Fish and Game Feeds Wildlife in Southeast Idaho

Since January 1, wildlife feed sites authorized by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game have been established in various locations in southeast Idaho. Though winter conditions in much of the region have not warranted an emergency situation for wildlife, Bear Lake County in particular has been having a winter of sub-zero temperatures, deep snows and crusted snow. This has caused elk and deer to begin moving down into and even beyond typical winter ranges in Bear Lake County, crossing highways and roads to get to haystacks and cattle feed lots. Winter conditions since November have been diverse across southeast Idaho's counties. Some areas have experienced heavy snow storms and low temperatures, intermixed with periodic warming. Take a trip to Pocatello or Preston right now, and you will see bare hillsides amongst the patches of snow. Other locations have had similar "on-and-off-again" snow accumulations and wide ranging temperatures, but with some freezing rain and consecutive days of sub-zero temperatures thrown in. Fish and Game conservation officers have noted that it has been more than 15 years since elk have congregated in the Paris bottoms and Thomas Fork bottoms in Bear Lake County like they have this year. Per the Idaho Department of Fish and Game's emergency winter feeding protocol, wildlife feeding sites were set up beginning in early January and are being maintained as follows. Elk With the use of personnel and volunteers, Fish and Game is feeding about 800 elk at two sites in Bear Lake County: Banks Valley and behind the Ranch Hand truck stop. In conjunction with feed sites, haystacks have been protected with panels provided by Fish and Game to help reduce access. These efforts were implemented to accomplish three objectives: to prevent elk from crossing Highway 30 (presenting a danger to themselves and motorists), to reduce damage to haystacks by elk, and to prevent elk/cattle interactions on commercial feed lines. Potential brucellosis transmission between elk and cattle are a concern for livestock owners, Idaho Department of Agriculture and Fish and Game. Other efforts have included hazing elk away from roads and other areas of conflict with the use of cracker shells and other methods. Fish and Game has also issued two kill permits to landowners and implemented one depredation hunt. While many of the elk issues have been neutralized, numerous areas in Bear Lake County continue to have problems with elk depredations and highway mortality. Deer The conditions in Bear Lake County, including recent snow depths of more than 24 inches and subzero temperatures, have caused deer to move into barnyards and haystacks like the elk. Again personnel and volunteers have worked to maintain 12 feed sites for about 1,500 deer. Three of the sites are in Georgetown Canyon, and others are around Bear Lake County in areas where deer are concentrated. A few weeks ago, temperatures dropped to minus 28 in Montpelier and minus 32 in Geneva with some sub-zero daytime highs recorded. So far, Fish and Game has used more than 40 tons of stored deer pellets and 100 tons of alfalfa hay. Fish and Game has ordered another 50 tons of deer pellets for distribution and storage. Alfalfa hay is also being sought to distribute at two elk feed grounds, although prices are climbing, and it is becoming hard to locate. Antelope Two large groups of antelope got caught off the Big Desert in Bingham County in deep snow in early January. They were getting into several third-crop haystacks. Fish and Game purchased five tons of third-crop stacks to feed the animals on some BLM ground. Fish and Game also helped button-up the remaining haystacks with panels. Fortunately, in this area the weather moderated, snows receded, and the bulk of the antelope moved back into their traditional winter ranges on the Big Desert. Winter feeding is not a cure all, and has its own problems, which is why Fish and Game only implements feeding programs when an emergency exists. Besides the potential for disease transmission, habituating wildlife to artificial feed sites, creating predator traps, and other challenges, feed sites also create competitive situations. Sometimes mule deer does will kick their own fawns away from the feed, and this year, we are seeing elk/deer competition problems at two of the deer feeding sites. The process through which Fish and Game chooses to feed wintering wildlife begins with the Winter Feeding Advisory Committee composed of five volunteers representing various regions of southeast Idaho. Their input combined with winter weather and animal conditions helps Fish and Game make decisions about feeding activities. For information about wintering wildlife, please contact a member of the Winter Feeding Advisory Committee (see below) or contact Fish and Game at 208-232-4703. Members of the Winter Feeding Advisory Committee for Southeast Idaho: - Dick Patchett, McCammon, 775-3628 (h) or 241-4616 (c). - Larry Bull, Inkom, 775-4582. - Dennis Caywood, Montpelier, 847-1386 or 847-2119. - Randy Moser, Preston, 852-2893 (h) or 339-2893 (c).