Hey wildlife watchers, check out this 2-minute video of more than 1,000 mule deer crossing the Idaho 21 overpass near Boise. No, all those deer didn’t cross within 2 minutes of each other, they crossed the overpass between Oct. 17 and Dec. 18, 2024. More important, they did not cross on the busy highway, which kept deer and motorists safer.
Video: Watch a thousand mule deer cross the Idaho 21 overpass near Boise
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Overpass was completed in the fall of 2023, and wildlife have used it extensively
If you’re a real mule deer geek (We’re guilty!) hit the settings button on the video and you can slow down the footage to half or three-quarters speed to get a better look at each deer.
The overpass was completed in the fall of 2023 thanks to the efforts of the Idaho Transportation Department, Idaho Fish and Game, Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation and many other partners. The overpass protects motorists and thousands of deer and elk that cross the highway each year as they migrate from the mountains down to the Boise foothills during fall and return in spring and go as far as the Sawtooth Mountains.
The overpass is a companion to a similar structure – a wildlife underpass – located a couple miles away that has been used for years to provides more safe passage for wildlife.