History
The Southwest Region has a long history of big game winter feeding efforts. The Winter Feeding Advisory Committee, made up of several citizen volunteers, continues to meet and review current winter conditions and evaluate needs to declare more winter feeding emergencies based on factors outlined in Fish and Game rule and policy as per IC36-123. The last emergency winter feeding operation was conducted in the winter of 2007/2008, when elk and deer were fed because of severe winter weather conditions in Garden Valley and the Lowman area.
Feb. 6, 2017 status report
• Garden Valley/Lowman: Currently have a total of 20 active feed sites Between Garden Valley and Lowman. F&G has feed sites along the Banks/Lowman highway and is working with a private landowners to begin feeding around 295 elk and 400 deer. Department has hired a local resident to distribute feed for the winter.
• Weiser Flats: F&G is currently feeding approximately 300 elk on private land on the west side of Weiser. Private landowners are working together to maintain this operation with direction from Fish and Game.
• Weiser Cove: F&G is almost ready to activate eight deer feeding sites in the Weiser Cove area by working with private landowners to feed up to 1400 deer. F&G is organizing a volunteer group of sportsman to deliver pellets to the storage site.
• Cambridge: Fish and Game has transported elk pellets to private landowner and began feeding more than 200 elk and hiring two locals from Cambridge to distribute feed at the site. F&G is currently feeding 60 elk and we will try to push another 100 elk to the site.
• Council: Private landowner is providing feed for an elk feeding operation that he began.
• Emmett: Fish and Game is feeding feeding 600 deer and 100 elk on private land and state land and trying to address depredations. Personnel are currently working on how to feed elk separately from the deer and hiring a local from Emmett to distribute the feed to the feed sites.