Volunteers Gather To Benefit Wildlife on Craig Mountain

By Mike Demick They came with shovels, leather gloves and the desire to help wildlife. More than 15 dedicated wildlife enthusiasts recently donated time and labor to install four wildlife guzzlers over two days in the steep river breaks high above the Snake and Salmon rivers. Located on the Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area, south of Lewiston, the specially designed guzzlers will provide a much needed water source for a multitude of wildlife species. Organized by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the project was made possible by volunteers from Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and Pheasants Forever (PF) who provided the backbone to install the tanks in the rocky, bone dry soil. Guzzlers are watering devices that collect and store precipitation from rain and snowfall in specially designed tanks. Ranging from 500-gallon size guzzlers designed for smaller mammals and birds, to guzzlers for big game that hold as much as 2,500 gallons, Fish and Game plans to install six additional guzzlers by this fall. "These guzzlers will be very important to wildlife year-round, but during the summer months, they will be vital," Fish and Game wildlife biologist Jim White said. "Especially in areas where springs and small streams have dried up due to the Maloney Creek Fire," he added. According to White, the guzzlers were installed in areas lacking nearby surface water, making the areas underutilized by a host of wildlife species. "The availability of water is often the major limiting factor in how wildlife utilizes the mountain, so these water sources will really help," he said. The guzzler sites are located in areas historically utilized by turkeys, chukars, and big game, especially from summer through late fall. But according to RMEF Lewis and Clark Chapter Chairman, Steve Moore, big game and wild turkey aren't the only wildlife species that will benefit. "There are a whole host of nongame species including small mammals, amphibians and a myriad of songbirds that will benefit," he said. Originally designed by wildlife biologists in Nevada, the guzzler models installed on Craig Mountain are polyethylene tanks with a three-foot-square opening called a drinker in one corner where the animals drink. Slits in the sides of the tank allow water to percolate into the drinker while minimizing the loss of water through evaporation. The guzzlers were purchased using $6,000 of Fish and Game money and $9,000 from RMEF and NWTF funds collected through banquets and fundraising. Besides volunteer labor, both RMEF and NWTF have awarded several grants to the department for various wildlife enhancement projects on Craig Mountain, including a $30,0000 grant for a grassland restoration project after the Maloney Creek Fire in August of 2000. RMEF is also helping with a 1,500 acre prescribed burn in grassland and ponderosa pine this fall. According to White, volunteers are essential to many projects. "Without the help of many volunteers and wildlife groups, especially RMEF, NWTF, and PF many important projects on Craig Mountain would not be possible," he said. Mike Demick is the Regional Conservation Educator for the Clearwater Region in Lewiston. He has worked for IDFG since 1994.