Egin-Hamer Area Closure Effective Jan 1

IDAHO FALLS - What started out as an idea by local county commissioners to reopen a popular farm-to-market road seven years ago has continued to be a success, not only for humans but also for wintering wildlife. The lack of human disturbance created by the closure has allowed herds of deer, elk, and moose to spend more time down on the desert between St. Anthony and Dubois during crucial portions of the late winter and early spring. For the eighth year, the Egin-Hamer Area Closure places nearly 500 square miles of land off-limits to human entry for the protection of wintering deer, elk, and moose herds. The closure begins on January first and lasts through the end of March on lands south of the Egin-Hamer Road and until April 30, north of it. This arrangement was agreed upon when county commissioners approached the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with the idea of the area closure in return for the re-opening of the Egin-Hamer Road for winter travel. State agencies such as the Department of Fish & Game and the Department of Lands also have land involved in the closure and play an active role in management. Individual landowners accessing their own private lands are exempt from the closure. The active St. Anthony Sand Dunes are also exempt from the closure. In the last few years, powered parachutes have begun to be sighted flying over the closure area. While the air space is not restricted, pilots of all types are cautioned to not harass the wintering, deer, elk, & moose. According to Senior Conservation Officer Clark Shackelford, "If they are flying low enough to cause the wildlife to move away, then they are flying too low." The problem is compounded by the fact that some private landowners adjacent to the closure area have begun to hire powered parachute pilots to hunt or harass coyotes that are believed to be causing livestock losses. Boundaries of the closure are posted and free detailed maps are available from the BLM or IDFG in Idaho Falls. The Fremont and Jefferson County Sheriffs' Offices also have copies of the map available. According to IDFG observations, the increased number of animals staying down on the desert later into the spring is a sign of the success of the project. When weather conditions allow and animals leave the area early, some years the access restrictions have been lifted early.