Residents may see low-flying helicopters during big game survey and capture work
Over the next several weeks wildlife biologists from Fish and Game’s Magic Valley Region will be flying mule deer herd composition surveys and capture operations across many of the region’s game management units.
Area residents should be aware that they may see the survey helicopter flying low over the landscape over the next several weeks.
Herd composition survey
In mid to late December, Fish and Game biologists will be flying herd composition surveys in the northern part of the region, primarily in the Bennett and Picabo hills and the desert area north of Gooding and Shoshone, which includes game management units 45, 52 and 49. Flights will also be occurring in the southern portion of the Magic Valley Region south of Twin Falls and Burley, in game management units 54 and 55.
The purpose of the herd composition survey is to gather herd composition of bucks, does and fawns. The information is used by game managers to evaluate herd productivity, which when combined with other sources of data like hunter harvest, deer abundance, fawn survival can help inform big game season-setting discussions.
Big game capture
Starting in late December, helicopter operations will also be used to place GPS collars on around 70 mule deer fawns in the South Hills, Bennett Mountains, and Picabo Hills in game management units 45, 49, 52, and 54.
20 elk calves will be captured in game management units 45 and 52 along the Bennett front.
Capture operations for mule deer fawns will use both drive nets and net gunning while net gunning will be used to capture elk calves.
The information gained from these projects will be used to estimate survival of mule deer fawns and elk calves and document seasonal movements.
Cow elk captures will be occurring in game management unit 49, east of the Wood River Valley to place GPS collars on 15 elk in late December. The elk will be captured using immobilizing drugs from a dart. Information gathered from these collars will help wildlife managers understand habitat use and movement patterns of this elk population.
Abundance survey
Later this winter, Fish and Game biologists will once again be conducting low-level flights over a large expanse of mule deer winter range to gather abundance data. Flights will be occurring north of the Snake River from Mountain Home to the west, Galena Summit to the north, and Minidoka area to the east.
During this multi-week survey, 2-3 helicopters will be used because of the extensive area encompassed by this survey.
During abundance surveys biologists count deer within a specific data analysis unit by flying a grid across winter ranges. All areas that have the potential to support wintering mule deer are surveyed. Abundance surveys occur every 4-5 years.
The survey is done during winter months to ensure deer are concentrated on low elevation winter ranges.
For more information about big game management in the Magic Valley Region contact the regional office at (208) 324-4359.