Meet the artists behind your Fish and Game hard cards

In the world of hunting, fishing and trapping, experiences are often the highest form of reward for the time spent pursuing fish and wild game and connecting to nature. Sportsmen and women—similar to artists—collate their own personal book of experiences, enthusiastically shared at the dinner table or around the campfire.

But at the intersection of outdoor experience and artistic expression lies some of the finest personal reflections of lifetimes spent hunting, fishing and trapping—stories of big bucks, cold marshes, legendary fish and steep mountains told in the form of acrylic paint or digital pixels.

To celebrate the work of local outdoor artists, Idaho Fish and Game offers you a hard card—a durable, plastic card that fits right in your pocket, bino harness or tacklebox—featuring original art created by local artists. Aside from it being just a handy way of keeping all your licenses and tags in one place, hard cards capture the beauty and unique expression of an artist who understands the same inexplicable joy that comes with hunting, fishing and trapping as you.

As the official hard cards start to hit the market, we sit down with local artists Ed Anderson and Josh Udesen to learn what experiences drive their imagination.

Cataloging Americana with Ed Anderson 

From tarpon fishing in the Gulf of Mexico to tracking big mule deer bucks in Idaho’s backcountry, Ed Anderson has compiled quite the collection of hunting and fishing adventures. Anderson, known all over the country for his stylistic wildlife paintings, murals and graphic design work, believes every artist has a cool story to tell. 

“That’s what the West is about now. There’s a story of the West that’s yet to be told,” he said.

Anderson calls his style a “big controlled mess,” a way of “cataloging Americana.” Using mostly acrylic and Sharpies, Anderson’s designs of trout, elk, deer and even turkeys are iconic here in Idaho and have been featured in many outdoor publications.

After growing up in Minnesota, Anderson taught himself the finer stylings of painting and soon found work at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. There Anderson cut his teeth on saltwater fly fishing, going after redfish and tarpon.

But it wasn’t the shallow fish themselves that drove Anderson’s vision for his artwork. It was something deeper.

“I have a terrible memory for hunting and fishing stories, but I remember the experiences,” he said. “I never remember the fish, but I remember the times we spent fishing. It’s the food, it’s the people I was with. It’s about watching elk with your kids. We’re lucky we get to live in a state where you have great experiences every time you go out.”

Head on over to Ed Anderson’s website and social media to check out his full gallery.

Drawing Tightlines with Josh Udesen

If a picture is worth a ‘thousand words,’ where does that leave a painting or crosshatch drawing of said picture? If you ask artist and angler Josh Udesen, the answer is priceless.

Udesen—the artist behind that second Fish and Game hard card design featuring a cobble-lined stream full of colorful trout—has tapped into a unique style of art that harkens back to his days as a fly fishing guide. 

“I used to guide up in Alaska and on the Deschutes River before moving to Idaho, and in those places there are fish you’re not allowed to take home, even the biggest ones,” Udesen said. “I started getting requests to paint other clients’ photograph grip-and-grins who wanted a life-size memento of their trophy catch.”

Another product of Minnesota—there must be something in the water—Udesen was largely self-taught as a painter and illustrator, his primary method of design. Now, Udesen balances his time as a professional artist with teaching (high school art, naturally).

“A lot of the paintings I do of clients’ fish are life-size. Sometimes it’s a 32-inch canvas with a 29-inch fish on it,” Udesen said. You can check out more of Josh Udesen’s detailed artwork over at his website.

It’s not just the fish featured on Josh’s and Ed’s canvas or sketchpad that catch the eyes of fish-minded art lovers. Whip out that 2024 hard card and see for yourself. Whether you’re sporting Ed Anderson’s struttin’ tom turkey or Josh Udesen’s mosaic trout stream, the 2024 Idaho Fish and Game hard cards serve as not only a handy way to keep your fish and hunting license with your gear, but they are literally a work of art.

“They’re great,” Udesen added. “It’s cool to see artists given a chance of sharing their artwork with other likeminded outdoorsmen. I just keep it tucked away in my waders’ pocket. You never forget where you left your license.”

HOT TIP: Want to avoid that moment of all-out panic as you frantically search for your hunting or fishing license while the car idles and the kids try to break free of their car seats? Consider purchasing an extra hard card—maybe one of each design—one for your tacklebox and the other in your hunting pack. 

The year is just beginning to hatch, folks. Do yourself a favor and pick yourself up one of two license hard cards and avoid the headache of misplacing your rolodex of hunting and fishing licenses. For just $6, it’ll be one of the smartest moves you can make.