With Hunting Seasons Over, F&G Takes To The Air

In a place with such rugged terrain as Idaho, it is almost impossible to count wildlife or do trapping work without the aid of aircraft. Helicopters buzzing around at low altitudes tend to annoy hunters and stir up game, so Idaho Fish and Game avoids conducting aerial surveys until hunting seasons are over. In the Upper Snake Region, the majority of big game seasons are over by the start of December so Fish and Game will now begin to use hired aircraft for wildlife management work, taking care to avoid areas where hunts may still be open. The relatively mild weather of the past few Decembers had Fish and Game biologists hoping that they could begin work before animals started to migrate to their winter ranges, but this may not be the case. "Winter hit hard and early this year causing animals to start to migrate sooner than in recent years," Regional Wildlife Biologist Shane Roberts said. Roberts is especially in tune with big game movements because the first project he has slated for this winter is to capture and put GPS collars on 30 moose and 30 elk as part of a joint project between the Wildlife Conservation Society, Idaho Transportation Department and Fish and Game. In addition to using helicopters to trap moose and elk, Fish and Game will also be trapping mule deer later this winter as part of an ongoing study to monitor winter survival. Along with trapping, hired helicopters are also used to conduct aerial surveys of various deer and elk populations. All of this work requires low-level flying that can be dangerous. Over the past decade, aerial surveys have resulted in minor and serious injuries to Fish and Game personnel and the deaths of three biologists and two hired pilots. All Fish and Game employees who fly must attend training conducted by Idaho Division of Aeronautics and follow strict flight protocols. Pilots and aircraft hired by Fish and Game must follow precise training and maintenance certification guidelines specified by the U. S. Department of Interior.