encouraged to register their seasonal employees using this tier as well.
Regular Retirees: $175
Regular Student*: $50
One-day registration: $175

Day of registration (starts March 3rd)

Late Professional Registration: $400
Late Student: $75
One-day registration: $175

-Workshops: $20

*All students who submitted an abstract will have free subsidized registration. Student presenters must have an up to date ICTWS student membership ($5) as of the date of the meeting to receive this registration rate.

Join or Renew ICTWS Membership: https://form.jotform.com/250326758246057

Lodging & Room Rates

For overnight accommodations, a guest room block is being held at the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel Event Center , 777 Bannock Ave, Pocatello, ID 83202 ($132/night w/ tax).

To book a room please call the hotel directly (208-238-4800) and use the block code 13124.

Workshops & Working Group Meetings

There is a $20 fee associated with every workshop, both of which are held on Tuesday (March 3rd).

Becoming Productive with ArcGIS Pro (103) - Keith Weber, Idaho State University (All Day)
- ArcGIS Pro delivers a radically different user interface and a new way of working with GIS. While it is different it is also powerful and not impossible to learn. Join us for this exciting new workshop to learn how you can begin using ArcGIS Pro effectively in your workplace. This full-day workshop teaches the user-interface, how to build maps as ArcGIS Pro Projects, create 3D views, link these to 2D views, as well as how to query and run geoprocessing tools with ArcGIS Pro.

Prerequisites: Familiarity with computers and basic concepts of GIS and registrants must bring their own computer that can run ArcPro. If you have any questions please contact Keith Weber (keithweber@isu.edu).

Field Skills - Maria Pacioretty, Idaho Department of Fish and Game (Half Day)
- Registrants will learn general field skills like field vehicle maintenance, emergency first aid, field work essentials, backpack must haves, predator safety 101, Q&A with biologists, etc.

If you have any questions please contact Maria Pacioretty (maria.pacioretty@idfg.idaho.gov).

Working Group Meetings (Tuesday, March 3rd)

Northwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Meeting (Half day)
Bat Working Group (Half day)

Volunteering

The first 5 student volunteers will receive free subsidized registrations, as long as they are a current ICTWS member. Students will get priority, however young professionals are free to inquire about volunteering opportunities as well.

Please contact Maria Pacioretty (maria.pacioretty@idfg.idaho.gov) to sign-up for volunteering prior to registering. After the quota has been met, students will need to select the appropriate student registration fee.

We need a logo!

The 2026 ICTWS Annual Meeting Logo Design Contest has officially begun! Your artwork could grace the program as well as the coffee mugs, water bottles, and/or laptops of conference attendees and you could win $100.00 if your design is selected. Please send your designs to ICTWS Past-President Michelle Kemner (michelle.kemner@idfg.idaho.gov). The submission deadline is January 5, 2026. Designs are encouraged to incorporate themes representative of our conference city, theme, and/or Idaho at large. Designs must include the name of the host city (Fort Hall), the organization name (ICTWS or Idaho Chapter of The Wildlife Society), the year (2026), and wildlife native to Idaho. Features must be clear and design can only include 1-4 colors or gray scale. The artist must hold exclusive rights to the entire artwork. Preferred file formats in order of preference are Adobe Illustrator files originally created as vector files (.ai), vector files saved as PDF (.pdf), or vector files saved as Encapsulated Post Script (.eps). Other formats that can work must be at least 200 dpi and only 1-2 colors: .jpg/.jpeg, .psd, or .gif.

DEADLINE EXTENSION: JANUARY 23, 2026

Call for Abstracts

We invite abstracts for presentations and posters on all wildlife management and research, habitat management, conservation programs and practices, and application of research findings to conservation and management practices, including both completed work and work in progress. We strongly encourage students to present posters or oral presentations! All student presentations (full oral and poster) will be considered for “best presentation” and “best poster” awards. There are three submission categories:

Contributed Paper Oral Presentations (Full Oral): Maximum 20 minute presentation. Plan approximately 15-18 minutes for the presentation and 2-3 minutes to answer audience questions. PowerPoint presentations are encouraged but are not required.
IGNITE! Presentations: These short, to-the-point talks provide a fun platform for people to quickly share project updates, notes from the field, or other important topics that don’t require a full 20-minute presentation. IGNITE! talks are 5 minutes long, and each slide in the presentation must advance automatically every 15 seconds (we will send a template and instructions if your abstract is accepted). Topics can be inspirational, funny, or informative, but all should strive to be engaging and entertaining.
Poster Presentations: Topic is presented on a 4x4 foot or smaller poster. A formal poster session is provided for viewers and authors to ask and answer questions.

All abstracts must be submitted electronically as Microsoft Word documents to ICTWS Vice-President Brandon Flack (vp.ictws@gmail.com) by January 16, 2026. Please download the abstract submission form and instructions here.

Call for Nominations

We are seeking nominations for the following ICTWS Executive Board positions: Vice-president (4 year term), Treasurer (2 year term), and At-Large Member (2 year term). Serving as an officer in your state chapter of The Wildlife Society is an excellent opportunity for anyone wishing to develop their leadership skills, gain experience in project management, and career networking. It is also an excellent opportunity for experienced leaders to step in and guide the Chapter into the future. You can nominate a coworker, peer, or yourself to run for any of these positions! For more information on what to expect in each of these roles, you can read the position descriptions here, reach out to a current board member, or contact the Nominations and Committee Chair (below).

Please submit your nomination(s), including the individual's name, position they (or you!) are being nominated for, and a good contact (email preferred), to Nominations and Elections Committee Chair Charlie Henderson (charlie.henderson@idfg.idaho.gov). The submission deadline is January 16, 2026.

Awards

Nominate a colleague for an ICTWS Award

ICTWS presents awards annually when worthy nominations are submitted for the Charles E. Harris Professional Wildlife Award, Special Recognition Award, and the Randall B. Smith Emerging Leader Award*. Nominate your fellow peers for their achievements in the wildlife field including administration, enforcement, research, habitat, population and fisheries habitat! There are many hard-working, deserving chapter members and non-chapter individuals and groups who might be honored by these awards. Please consider your coworkers and colleagues and take the time to submit a nomination or two. For more information, please contact Awards Committee Chair Ryan Long (ralong@uidaho.edu). The submission deadline is January 16, 2026. THERE WILL BE NO DEADLINE EXTENSIONS THIS YEAR! Please submit your nominations before the deadline. The awards nomination form can be found here.

*** ATTENTION: The award criteria for the Randall B. Smith Emerging Leader Award has been revised for 2026 following a vote from members at last year’s Business Meeting! Please read the revised criteria carefully and reach out to the Awards Committee Chair with any questions. ***

Scholarships

Apply for an Idaho Wildlife Student Scholarship

The Idaho Chapter of The Wildlife Society established the Idaho Wildlife Undergraduate and Graduate Student Scholarships in 2012 with the purpose of assisting with college education costs of students whose professional goals support the mission and objectives of The Wildlife Society. ICTWS awards these at the annual meeting, including $1,500 for undergraduate and $2,000 for MS/MA graduate scholarships, and $2,000 for PhD graduate scholarships. For more information, please contact Scholarship Committee Chair Robert Akins (robert.akins@idfg.idaho.gov). The application deadline is January 16, 2026. Application form can be found here.

Grants

Apply for an ICTWS Management, Conservation, and Education Grant

The purpose of the Management, Conservation, and Education Grant Program (MCGP) is to promote and financially assist projects that further the purpose of scientifically sound wildlife and habitat management in Idaho. ICTWS will award grants up to a maximum of $2,000 annually, depending on availability of funds. There is no grant award minimum. Matching funds and partnerships are encouraged, but not required. We encourage students and professionals to apply for the ICTWS grant! Non-recipients of awards are encouraged to re-apply in succeeding years if eligibility requirements are met. For more information, please contact Grants Committee Chair Laura Wolf (laura.wolf@idfg.idaho.gov). The application deadline is January 16, 2026. Application form can be found here.

Apply for a Student Travel Grant

ICTWS has set aside funds to support up to 6 students ($300 each) to offset costs associated with attending the 2025 Annual Meeting! You must be a current student at an Idaho college or university pursuing a degree related to wildlife or natural resources AND have or obtain an ICTWS student membership. For more information, please contact Grants Committee Chair Laura Wolf (laura.wolf@idfg.idaho.gov). The application deadline is January 16, 2026. Application form can be found here.

Photo Contest!

Did you catch any memorable moments or spectacular sceneries on film this year? Consider sharing your pictures with colleagues and participating in the 2026 Photo Contest!! Submit your image(s) to Robert Ritson (idahochaptertws@gmail.com) by February 23, 2026. Please clarify which category you're submitting each picture for: Wildlife, Landscape, Plants, People Outdoors, or Creative Expression. Photos must be taken in Idaho, previously submitted photos cannot be used again, and the photo must have been taken within the last three years.

Only ONE entry per category per person may be submitted! All entries must have a title which includes the category and name of the photographer (ex., “Category_YourName_PhotoTitle.png”). File formats must be either PNG or JPG/JPEG. The winner of each category receives a prize!

Every photographer must include the following message with their submission (No exceptions):

I have permission and ownership of all entries I submit and hereby grant their usage to the Idaho Chapter of The Wildlife Society with or without accreditation. No entries are subject to any copyrights. Any entry may be used by the Idaho Chapter of The Wildlife Society in including but not limited to social media posts, email messages, and website pages.

"Member-Made" Donations

The ICTWS Fundraising Committee is looking for donated items for the silent auction at the 2026 Annual Meeting. Member-made item donors will be entered in an exclusive donor appreciation raffle, the winner of which gets their choice of a Shotgun, an Edson Fichter print, or Cash!!!!

Please contact Jason Beck (jason.beck@idfg.idaho.gov) with a short description and photos of any items you plan to donate, make arrangements to bring items to the meeting, or for more information. Descriptions and photos are required in advance to allow time for organizing and preparing bid tickets. The deadline is February 27! See rules below for additional details.

Your donations help ICTWS to facilitate student attendance and fund scholarships!

Rules:

Donations must be made by an ICTWS member or immediate household.
1. Customization, restoration, and/or preservation work is acceptable if significant value has been added.
2. Certificates for services will be considered, but please use caution. Services must be of professional quality. You will be required to provide verification of your ability to honor the certificate, including any permits and licenses required.
Must be present to win.
1. In the event of illness, injury, or unforeseen circumstances you may assign a designee to represent you in the raffle.
Donation deadline is February 27th. Donations must be approved to qualify for this raffle.
1. Contact Fundraising Committee Chair, Jason Beck (jason.beck@idfg.idaho.gov) before midnight February 27 to get your donation approved.
2. Donors may arrange to deliver the item at the meeting, but we need a description, photo, and other information in advance to help organize the fundraiser.

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