Winter means more wildlife on Idaho roads
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - More animals on the roads in winter is a fact of life when driving in Idaho.
Larry Kimber can relate.
On Saturday, Kimber, his wife, and two children were traveling on I-15 when they struck a deer at Exit 67 in Pocatello. Nobody in the car was injured, and they are all safe, but the 2016 Nissan Versa they were in was totaled.
Kimber says he did not hit the brakes at the last second, so the bumper would fully absorb the crash. He also says he did not want to brake, because if the car’s nose dipped down, there would have been a higher chance the deer would roll onto the car’s hood and crash through the windshield.
Animals migrating during the cold months means drivers need to be especially careful. Deer and elk are the animals most commonly seen on the roads.
“We're obviously coming into the winter season, and with that we typically get concentrations of animals as they move to lower elevation to spend the winter,” says Idaho Fish and Game Regional Wildlife Manager for the Upper Snake Region, Curtis Hendricks. “With that comes increased activity on crossing roadways.”
Hendricks says a bunch of elk have shown up between Blackfoot and Pocatello.
“Highway 20 heading up towards Island Park and then Highway 26 over towards the Swan Valley Country are the primary places where we see animals struck routinely within the region."
When driving, take notice of animal crossing signs, and be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary. Sometimes the first sign of wildlife is seeing light reflecting in their eyes.
