After a bull elk entangled in a backyard swing south of Ketchum, residents are reminded to remove all lawn furniture and playground equipment during the winter months to avoid wildlife entanglements.

Wood River Valley residents notified Idaho Fish and Game on Jan. 11 that a bull elk had his antlers caught in a backyard swing while still attached to the tree at a home in Gimlet, south of Ketchum. Before officers arrived, the elk had broken free of the tree, but the remaining wooden seat of the swing as well as several feet of rope remained caught in the antlers. It was determined that the only way to free the elk was to anesthetize the elk using a dart.

According to Senior Conservation Officer Brandyn Hurd this was the second time that this bull had a run-in with a piece of backyard equipment. In mid-October the same bull elk became entangled in a large hammock that nearly took his life when it became water-soaked when the bull went into the Big Wood River.

All big game that receives an anesthetizing drug is given a green ear tag with a unique identification number. Once the Fish and Game team was able to inspect the bull, they found the existing ear tag that confirmed it was the same elk from the October incident.

“All backyard furniture and playground equipment needs to be removed and secured during the winter months,” Hurd said. “Wildlife can easily get entangled in this equipment which puts the animal at risk, but it also puts the Fish and Game team at risk when using drugs to anesthetize the animal and working to free them from backyard equipment.”

Residents are encouraged to inspect their yards for items that can ensnare wildlife and put everything away in the garage or other secure storage area. Big game animals like deer, elk and moose are especially susceptible to entanglement in ropes, swings, wires, cords and strings of lights because of their large antlers. Entangled wildlife can sometimes asphyxiate, die from exhaustion, or injure themselves in efforts to get free.

After a bull elk got entangled in a backyard swing south of Ketchum, residents are reminded to remove all lawn furniture and playground equipment during the winter months to avoid wildlife entanglements.

Wood River Valley residents notified Idaho Fish and Game on Jan. 11 that a bull elk had his antlers caught in a backyard swing while still attached to the tree at a home in Gimlet, south of Ketchum. Before officers arrived, the elk had broken free of the tree, but the remaining wooden seat of the swing as well as several feet of rope remained caught in the antlers. It was determined that the only way to free the elk was to anesthetize the elk using a dart.

According to Senior Conservation Officer Brandyn Hurd this was the second time that this bull had a run-in with a piece of backyard equipment. In mid-October the same bull elk became entangled in a large hammock that nearly took his life when it became water-soaked when the bull went into the Big Wood River.

All big game that receives an anesthetizing drug is given a green ear tag with a unique identification number. Once the Fish and Game team was able to inspect the bull, they found the existing ear tag that confirmed it was the same elk from the October incident.

“All backyard furniture and playground equipment needs to be removed and secured during the winter months,” Hurd said. “Wildlife can easily get entangled in this equipment which puts the animal at risk, but it also puts the Fish and Game team at risk when using drugs to anesthetize the animal and working to free them from backyard equipment.”

Residents are encouraged to inspect their yards for items that can ensnare wildlife and put everything away in the garage or other secure storage area. Big game animals like deer, elk and moose are especially susceptible to entanglement in ropes, swings, wires, cords and strings of lights because of their large antlers. Entangled wildlife can sometimes asphyxiate, die from exhaustion, or injure themselves in efforts to get free.

Fish and Game will soon be trapping and translocating up to 70 antlerless elk in the Little Camas region of southern Idaho to reduce the size of the elk herd that has historically been depredating on agricultural crops.In mid-October, Fish and Game wil…

A elk calf that had become entangled in garden materials near Hailey was freed by Fish and Game officers on Dec. 28.

That day, Fish and Game officers received reports from Blaine County residents about an elk calf that had become entangled in a discarded tomato cage and bucket just north of Hailey. By mid-day, officers were able to locate the calf on the west side of Highway 75 in a grove of trees.

Knowing the calf would not be able to free itself from the metal, Fish and Game staff made the decision to dart the calf and remove the metal cage.

According to Senior Conservation Officer Clark Shackelford, “Darting an animal with an anesthetizing drug is a difficult undertaking. We can never be sure how much stress the animal has been in prior to darting or how each animal will react to the drugs. And more importantly, handling these drugs, often in extreme conditions, can place the Fish and Game officers at risk too.”

In this instance, the elk was successfully anesthetized, and the metal tomato cage and plastic bucket were removed.

Shackelford noted, “Once we removed the metal cage, we administered a second drug to reverse the effects of the first drug. The elk quickly recovered, and within minutes was up and running.”

This is not the first time that wildlife has become entangled in things such as Christmas lights, swing sets, rope, hammocks and fence wire. Residents are encouraged to properly store items on their property that could entangle wildlife.

A elk calf that had become entangled in garden materials near Hailey was freed by Fish and Game officers on Dec. 28.

That day, Fish and Game officers received reports from Blaine County residents about an elk calf that had become entangled in a discarded tomato cage and bucket just north of Hailey. By mid-day, officers were able to locate the calf on the west side of Highway 75 in a grove of trees.

Knowing the calf would not be able to free itself from the metal, Fish and Game staff made the decision to dart the calf and remove the metal cage.

According to Senior Conservation Officer Clark Shackelford, “Darting an animal with an anesthetizing drug is a difficult undertaking. We can never be sure how much stress the animal has been in prior to darting or how each animal will react to the drugs. And more importantly, handling these drugs, often in extreme conditions, can place the Fish and Game officers at risk too.”

In this instance, the elk was successfully anesthetized, and the metal tomato cage and plastic bucket were removed.

Shackelford noted, “Once we removed the metal cage, we administered a second drug to reverse the effects of the first drug. The elk quickly recovered, and within minutes was up and running.”

This is not the first time that wildlife has become entangled in things such as Christmas lights, swing sets, rope, hammocks and fence wire. Residents are encouraged to properly store items on their property that could entangle wildlife.

Respect for private land by hunters is critical to ensure continued access to private property remains today and into the future.

Often, big game hunts in Idaho require hunters to cross private land to reach their hunt unit that is usually on publicly owned land. Many private landowners allow the public to cross their land, because they are often hunters themselves and support providing access to others so they can hunt on public lands and pursue the wildlife that lives there.

Responsible hunting ethics on private land

To ensure that private landowners and their land are respected, ultimately resulting in private lands remaining open to hunting access, hunters are reminded to:

• Always ask for permission to hunt on private land, and, if you’re unsure if it is acceptable to cross private land to access public land, ask first! Idaho trespass law specifies that, “no person shall enter or remain on private land to shoot any weapon or hunt, fish, trap or retrieve game without written permission or other lawful permission.”
• If access is granted by the landowner, hunters should stay on designated roads and trails.
• If you must open a closed gate, legally, the gate must be closed once you’ve passed through it. Leaving a gate open can allow livestock to escape into areas where they don’t belong.
• Never cut a fence or remove fence rails or wires. Destroying or damaging improvements on private land is illegal and is punishable by law.
• Know your target. Many landowners are running livestock both on private and public lands. Never shoot unless you are absolutely sure of your target and what lies beyond.

Trespassing law in Idaho

• Never trespass on private lands. It is the responsibility of the hunter to know Idaho’s trespass law. A person who commits criminal trespass could be found guilty of a misdemeanor.
• Private land is typically identified by a place of residence, the land is cultivated, or it’s fenced or enclosed in a manner that reflects a private boundary.
• If private property adjoins or is contained within public lands, the fence line adjacent to public land is to be posted with conspicuous “no trespassing” signs or bright orange or fluorescent paint at the corners of the fence adjoining public land and at all navigable streams, roads, gates and rights-of-way entering the private land from the public land. It must be posted in a manner that a reasonable person would be put on notice that it is private land.
• If private property is unfenced and uncultivated it is to be posted with conspicuous “no trespassing” signs or bright orange or fluorescent paint at all property corners and boundaries where the property intersects navigable streams, roads, gates and rights-of-way entering the land, and is posted in a manner that a reasonable person would be put on notice that it is private land.

Partnering with private landowners – Access Yes!

Fish and Game partners with private landowners under the Access Yes! program to improve access to private land, or when hunters need to cross private land to access public lands. Properties that are incorporated into the Access Yes! program can be found on the department website. Hunters need to be aware of any landowner requirements or restrictions when going onto private land, which can also be found on the Access Yes! webpages.

By acting responsibly and respecting private property, hunters will help to ensure access to private property today, and into the future.