Idaho Fish and Game announced on Tuesday, Nov. 19 that the portion of the Boise Front Segment of Boise River Wildlife Management Area west of Highway 21 will remain closed to all human entry through March 31, when deer and elk begin migrating out of the area next spring. The closure will benefit wintering big game and accommodate rehabilitation efforts following the Valley Fire.
This portion of the WMA was among the nearly 10,000 acres that burned in the Valley Fire, and it serves as critical winter range for roughly 2,400 mule deer and 650 elk.
In a normal year, winter can be hard on deer and elk – especially fawns and calves. Even under normal conditions, added stressors like encountering hikers, mountain bikers or skiers reduces a deer or elk’s ability to maintain good body condition. With less forage on the landscape this winter, deer and elk in the burn area are even more susceptible to starvation and more vulnerable to stress from human interactions, given that people can be seen from a greater distance, and escape cover is a long way away.
The Boise Front segment is popular with upland bird hunters and – later in the winter – shed antler hunters, in addition to seeing use during a late-season controlled deer hunt. But the Boise Front Segment is also home to foothills trails that are popular other outdoor recreationists, and the decision to close this portion of the WMA through the winter will require these users to find a new place to recreate.
“We understand that people love using this part of the Boise River WMA during the winter for a variety of purposes, and we appreciate that we have broad community support for the WMA,” said Regional Supervisor Josh Royse. “We certainly want that to continue, but in the short term, closing the burn area to human entry is the best thing for the landscape and the animals. This fire’s aftermath has real impacts to the survival of the big game species that depend on it for winter groceries. Because of that, whatever we can do to keep winter disturbance of these animals to a minimum is simply the right thing to do for them.”
