Big Game Winter Feeding in Idaho

When winter brings wildlife out of the hills and into contact with people, we may ask when is it appropriate to feed big game animals. The desire to feed animals is natural, yet from past experience, Fish and Game knows it is a complicated decision.

Fish and Game looks to natural forage to sustain big game populations. But when emergency conditions exist, winter feeding becomes an option. Three main conditions that can trigger winter feeding are:

Private Property Damage

To prevent damage to private property such as damage to stored agricultural crops like haystacks
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Public Safety Concern

To prevent significant human safety issues such as elk congregating near a busy highway

Excessively harsh winter conditions

To prevent excessive mortality that would affect recovery of the herd such as those conditions where a high percentage of the adult females would be expected to die

The agency’s policy and actions have evolved through decades of experience with winter feeding and is done with the best interest of Idaho’s big game populations.

After the devastating winters in the late 1990’s, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission developed a policy and process to guide the agency’s decisions to feed or not to feed big game animals.

News

Sharing the Wood River Valley with wintering big game

Tuesday, March 5, 2019 - 10:59 AM MST

While days are getting longer and temperatures are gradually warming, the Wood River Valley likely still has some cold and snowy days ahead, which will be some of the toughest for wintering big game animals.

Magic Valley Region Big Game Winter Feeding in Idaho Elk (Cervus canadensis) Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) Moose (Alces americanus)
Big game feeding limited to select areas, but no widespread winter feeding so far

Thursday, February 28, 2019 - 5:21 PM MST

Idaho Fish and Game and its winter feeding advisory committees continue to monitor conditions in light of snowstorms, and through late February, there was still no need for large-scale, emergency winter feeding.

Big Game Winter Feeding in Idaho Big Game Hunting
Magic Valley Region Winter Feeding Advisory Committee Meeting: February 27, 2019

Monday, February 25, 2019 - 2:02 PM MST

Magic Valley Region Winter Feeding Committee 2019 Meeting Teleconference Agenda

Open Public Meeting Notices Magic Valley Region Big Game Winter Feeding in Idaho
Fish and Game authorizes temporary elk feed site in Caribou County

Monday, February 25, 2019 - 1:32 PM MST

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game with input from the Southeast Idaho Winter Feeding Advisory Committee (WFAC) has authorized a feed site on the west side of the Ninety Percent Range in Caribou County to bait approximately 200 elk from a landowner’s property.

Southeast Region Big Game Winter Feeding in Idaho Elk (Cervus canadensis)
Southeast Region Winter Feeding Advisory Committee Meeting: February 20, 2019

Monday, February 18, 2019 - 12:26 PM MST

Southeast Region Winter Feeding Committee 2019 Orientation Meeting1345 Barton Road Pocatello, ID 83204 Agenda

Open Public Meeting Notices Southeast Region Big Game Winter Feeding in Idaho
Despite snowstorms, it's a normal winter and wide-spread emergency feeding unnecessary

Monday, February 11, 2019 - 3:58 PM MST

When big snowstorms roll through Idaho, people often wonder how they will effect big game, and whether Idaho Fish and Game will start feeding deer, elk, pronghorn and other animals.

Big Game Winter Feeding in Idaho
Herd of elk raising concern near Rexburg/Sugar City

Tuesday, February 5, 2019 - 9:53 AM MST

A herd of about 100 elk wandered into a rural area between Sugar City and Rexburg. The elk have been easily sighted from both Highway 20 and Highway 33 and are a cause for concern to passing motorists. Fish and Game started feeding them in mid February to keep them off highways and away from agriculture fields

Upper Snake Region Big Game Winter Feeding in Idaho