Final plan includes key provisions to benefit wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation
The Bureau of Land Management today released a land use plan that will support outdoor recreation opportunities and conserve important big game habitat on public lands north of Mountain Home and east of Boise in western Idaho.
When finalized, the BLM’s proposed Resource Management Plan for the Four Rivers Field Office will determine how the agency will manage approximately 750,000 acres of public lands, including the Boise Front, the eastern flanks of Brownlee and Oxbow reservoirs, and the Hixon Sharptailed Grouse Area.
The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership worked with landowners, local government officials, and other stakeholder groups, and helped activate hunters and anglers to provide meaningful feedback on the draft plans that was then incorporated into the final proposals.
“Sportsmen and women spoke up in support of additional management emphasis for hunting, access, and habitat improvement under the final plan, and we appreciate that the BLM listened to our community’s requests,” said Rob Thornberry, Idaho Field Representative with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “This plan will benefit quality wildlife habitat and recreational access in places like the Bennett Hills, which is great news for those of us who care about Idaho’s strong outdoor traditions.”
The popular public lands in central and western Idaho to which the revised plan will apply help fuel the state’s $7.8-billion outdoor recreation economy, provide important wildlife habitat, and support various traditional uses of the land. These landscapes include IDFG Hunting Units 39, 43, 44, and 45, which offer some of the state’s best mule deer hunting.
“The Bennett Hills provide vital winter range and outstanding hunting opportunities for one of Idaho’s most important mule deer herds,” said Ford Van Fossen, conservation and content manager for First Lite, a Ketchum-based manufacturer of hunting apparel. “We want to thank the BLM for adopting measures in the Four Rivers RMP that prioritize wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation.”
The revision process was formally initiated with a scoping phase in early 2016 and the BLM published its draft plan with a number of proposed alternatives in May 2019. While several wildlife- and recreation-friendly provisions to improve access and habitat were considered in the draft plan, most were not included in the preferred alternative at that stage of the process. Hunters and anglers spoke up and requested changes in management, and those comments produced meaningful improvements to the proposed plan.
“The hunting and fishing community owes the BLM thanks for the agency’s responsiveness to our concerns and proposals,” Thornberry said. “Public lands in Idaho are some of our state’s greatest assets and the revised Four Rivers plan will help ensure that future generations can enjoy these places as we do now.”
“I have hunted this area for almost 50 years, and I can state emphatically that it is a haven for an enormous amount of wildlife,” said Drew Wahlin, president of the Idaho Chukar Foundation. “It is a bird hunting destination and an essential winter area for the famed King Hill mule deer hunt. It is worthy of protections that help wildlife and sportsmen, and I applaud BLM’s decision.”
WE MUST PROTECT THESE LANDS FOR THE WILDLIFE!
Very good post on NM corridors….years ago I worked with The SFNF and the game and fish on the Travel management plan for the Jemez Mtns, I grew up in those mountains and saw the changes with the coming of ATVs/UTVs and all the roads that were created or old logging roads reopened as a result. I also saw what it did to the Elk and deer herds who it pushed them changed their Migration corridors and affected their populations. I documented all the roads illegal and legal in the Cuba ranger district and showed the migration corridor between the San Pedro Parks wilderness to the Caldera and explained the effect and changes that happened and what needed to happen. which did help the SFNF design the Travel management plan options. They did chose the best closure option of roads, but unfortunately they were only closed on maps – no actual closures with burms or signs or gates. From May to April With Camping, different hunting seasons, atv/utv use, spring hunting, shed hunting and because of the spiderweb of roads and now drones the game animals get maybe a month of rest and solitude a year. Throw in the drought, youth hunts, modern technology – higher harvest rates and the increase in out door activities I am seeing a decrease in our game heard’s. I believe we need to do more – physically close roads, decrease hunting permit’s in some areas, and figure how we can give animals in certain areas more of a break from human activity for a longer period each year. I also have spent a lot of time all over NM on public lands and see the same effect in most areas across the state. Thank you
What a fantastic movie on big game migrations. While I think this information is critical for wildlife and land managers I cringe to think what this information could be used for by illegal poachers looking to get an easy shot at trophy animals during their migrations. While the overwhelming majority of we sportsman are ethical hunters, there are always a few bad criminal poacher’s who could stand to gain from this information. As always I look forward to the emails from the TRCP wish to thank you for all you do for sportsman and women throughout the USA.
Jim Potter