History of Tex Creek WMA

History

Prior to establishment, the lands that currently comprise Tex Creek WMA were under private ownership and were used for agriculture and range. The primary agriculture commodities were dry land cereal grains, alfalfa hay, and cattle. Mule deer and elk were present in the area in the 1800s but declined in the early 1900s. Area landowners during the early 1900s reported that elk were rarely seen. Both elk and deer populations began to rebound by the 1940s and elk were abundant enough to cause agricultural depredation problems in the area by the mid-1950s. Columbian sharp-tailed grouse and greater sage-grouse have occurred on Tex Creek WMA lands throughout documented history.

Development of Tex Creek WMA began in 1976 when Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) designated the Ririe Segment lands for wildlife mitigation. The development phase of the Ririe Segment lasted from 1976-1978 and included construction of 13 miles of fence, planting 6,500 bitterbrush seedlings, aerial seeding 2,100 acres of rangeland, and mechanical seeding of 100 acres of former agricultural land into perennial cover.

The development of the Teton Segment of BOR lands began in 1977 and continued through 1981. This development phase included inventories of range and wildlife, documentation of elk migration routes and distribution patterns, seeding 1,680 acres of agricultural lands into perennial cover, planting 140,000 shrub seedlings, removal of several miles of unneeded fence, removal of old buildings and restoration of useable buildings, and farming of 1,000 acres of winter wheat as big game forage.

Since the initial development activities on BOR land were completed, a three-party agreement was signed to add the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) parcels to Tex Creek WMA and the Department has acquired all of its acreage through acquisitions. The department has actively managed and improved the wildlife habitat value of the WMA since its inception including: >1,000,000 shrubs and trees planted, >750 acres of annual and perennial forage crops managed annually, riparian habitat restoration through willow/shrub plantings and beaver translocations, pond developments, installation of numerous erosion control structures (terraces), installation of six wildlife guzzlers, aspen maintenance and restoration activities, and alfalfa hay production for emergency winter feeding of big game. Additionally, Tex Creek WMA provides various recreational opportunities for hundreds of eastern Idaho citizens each year through maintenance of six campsites, maintenance of seven miles of department-owned roads, installation and maintenance of information kiosks and signage, and access management.