Drought conditions have also led to more complaints about illegal, commercial harvests of huckleberries on national forest land.
Competition for huckleberries is creating conflicts in the woods, with reports of pickers fighting over patches of the sought-after berries.
Gathering huckleberries is a cherished summer ritual for many Inland Northwest residents. This year, they’re competing for an early but limited crop because of the drought.
“We’re hearing reports of people being threatened — they’re being told by other pickers that this is their patch and those kinds of things,” said Jason Kirchner, a spokesman for the Idaho Panhandle National Forests.