Below is a Facebook post from the Southeast Idaho National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation played a key role in the conservation of this property and forthcoming access to it for big game hunting.
With hunting season for big game right around the corner, we would like to share some information and hopefully answer some questions about the newly acquired property at Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).
Last fall, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acquired nearly 2,500 acres of habitat on the northeast portion of Grays Lake thanks to generous support from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. This new unit consists primarily of aspen/conifer upland habitat along with some wet meadow and sagebrush, and is a prime location for elk, moose, black bears and deer.
Naturally, we have been getting lots of questions about whether and when this unit will be open for public hunting, and, unfortunately, it will not be open this fall. The current hunt plan for Grays Lake NWR covers hunting for ducks, geese, coots and mergansers, with all other wildlife being classified as protected.
With this recent acquisition, we plan to incorporate big game into a revised hunt plan, but this process will take time and will include a public comment period. We will continue to share updates until the new plan has been finalized and approved.
Click here to see a map.
(Photo credit: Southeast Idaho National Wildlife Refuge Complex)