12-20 FB Safety Collars on 20

 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. The relatively mild weather conditions of the past few Decembers had Idaho 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.  According to Regional Wildlife Biologist Shane Roberts, “Winter hit hard and early this year causing animals to start to migrate sooner than in recent years.”  Here’s Fish and Game’s Gregg Losinski: “The first project slated for this winter is to GPS collar 30 moose and 30 elk as part of a joint project between the Wildlife Conservation Society Idaho Department of Transportation and the Idaho Department of Fish & Game in an effort to cut down on automobile collisions in relation to Hwy 20.”

In addition to helicopters to trap moose and elk, IDFG will also be trapping mule deer later this winter as part of an ongoing study to monitor winter survival