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Long-Distance Migration Routes versus the Resident Elk Herd Movements
Big game migration Routes in the Smoky-Boise Complex Priority Area
While the local resident elk herd is involved in the majority of wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) in Blaine County, the Wood River Valley also channels migratory wildlife. The Smoky-Boise Complex Priority Area contains critical migration routes of pronghorn, mule deer and elk. In Blaine County, these migration routes bisect US-20 south of Bellevue and SH-75 north of Ketchum, as shown in the snapshot to the right.
This snapshot only reflects a portion of IDFG’s mapped migration routes, and does not reflect the resident elk because they do not migrate. This map was created and approved by Idaho Fish & Game.
For more information about seasonal migrations of big-game populations across the Western US, see the Western Migrations mapping developed by a collaborative team federal and university scientists and State and Tribal wildlife experts:
Snapshot of the Smoky-Boise Priority Complex.
The Local Resident Herd: Year-round residency in the Wood River Valley
The majority of wildlife vehicle collisions take place north of Hailey on SH75, as shown by the heat map. The road segment contained the third highest official crash rate across the State, from 2018-2022.
The Wood River Valley is home to many wild animals, including elk that live in the valley year-round and others that migrate in the Smoky-Boise Complex Priority Area (see above).
Human influenced landscapes along the Big Wood River have provided the resident elk herd with high quality forage, access to water and relative safety, allowing them to increase their population and reside in the valley year-round. As such, they have stopped migrating. Idaho Fish & Game estimates that there are currently several hundred resident elk in the Wood River Valley, noting that all elk populations that frequent the valley have steadily increased since the 1970's.
The resident herd is also involved with the majority of wildlife-vehicle collisions in Blaine County, occurring north of Hailey. As the resident elk meander between the river and fodder on the valley floor, they risk their lives and pose a safety
hazard for the increasing number of commuters on SH75. See below for details about the locations and rates of wildlife-vehicle collisions in Blaine County.