Friday, January 17, 2014

Winter wildlife signs to go up near Hailey

Project obtains funds from Land, Water and Wildlife Program

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By GREG MOORE
Express Staff Writer

Some 500 mule deer use the hills northeast of Hailey as winter range, Fish and Game officials have estimated. Elk also inhabit the area in winter. Express file photo

     With the help of $3,776 from Blaine County’s Land, Water and Wildlife Program, two educational signboards about wintering wildlife should be in place at the Quigley and Old Cutters trailheads at the eastern edge of Hailey by next month.

     Blaine County commissioners approved the funding request during a meeting Tuesday. The money will be added to $2,500 in cash and in-kind contributions from the city of Hailey, $2,000 from the BLM and $500 from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to fully fund the $8,776 project.

      According to mock-ups of the signs provided by Hailey resident and program advisory board member Lili Simpson, who initiated the project, the signs will inform hikers about the importance of the area to wintering deer and elk, and ask that they stick to certain trails.

     In the case of Quigley, they will suggest that hikers use the Radio Tower Hill Trail rather than trails into Hangman and Deadman gulch or other small trails that have proliferated on BLM land northeast of Hailey.

     The sign at Old Cutters will recommend that hikers use trails only on the bench at the base of the hill.

     The signs also inform people about the animals in the area and their winter needs.

     Simpson undertook her project after the Idaho Department of Fish and Game stated in 2006 that it would support approval of the Old Cutters subdivision only if the area to the east were closed to public use during the winter. According to a recommendation to the county commissioners from the Levy Advisory Board dated Jan. 7, 2014, the BLM is undergoing travel planning for the area and it cannot be posted as closed.

     “The signs are educational and non-regulatory,” the recommendation states.

     In an interview, Department of Fish and Game biologist Mike McDonald said the area is important winter range for about 500 mule deer, one of the most dense wintering populations in the county, and between 25 and 125 elk.

     However, he said, “We’re not interested in kicking everybody out of Quigley. As long as people pay attention to their surroundings and stay on the trail, we should be in good shape.”

     McDonald asked that hikers go elsewhere if they see deer or elk nearby to avoid making them use energy to flee from people. He said that during the winter, the animals are in a “controlled state of starvation,” though their condition will depend on the amount of food available during the fall and the severity of the winter. He said that this winter, for example, has been fairly easy on them.

     Simpson said she expects the signs to be ready to put up by the end of January.

     The Land, Water and Wildlife Levy raised nearly $3.5 million to help protect clean water in the Big Wood and Little Wood River watersheds, preserve fish and wildlife habitat and protect working farms, ranches and open space.

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