Drivers slow down to avoid vehicle-elk collisions, please

Elk, Deer Close to Freeway Through Boise

By Jill Kuraitis, 2-07-08

Herds of elk and deer are foraging for food along the main artery through Boise:  Interstate 84.  Just northeast of Boise, they are also very close to Highway 21, which is the road to Idaho City and the Sawtooths.

These particular elk and deer are hungry, and they are very, very close to the highways.  News cameras out last night caught them just yards away from cars whizzing by.

Here at NewWest/Boise, we’ve tried to report on elk news as often as possible (use our search box in the upper left corner and you’ll find 693 articles containing the word “elk") but this surpasses political policy and wildlife management theory altogether, don’t you think?  It gets right down to the actual, tangible elk.

The request from wildlife officials: Please do not poke at, disturb, whack, smack or smash the elk.  Please do not go sightseeing and FEED the elk. Leave any feeding up to Fish and Game, which has issued an alert asking for drivers to slow down and the public to leave the animals alone.

Wildlife officials closed an area east of Boise late last week in hopes of helping mule deer survive the snowy winter.  A Fish and Game report says the creatures are being seen at lower and lower elevations as they search for food. Closing the Boise River Wildlife Management Area, which is 33,000 acres, may help keep humans from disturbing the deer, which can cause fear and panic reactions which force them to use up energy they need for survival.

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