According to the Idaho Statesman, Idaho game officials want to collect lower jawbones from cow elk and mule deer. Information they can collect from these samples can greatly increase the knowledge of the animals and in particular to determine the age structure of specific herds.
“If we can collect enough lower jaws from female elk and deer, we can estimate the age structure of the female segment of several elk and deer populations,†said Craig White, Fish and Game wildlife research biologist. “That information is critical to better determining the status of these big game populations.â€
Here are some more specifics as to which hunt units are affected and where to leave your samples.
Hunters harvesting cow elk or doe mule deer from hunt units 23, 28, 32, 32A, 33, 34, 35, 36, 36A, 36B, 39, 43, 44, 45 (deer only), 48 (elk only) and 50 are asked to leave the lower jaw from their harvested animal at one of three locations: a Fish and Game check station, Fish and Game regional office or a jaw barrel.
Barrels are located at the Sawtooth National Recreation Area office on Idaho 75 north of Ketchum, the Ketchum Ranger District Office on Trail Creek Road, and on Croy Creek Road north of the animal shelter.
For more information, call Fish and Game at 324-4359.
Tom Remington
