September 2000

The 2,500-acre wildfire which burned in the Boise River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) last weekend has led to the closure of Highland Valley Road effective at midnight on Monday, October 2, 2000. The closure includes all motorized and non-motorized vehicle traffic. Walk-in traffic is not affected by the closure. For bicyclists, the closure encompasses Trails F and 11 from the start of Cobb Trail to State Highway 21. The closure will ultimately benefit wildlife by allowing burned areas to recovery more quickly. "Public safety is the primary reason for the closure," Fish and Game wildlife biologist Jerry Scholten explained. "We'll have habitat rehabilitation equipment operating along the road for the next few weeks." As restoration efforts continue, the closure will offer protection to the burned area from off-road vehicle use. Idaho Power crews will also be using the road, repairing a powerline damaged during the wildfire. Vehicle access to the Boise River WMA is still allowed via Squaw Creek Road/Trail (also known as Trail 12) or from Rocky Canyon Road using Trail E located near Aldape Summit. Trails 8 (Squaw Creek Ridge Trail), 12 (Squaw Creek Trail), 13 (Cobb Trail), 9 (Hornet Loop) and E (Shaw Mountain Road) to the junction of Trail 8 will remain open to vehicle use until the normal road closure in December. For more information regarding the road closure, contact the Fish and Game Nampa office at 465-8465.

More than 2,500 acres of wildlife habitat in the Boise foothills went up in smoke last week as a result of a wildfire. Rehabilitation of that burned area is now underway, as is an effort to rehabilitate a 30,000 acre burn just north of Mountain Home. Fish and Game is asking for volunteers to play a key role in both ventures. "We need sagebrush and rabbitbrush seed and lots of it," Fish and Game volunteer coordinator Mary Dudley noted. "One of the ways to get that seed is to have plenty of volunteers collecting it." Volunteer crews will take to the Boise Foothills and the Bennett Mountain area near Mountain Home to collect seed nearly every Saturday from October through December. "We've designated October 7, 14, 21 and 28, November 4 and 18, and December 2, 9 and 16 as seed collection dates," Dudley said. "We want to invite individuals and groups to come out one or more of those days to help us in this very important effort." If you'd like to help, contact Dudley at 327-7099. Because of the magnitude of the collection effort, weekday seed gathering can also be arranged. After collection, the seed will be dried and stored, then aerially seeded on burned areas during the winter months. "That technique offers the best chance for the seeds to get established in the spring," Dudley said. Sagebrush, rabbitbrush and bitterbrush are important shrubs for deer and elk that browse on the native plants in the winter when other foods remain snow covered. These shrubs benefit many other wildlife species by providing shelter from the elements, nesting habitat and food. Because of their deep-rooted nature, the shrubs also help stabilize soils. The habitat rehabilitation effort doesn't end with seed collection this fall. "We will be planting thousands of bitterbrush seedlings next February and March again using volunteer help," Dudley explained. Look for more information about this project early next year.

The Nature Center at Idaho Fish and Game headquarters celebrates its tenth birthday September 29 through October 1 with an activities-filled program. The public is invited; there are no fees to attend. The Nature Center is located at 600 South Walnut. Activities will include fish printing, face painting for kids, beginning casting skills, and bull trout identification. People will be welcome to inspect hatchery trucks and see trout eggs, fry, and catchables. A new 12-minute video showing how fish hatchery operations have changed over the years will be debuted and old photos of "the way we used to do it" will be on display. The feature event will be a historical hatchery exhibit. Staff will constructing an old hatchery, with its associated feed room, rearing room and tool shed. Hourly tours of the outdoor streamwalk area will be conducted each day. Hours are 4-7 p.m. September 29; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. September 30; and 12 p.m.-5 p.m. October 1. The Nature Center draws more than 250,000 visitors each year. It is one of the few, if not the only, large public attraction in Boise that does not charge admission. The Nature Center was constructed as a gift to the state of Idaho in honor of the state's centennial.

Fish and Game reservists from eastern Idaho are to be honored by Blue Cross of Idaho in Boise September 27. Blue Cross of Idaho has acknowledged active reservists Wendell Dunn, Pocatello, and Frank and Lucille Columbo, Ovid, as Ageless Heroes. The awards celebrate individuals who find ways to good health in mind, body, and spirit at every life stage. Dunn, 69, a pharmacist, is a reservist/volunteer retired in 1988. "I decided to volunteer for Fish and Game because of my love of the outdoors and the desire to give something back to fish and wildlife. Volunteering gave me a chance to learn new and exciting things," Dunn said. Dunn has volunteered almost weekly with the Fish and Game's Southeast Region program. He has donated more than 200 hours of his time each year in a variety of projects involving wildlife habitat restoration, waterfowl surveys and banding, teaching youth about fishing and the outdoors, and other activities. Regional Supervisor Dexter Pitman, said "Wendell has a strong desire to be active and a most wonderful, upbeat attitude. His interest and willingness to take on new experiences has had a tremendous impact on wildlife resources and other people in Southeast Idaho." The Columbos, Lucille, 76, and Frank, 80, are active volunteers in the hunter education program having taught more than 85 Montpelier area hunter education students and volunteered more than 915 hours. Their efforts began in 1997. "We wanted to do something productive and worthwhile the rest of our lives, so we decided to get involved in teaching outdoor ethics and hunter safety," Lucille Columbo said.

Q. How come the silly two-day split in duck season? A. The federal framework allows only a certain number of days in duck season. By putting the two-day split in midweek, the Commission gained another weekend at the end of the season.