Southwest Game Count to Start

Wildlife biologists from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game will soon be in the skies, searching for elk and wolves in the Garden Valley-Lowman-Stanley area. The effort is actually two separate operations: the first involves a regularly scheduled elk count in hunt units 33, 34, 35 and 36 - the Sawtooth Elk Zone. "This is a normal operation that we conduct about every three years to get a handle on the number of elk in the zone," Fish and Game wildlife manager Jon Rachael said. "Depending on weather, we will be flying over this area for the next two weeks or so." The second operation is part of an elk-wolf interaction study. "We'll be capturing and radio-collaring more than a dozen elk in the area as well as some wolves," Fish and Game research biologist Craig White said. For information about big game winter operations, contact the Fish and Game Nampa office 208-465-8465 or McCall office 208-634-8137.