After study, NPS alters fencing for pronghorns in Idaho

Jackson Hole herd is not the only long pronghorn migration-

Most people who follow wildlife news the West now know about the epic migration of the the pronghorn in Jackson Hole from summer to winter on desert south of Pinedale, WY and the big squeeze being put on this migration by the gas industry and subdivisions. They are also aware of the major effort to keep the migration route from being blocked.

Idaho has its own migrations too. They are not so long, but impressive. Finally some study is being done to map the routes and to use fencing to protect the route.

John Miller of the Associated Press has a good article on this.


by

Comments

  1. kt Avatar
    kt

    Fences are just such a disaster for native wildlife. Sage-grouse crash into them in dim light.

    Even with proper agenc -approved “spacing”, with winter snow the bottom wires become impassable, jumping becomes harder or impossible, etc.

    Bob wire: Part of the cruelty and death of western public lands ranching. One more reason it needs to end.

  2. Larry Thorngren Avatar

    kt-
    Pronghorns run into the fences at full speed and do great harm to themselves. I have heard the sound of staples ripping out from several posts when a herd of pronghorns hit a fence. Some people claim that pronghorns don’t get caught in the wires with their feet like deer are prone to do when they jump a fence, but I have photos of Pronghorn feet and legs hanging in the wire. Pronghorns do not have dewclaws and only have two toes on each foot so it is easy to identify them.

  3. kelsey Avatar
    kelsey

    that is cool can any chance you show me a picture of a pronghorns feet and legs hanging in the wire

Author

Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan’s Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of “Hiking Idaho.” He also wrote “Beyond the Tetons” and “Backpacking Wyoming’s Teton and Washakie Wilderness.” He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.

Subscribe to get new posts right in your Inbox

Ralph Maughan
×