ThinkingAfield.org

The pull of an airgun trigger, the thwap of a dart hitting the rump of an elk, and the barely-above-a-whisper call over the radio: “Dart is in” are all followed by a couple of minutes of quiet observation. One can feel a sense of anticipation from the silence of the assembled enforcement officers and wildlife biologists.

They watch as the elk ambles a few feet, looks back and licks at the dart in its backside a few times, and finally, starts to rock and sway as the immobilizing drug begins to take effect.

It goes down slowly, and then suddenly – and then, one last call over the radio that spurs a flurry of activity: “He’s down.”

The young bull elk that Fish and Game staff darted and relocated from a Boise neighborhood on the evening of Aug. 21 went about as quickly, efficiently, and safely as such an operation can go. Less than 30 minutes separated the deployment of the dart and the moment the elk stood again upright in a horse trailer, awaiting transportation to a release site far away from the bustling intersection of S. Federal Way and E. Bergeson St. near where it was found.

Looking solely at these 30 minutes on a warm August evening in Boise, one might come away with the impression that darting and relocating an animal in real life isn’t so different from the movies. But then, they wouldn’t be seeing the whole picture.

“This went as close to perfect as we could have hoped for, and that’s a testament to the professionalism of our staff,” said Regional Supervisor Josh Royse. “But they don’t all go like this, even when you play them perfectly.” Read more

The sow grizzly was captured in an area experiencing ongoing cattle depredations, prompting the relocation

After consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) relocated a 5-year-old female grizzly bear on Aug. 21, 2024.

Wildlife Services began trapping southeast of Henry’s Lake in an area that has experienced several confirmed cattle depredations due to grizzly bears over the past several weeks. A 257-pound female grizzly was captured on the night of Aug. 20 while visiting the site. Given the presence of other bears at the kill site, and having no prior history of cattle depredation, the decision was made to relocate this bear.

In cooperation with the USFWS and the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, the sow grizzly was immobilized, given a body condition and health assessment, fitted with a radio collar and relocated to a remote area in the Fish Creek drainage on Forest Service land approximately 12 miles from the City of Island Park. Read more