An RMEF grant recently helped the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) improve habitat for elk and other big game on the 4,353-acre Georgetown Summit Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in the southeast part of the state. Georgetown Summit is primarily elk, mule deer and moose winter range but is increasingly used year-round by all three big game species. It is an important wildlife corridor between the Aspen Range on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest to the northeast and the Bear River Range on the Cache National Forest to the southwest, notes IDFG.
The WMA is surrounded by private agricultural land, irrigated and dryland crops, and rangelands. Elk frequent these adjacent and other nearby private lands during the growing season, creating conflicts with agricultural producers. To lure in and hold elk on the WMA, IDFG made improvements to the irrigation infrastructure on the WMA to expand irrigation to an additional 100 acres to boost forage quantity and quality. The project also enhanced riparian and wet meadow habitat with forb seeding and the planting of 1,720 tree and shrub seedlings that increase wildlife screening cover in the fields along the Bear River. RMEF funds were used to pay a contractor to install 800 feet of irrigation mainline, purchase forb seed, and cover a portion of the shrubs planted in spring 2025.
RMEF assisted with the purchase of the original 1,658 acres (Bingham Ranch) that is now part of the Georgetown Summit WMA in partnership with IDFG to conserve the property for elk and deer in 1991, and with the addition of the 23.5-acre McCammon property in 1998. Since 1985, RMEF and its partners have completed more than 700 conservation and hunting heritage outreach projects in Idaho with a combined value of more than $93 million. These projects, which include expanding the nearby Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Tex Creek WMA have conserved of enhanced more than 724,000 acres of habitat and opened or improved access to nearly 46,000 acres.
About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Now in its fifth decade of Conserving America’s Big Game,™ RMEF will extend its impact on habitat and public land access to 10 million acres by 2030. RMEF conserves and enhances habitat for elk and all big game, opens and improves access for hunting and other outdoor recreation, conducts science-based wildlife research and ensures the future of our hunting heritage through advocacy, outreach and education. Members, volunteers and supporters nationwide help RMEF further its mission. Find out more and join the movement at rmef.org or 800-CALL-ELK.