Closed sections of Boise River Wildlife Management Area (WMA), will open to public access on May 1. This includes areas impacted by the Table Rock and Mile Marker 14 Fires.
Most of the mule deer and elk wintering on WMA lands have now moved to higher elevations, giving WMA managers the okay to allow human access to the areas.
The Boise Front segment of the WMA closed in mid-January to protect wintering big game animals, while the WMA’s Charcoal Creek segment closed for the same reason in early February.
Highland Valley Road and all the WMA’s popular trails including Homestead and Cobb will be open to the public beginning May 1.
Boise River WMA was established to permanently protect portions of big game critical winter range in the Boise Foothills. Large numbers of mule deer and elk migrate from the Sawtooth Mountains to winter on the WMA every year; during severe winters, approximately 7,000 mule deer can utilize the WMA. Minimizing human disturbance by closing portions of the WMA allows big game animals to conserve energy, leading to better over-winter survival rates.
- IDFG -