Don't Get Fooled On April 1 Opening of Southern Portion of Egin-Hamer Closure Area

IDAHO FALLS- Everyone knows that April 1 is "April Fools Day," but local resource management agencies want to make sure that no one gets fooled by management guidelines regarding the Egin-Hamer Area Closure. Four years ago, Fremont and Jefferson County Commissioners approached the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Idaho Department of Fish & Game (IDFG) about revisiting the Egin-Hamer Road winter road closure issue. An agreement was arranged that allowed for opening the road to winter travel in return for closing off important winter range adjacent to the road. In order to be responsive to both wildlife and human needs portions of the management area created had different opening dates. One of those dates is nearly now upon us. Fortunately, spring has come early enough that most of the deer and elk have moved on to other areas and conflicts with humans should be minimal. The Egin-Hamer Road divides the closures area into two uneven segments. The smaller southern segment will open to human traffic on April 1, 2001. The larger northern segment will remain closed to human traffic until May 1, 2001. The agreement also included access allowances for private landowners with business concerns requiring entry into the closure area. The segment that opens on April 1 is bordered on by the Egin-Hamer Road on the north and Highway 33 on the south. The western boundary is Interstate 15 and the eastern boundary runs from where the Henrys Fork crosses Highway 33 and heads north through Plano and then toward Egin. Exact boundary descriptions are available at the Idaho Falls BLM and IDFG Offices. It is important to note that even though the southern segment is open to human traffic, the restriction regarding the collection of shed antlers remains in effect through the end of April. May 1 marks the date that antler gathering can resume in those portions of the region covered by the restriction. This included units 60, 60A, 66, 67, and 69; where antlers may be picked up in the field only from May I to December 31. Specific information regarding the agreement may be obtained by contacting the local BLM Office in Idaho Falls at 208-524-7445 or the IDFG Office at 208-525-7290.