You may have been wondering, what do wildlife biologists do this time of year?! Well, even though we typically think of the 'field season' as the spring/summer, a large portion of wildlife work is conducted throughout the winter season. Wildlife staff will be busy conducting aerial surveys and capture work throughout the Clearwater Region during the next couple of months.
Area residents should be aware that they may see the survey helicopter flying low over the landscape during the months of December and January.
Mule deer surveys are planned for Game Management Unit (GMU) 14 (areas from Grangeville to Riggins) during the month of Dec. to determine herd composition ratios (fawns/does, bucks/does). Staff will also be capturing elk in the greater Slate Creek area of GMU 14 and moose in GMU’s 8, 8A, and 10A throughout Dec. to place radio transmitters on animals to determine movement patterns and survival. Fish and Game will also be surveying for herd abundance in GMU 14 for mule deer and elk. Elk will be surveyed in the Palouse zone during the month of January.
The capture and survey schedule may need to be adjusted depending on snow cover/weather conditions, helicopter availability and how much area staff are able to cover (progress made) each day. The safety of our staff, our public, and our wildlife is first priority. As you can tell, various factors are considered when scheduling winter wildlife work. Some of these variables are out of our control, so it is important to be flexible and adapt as needed.
Check out the link here to learn more about why aerial surveys are important to manage big game species in Idaho.
For questions or more information, contact the regional office at (208) 799-5010.
