BECKY HALL , HENRYS FORK WILDLIFE ALLIANCE MEMBER: IF YOU EVER SEE AN ANTELOPE HUNG UP ON WIRE FENCING, YOU KNOW WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING.

THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO DO WHAT THEIR GENETICS TELL THEM TO DO AND WE HAVE GOTTEN IN THEIR WAY.

CHAD COLTER, SHOSHONE-BANNOCK TRIBES FISH AND WILDLIFE DIRECTOR: URBAN SPRAWL, RURAL DEVELOPMENT IS THE PLAGUE.

PUSHING ANIMALS AROUND IS WHAT WE DO.

IT'S A SAD THING, BUT IT'S NOT JUST BEING DONE HERE.

IT'S DONE ALL OVER THE WEST.

THERE'S A FENCE ALONG EVERY ROAD.

ALONG EVERY INTERSTATE.

THERE'S A FENCE ALONG EVERY PIECE OF PRIVATE PROPERTY.

WE'VE BEEN PUSHING ANIMALS AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE IT AND THIS IS THE END RESULT.

BECKY HALL: IF WE WANT WILDLIFE HERE, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO PROTECT THEM.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN SAYING YOU CAN'T FISH, YOU CAN'T HUNT.

IT MEANS LET'S MAKE SURE WE CAN COEXIST.

ANNOUNCER: FUNDING FOR OUTDOOR IDAHO IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE LAURA MOORE CUNNINGHAM FOUNDATION, COMMITED TO FULFILLING THE MOORE AND BETTIS FAMILY LEGACY, OF BUILDING THE GREAT STATE OF IDAHO.

BY THE FRIENDS OF IDAHO PUBLIC TELEVISION.

BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

NARRATOR: IN THE 1920S, IDAHO'S POPULATION WAS LESS THAN 500 THOUSAND.

MINERS, LOGGERS, HOMESTEADERS.

BUILDING A NEW WAY OF LIFE IN THE WILD WEST IN A STATE DOMINATED BY UNDEVELOPED, UNTAMED, COUNTRY.

A CENTURY LATER, TWO MILLION PEOPLE CALL IDAHO HOME.

ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE NEED PLACES TO LIVE AND THEY ALL HAVE PLACES TO GO.

WILDLIFE RELY ON THOSE SAME EXPECTATIONS FOR THEIR OWN SURVIVAL.

THEY NEED RIGHT OF WAY BUT IN A STATE DEVELOPING AS FAST AS IDAHO, IT'S HARDER THAN YOU THINK FOR ANIMALS TO MIGRATE.

ZACH LOCKYER, IDAHO DEPT.

OF FISH AND GAME: THESE POPULATIONS HAVE BEEN MOVING ACROSS THIS LANDSCAPE FOR A LONG TIME, FAR BEFORE PEOPLE WERE HERE.

WE HAVE BUILT CITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THEIR NATIVE RANGE AND THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO NAVIGATE THAT.

A MIGRATION CORRIDOR IS THE ROUTE OR PATH THAT AN ANIMAL POPULATION FOLLOWS TO MOVE BETWEEN SEASONAL RANGES.

IF ANIMALS CANNOT MOVE BETWEEN THOSE IMPORTANT SEASONAL RANGES AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE FOOD RESOURCES THEIR PROBABILITY OF SURVIVAL AND PERSISTENCE DECREASES.

IF WE START TO LOSE THESE IMPORTANT MIGRATION CORRIDORS WE COULD START TO LOSE SOME OF THESE POPULATIONS IF THEY CAN'T GET TO THE PLACES THEY NEED TO TO SURVIVE.

NARRATOR: THOSE VITAL ROUTES ARE NOW MAPPED.

THE GEM STATE HAS 52 MAJOR BIG GAME MIGRATION CORRIDORS.

52 ROUTES THAT ANIMALS HAVE ALWAYS USED AND ARE STILL TRYING TO USE.

FIGURING OUT WHERE HUMANS AND THE WILD CROSS PATHS TO MAKE THIS MAP TOOK A HUGE SCIENTIFIC LEAP IN RECENT YEARS.

ZACH LOCKYER: NOWADAYS WE'RE USING GPS COLLARS ON DEER AND ELK AROUND THE NECK THAT CONNECT TO SATELLITES.

THAT'S A PRETTY INVOLVED PROCESS AND CHALLENGING.

USUALLY INVOLVES A HELICOPTER.

IT CAN BE PRETTY FUN BUT WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL.

WE'RE PUSHING ANIMALS WITH AIRCRAFT.

ANIMAL WELFARE IS ONE OF OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES.

WE GOTTA BE AWARE.

ANY TIME YOU'RE CAPTURING AN ANIMAL THAT BIG IT'S ALSO A RISK FOR US DOING THE WORK.

YOU HAVE TO RESTRAIN IT.

THAT CAN BE KIND OF HECTIC DEPENDING ON HOW THAT ANIMAL BEHAVES.

ALL THE WAY UP TO RELEASING IT CAN BE SOMEWHAT UNPREDICTABLE.

THEY ARE WILD ANIMALS SO THERE IS A LOT OF ORGANIZED CHAOS.

TELEMETRY IS HOW WE TRACK THOSE COLLARS.

WE CAN MONITOR FROM OUR COMPUTERS BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING SATELLITE LOCATIONS.

THE TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED A LOT.

THE OLD COLLARS USED TO BE A VHF RADIO FREQUENCY.

YOU HAD TO GO OUT AND PHYSICALLY TRACK THAT ANIMAL ON THE GROUND.

BUT WHEN THAT ANIMAL DIES OR THE COLLAR FALLS OFF WE STILL HAVE TO RETRIEVE IT.

WE USE THAT TELEMETRY TO POINT THAT EXACT LOCATION OF THAT COLLAR.

IT'S AMAZING TO THINK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE TODAY WITH THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION AND WHERE WE WERE JUST 10 YEARS AGO WITHOUT IT.

IT'S A CHALLENGE WITH A STATE AS BIG AS IDAHO.

WHERE DO YOU PUT YOUR MONEY AND GET YOUR BIGGEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK.

HAVING THOSE PUBLISHED MIGRATION CORRIDORS AND KNOWING WHERE THEY ARE HELPS EVERYBODY FOCUS IN AND DO GOOD WORK ON THE GROUND THAT SHOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE."

NARRATOR: GPS COLLARS PROVIDE EYE-OPENING PROOF OF CONLFICT, ESPECIALLY IN THE STATE'S HOTTEST ZONES WHERE ROADKILL IS MOST PREVELANT.

FRANK EDELMANN, IDAHO DEPT.

OF FISH AND GAME: NOBODY WANTS TO HIT A LARGE ANIMAL.

NOBODY WANTS TO SEE LARGE ANIMALS DEAD ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THAT'S WHERE I THINK WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND START TO FIND THOSE SOLUTIONS THAT WORK FOR THOSE LOCAL AREAS.

NARRATOR: A DECADE OF STATISTICS SHOW TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS INVOLVING ANIMALS ARE AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THREE PLACES: CERVIDAE PEAK BETWEEN BOISE AND IDAHO CITY WITH 28.

ROCKY POINT BY BEAR LAKE NEAR THE UTAH BORDER HAS 29.

AND TARGHEE PASS IN ISLAND PARK NEAR THE MONTANA BORDER AT 48.

BY COMPARISON, THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE IS 2 ACCIDENTS.

ANN MARIE ANTHONY, ISLAND PARK RESIDENT: I LIKE TO BE HOME BEFORE DUSK BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE GAME REALLY TEND TO MOVE.

I TRY TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT ON THE ROAD THAT TIME OF DAY.

EARLY MORNING IS ANOTHER THING, BUT I'M NOT A MORNING PERSON SO THEY'RE SAFE FROM ME.

NARRATOR: OTHER STATES HAVE HAD WILDIFE OVERPASSES FOR YEARS, BUT THIS IS IDAHO'S FIRST.

CERVIDAE PEAK, JUST OUTSIDE OF BOISE.

THE OVERPASS WAS ADDED IN 2023.

IT TOOK SIX MONTHS TO BUILD WITH FEDERAL FUNDS COSTING 7 MILLION DOLLARS.

UP TO 9,000 MULE DEER AND MORE THAN 2,000 ELK CROSS HIGHWAY 21 IN THE FALL TO STAGE AT THE FAR END OF LUCKY PEAK RESERVOIR.

WINTER IS MILD THERE COMPARED TO THE HERD'S HIGHER SUMMER RANGE.

AND AS SOON AS THIS CROSSING OPENED, ANIMALS QUICKLY BEGAN USING IT.

WENDY TERLIZZI, IDAHO TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT: I THINK IT'S MAJOR PROGRESS TO SEE AN OVERPASS FINALLY BEING BUILT.

IT IS A VERY LONG TIME COMING.

IT HAS BEEN 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING TO BE ABLE TO GATHER THE DATA, SECURE THE FUNDING AND TO ACTUALLY GET IT CONSTRUCTED.

FRANK EDELMANN: THE KEY INGREDIENT TO SUCCESS HAS BEEN LOCAL SUPPORT.

WHEN THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTS THESE PROJECTS, THEY CAN START TO GAIN TRACTION.

OF COURSE THE FUNDING IS CRITICAL AND THE ENGINEERING IS CRITICAL AND THE DATA BEHIND IT IS CRITICAL, BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THIS HAPPEN OR NOT HAPPEN.

NARRATOR: IN ISLAND PARK.IT DID NOT HAPPEN.

IN 2018, FREMONT COUNTY LOCALS VOTED AGAINST WILDLIFE CROSSINGS.

THEY PUSHED BACK HARD ENOUGH TO DERAIL IDAHO TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT'S CONSTRUCTION PLANS FOR A WILDLIFE OVERPASS AT TARGHEE PASS.

IT WAS ONE OF THE MANY CHANGES PROPOSED FOR THE HEAVILY WOODED, TWO-LANE HIGHWAY THAT LEADS TO YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.

THE PARK SEES MORE THAN 4 MILLION VISITORS A YEAR.

ANN MARIE ANTHONY: ISLAND PARK IS A 30 MILE LONG MAIN STREET.

WE LOVE THE NOSTALGIA OF IT.

WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT EFFECTED BY FENCING AND INTERSTATE SYSTEM.

IT'S A MASSIVE FOOTPRINT, AND IF WE'RE LOOKING AT SO MANY THE YEARS IT WILL TAKE TO PUT ALL OF THOSE IN AND THE AMOUNT OF CONSTRUCTION THIS AREA WILL GO THROUGH.

WE DON'T NEED 17 WILDLIFE CROSSINGS.

WE DON'T NEED THAT KIND OF THING.

NARRATOR: RANDY GRAVATT DISAGREES.

HE'S IN CHARGE OF LITTER PICK UP FOR THE THREE IDAHO MILES LEADING TO THE MONTANA BORDER AT THE NORTH END OF ISLAND PARK.

IT'S WHERE THE TARGHEE PASS WILDLIFE CROSSING WAS GOING TO BE.

RANDY GRAVATT, ISLAND PARK RESIDENT: I BET I SEE THE REMAINS OF 15 DEER AND 6 ELK.

I WOULD SAY.

I WAS AN EMT FOR CLOSE TO 20 YEARS SO I DEALT WITH QUITE A FEW ACCIDENTS WITH ANIMALS INVOLVED AND THERE WERE SOME INJURIES.

MOOSE IN PARTICULAR.

THAT'S THE TOUGH ONE.

MY FIRST AMBULANCE CALL WAS A MOOSE THAT CAME RIGHT INTO THE WINDSHIELD.

THE CAR 4, 5, 6 PEOPLE IN IT AND ALMOST EVERYBODY WAS INJURED SEVERELY.

THAT MOOSE ENDED UP COMING RIGHT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD SO THE TRAFFIC IS ONLY GOING TO INCREASE THROUGH THE YEARS.

NARRATOR: GRAVATT WANTS THE STATE'S NEXT WIDLIFE CROSSING BUILT ON ASHTON HILL SOUTH OF ISLAND PARK.

RANDY GRAVATT: SEEMS LIKE IT'S A NATURAL AREA FOR IT WHERE THE ROAD IS HIGHER UP.

I DON'T KNOW.

IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD WORK THERE.

THE TRAFFIC IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE HERE.

MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE CAN CHANGE.

ANN MARIE ANTHONY: THE FLASHING ELK SIGNS, THOSE ARE HUGE.

PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE.

I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BEST THINGS WE COULD HAVE DONE.

THE NEW STOP LIGHT IN ASHTON HAS EFFECTED TRAFFIC IN ISLAND PARK AS WELL.

WHEN THAT TRAFFIC LIGHT IN ASHTON IS RED, WE'LL GET A BREAK IN THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC EVERY 3-4 MINUTES.

THAT HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN TRAFFIC UP HERE.

NARRATOR: AND THE TIMBER ALONG THE SHOULDER OF HIGHWAY 20 THROUGH ISLAND PARK HAS BEEN CUT BACK TO INCREASE VISIBILITY, BUT STILL.NO CROSSINGS.

THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH LOCAL SUPPORT.

ANN MARIE ANTHONY: I WANNA SEE ITD LISTEN MORE TO US AND THINK ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT OF THEIR FOOTPRINT.

IT'S SO LARGE IN WHAT THEY ARE PLANNING RIGHT NOW AND IT'S JUST NOT EVEN HARDLY FATHOMABLE THE AMOUNT OF WORK WE WILL GO THROUGH.

WENDY TERLIZZI: I THINK THE MAJOR PUSHBACK IS FOR A STATE THAT IN THE PAST HAS NOT SEEN A LOT OF FUNDS PUT TOWARD PAVEMENT AND BRIDGES THAT IT'S HARD TO SPEND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO BUILD AN OVERPASS WHEN PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND OR DON'T SEE THE ANIMALS ALONGSIDE THE ROADWAYS.

NARRATOR: ROADS ARE THE MOST OBVIOUS POINT OF CONFLICT, BUT THERE ARE OTHERS THAT ARE NOT AS OBVIOUS.

LIKE RIGHT OF WAY FOR WILD ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN WATER.

ZACH LOCKYER: FISH NEED TO MOVE.

THEY MOVE SEASONALLY.

IN THIS REGION A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE IS YELLOWSTONE CUTTHROAT TROUT THAT MOVE UP INTO SMALLER TRIBUTARIES TO SPAWN AND REPRODUCE.

NARRATOR: YELLOWSTONE CUTTHROAT TROUT ARE NATIVE TO IDAHO.

THEY STILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT PRESENCE IN THE GEM STATE, ESPECIALLY IN EASTERN IDAHO.

NATIVE CUTTHROAT MOVE FROM MAIN CHANNELS TO SMALLER STREAMS FOR THEIR LATE SPRING SPAWN, UNLESS THEIR ACCESS IS CUT OFF.

ZACH LOCKYER: WHEN THERE'S BARRIERS ACROSS THOSE SMALLER TRIBUTARIES THOSE FISH CAN'T GET THROUGH AND GET TO THOSE PLACES THEY NEED TO TO SPAWN.

NARRATOR: THIS CULVERT IN TEX CREEK WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA EAST OF IDAHO FALLS CONNECTS TO AN OLD DIRT ROAD, BUT IT'S A DISCONNECT FOR FISH.

ZACH LOCKYER: THERE'S A ELEVATIONAL GRADE WHERE FISH CAN'T GET UP AND THROUGH THAT.

CHANGING THE ELEVATION AND THE GRADIENT OF THE STREAM CAN HELP FISH PASSAGE.

NARRATOR: THE DIRT ROAD IS CLOSING BECAUSE IT'S DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR.

THE CULVERT CROSSING DOESN'T CONNECT DRIVERS TO BACKCOUNTRY ANYMORE SO IT'S COMING OUT.

THE MALFUNCTIONING METAL TUNNEL IS GOING AWAY TO MAKE WAY FOR WATER AND THE FISH LIVING IN THAT WATER.

THEY'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE UPSTREAM, UNIMPEDED, TO LAY EGGS.

BIRDS ARE MOTIVATED BY THE SAME BABY MAKING INSTINCTS AS FISH, BUT THE HURDLES IN THEIR WAY ARE ABOVE GROUND INSTEAD OF UNDERWATER.

ZACH LOCKYER: SAGE GROUSE ARE HITTING THE TOP TWO WIRES OF BARBWIRE FENCES FREQUENTLY.

SAGE GROUSE ARE TRAVELING IN THE REALLY EARLY MORNING BEFORE SUNRISE AND AFTER SUNSET AND SO THOSE LOW LIGHT TIME PERIODS, IT'S REALLY HARD FOR THEM TO SEE THOSE WIRES.

A BIRD FLIES, HITS A WIRE.

THEY'RE A LARGE, HEAVY BIRD.

THEY HIT THAT WIRE IT CAN INSTANTLY KILL THEM, BREAK THEIR NECK AND CAUSE MORTALITY.

ACROSS SAGE GROUSE RANGE NOW YOU WILL SEE THESE LITTLE WHITE PLASTIC MARKERS HANGING FROM THE TOPS OF FENCES ACROSS SAGEBRUSH STEPPE LANDSCAPES.

THAT PROVIDES THESE BIRDS WITH A VISUAL CUE WHEN THEY'RE FLYING AT THOSE LOW ALTITUDES TO FLY OVER THAT FENCE.

NARRATOR: FENCE FLAGGING STARTED MORE THAN A DECADE AGO AFTER 2012 STUDY PROVED BIRD COLLISIONS ARE REDUCED BY 83 PERCENT WHEN WIRES ARE MARKED.

BUT BARBED WIRE NEEDS MORE ADJUSTMENTS BEFORE IT'S CONSIDERED IMPROVED FOR BIG GAME.

THERE ARE MILES OF FENCING ACROSS THE WEST.

THE WIRE WALLS KEEP COWS CONTAINED, BUT THEY ALSO KEEP WILDLIFE FROM MOVING.

IF ANIMALS CAN'T CLEAR A FENCE, THEY CAN'T MIGRATE WITH SEASONAL CHANGES WHICH IS CRUCIAL FOR THEIR SURVIVAL.

ANIMALS APPROACH FENCES IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

DEER WILL JUMP OVER IT.

SO WILL ELK.

THAT'S WHY A BARB-FREE TOP WIRE IS BEST BECAUSE IT WON'T CATCH ON THEIR BELLIES.

PRONGHORN PREFER TO GO UNDER FENCES.

THAT'S WHY MORE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE GROUND AND BOTTOM WIRE IS BETTER.

KEEPING THAT CLEARANCE FREE OF TUMBLEWEEDS HELPS TOO SO THEY CAN EASILY CRAWL UNDER.

ZACH LOCKYER: FENCING CAN POSE A LOT OF DIFFERENT CHALLENGES.

WHEN ANIMALS MOVE THEY'VE GOT TO NAVIGATE ACROSS THAT FENCE.

UNDER IT.

OVER IT.

THROUGH IT.

DEPENDING ON HOW THAT FENCE IS BUILT THAT CAN BE REALLY CHALLENGING.

NARRATOR: IN SOME CASES REMOVING A STRAND IS ENOUGH.

IN OTHER CASES THE WHOLE FENCE HAS TO GO, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT ISN'T USED TO CORRAL CATTLE ANYMORE.

WHEN AN OBSOLETE FENCE IS DOING MORE HARM THAN GOOD, A CREW WILL WORK WITH LANDOWNERS FOR PERMISSION TO REMOVE IT.

OFTEN TIMES, THAT CREW IS MADE UP OF VOLUNTEERS JUST WANTING TO HELP WILDLIFE.

BECKY HALL: WE ARE GOING TO BE KILLING MORE ANIMALS IF WE DON'T TAKE OUT FENCES, ESPECIALLY FENCES THAT AREN'T NEEDED.

THERE ARE PLACES WHERE WE HAVE TO HAVE FENCES, BUT THIS IS NOT NEEDED SO WHY NOT TAKE IT OUT.

THERE'S A LOT OF SAGEBRUSH GROWING AROUND THROUGH AND ALL TANGLED IN THE BARBWIRE SO WE HAVE TO PULL AND CUT AND PUSH AND ROLL AND PULL IT ALL UP TO THE TOP OF THE HILL WHERE IT WILL BE REMOVED.

IF WE CAN PROVIDE MIGRATION ROUTES FOR WILDLIFE THAT WILL NOT IMPEDE WHAT RANCHERS NEED TO DO, THAT'S A PERFECT SOLUTION.

NARRATOR: AND JUST WHEN WE THINK WE'VE IMPROVED MOVEMENT FOR FIN, FEATHERS, AND FUR, MOTHER NATURE THROWS US A CURVE BALL.

WINTER 2022-2023 WAS EASTERN IDAHO'S HARDEST WINTER IN THE LAST FOUR DECADES.

WILDLIFE SUFFERED AND BIOLOGISTS SCRAMBLED.

THE IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME IS IN CHARGE OF THE STATE'S WILDLIFE.

THEY ENSURE STABLE NUMBERS, ESPECIALLY FOR ANIMALS LIKE DEER AND ELK THAT ARE HUNTED.

WHEN THE HERD NUMBERS ARE HIGH, HUNTS ARE MORE LIBERAL.

WHEN THE POPULATION PLUMMETS, HARVEST OPPORTUNITY SHRINKS.

IN 2023, THE SOUTHEASTERN POPULATION PLUMMETED DESPITE THE DEPARTMENT FEEDING ELK 425 TONS OF HAY TO KEEP THEM OUT OF TOWN AND FEEDING DEER 250 TONS OF PELLETS JUST TO KEEP THEM ALIVE.

ZACH LOCKYER: IT'S REALLY HARD IN THE WINTER FOR THOSE ANIMALS TO PUT ON FAT AND GET ENOUGH NUTRITION TO OVERCOME THAT DAILY CALORIC LOSS AND SO EVEN WITH A MONUMENTAL FEEDING EFFORT, WE STILL SAW MORTALITY.

DUSTIN SKINNER, BEAR LAKE COUNTY RANCHER: IT WAS PRETTY SAD.

LOTTA DEER EVERYWHERE WEREN'T MAKING IT.

NARRATOR: MORE THAN HALF OF THE COLLARED DOES DIED AND 96 PERCENT OF THE COLLARED FAWNS DIED.

THE IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME DOESN'T MAKE A HABIT OF FEEDING WILDLIFE, BUT IN EXTREME WINTERS IN AREAS THAT ARE MORE DEVELOPED THAN THEY USED TO BE, LIKE BEAR LAKE, IT'S BECOMING MORE COMMON.

ZACH LOCKYER: THERE'S SOME NEW DEVELOPMENTS.

THE HABITAT HAS CERTAINLY CHANGED A LITTLE BIT.

WE'VE LOST SOME OF THAT SHRUB COMPONENT THAT DEER RELY ON IN THE WINTER.

A TOUGH WINTERLIKE THIS TODAY IS CERTAINLY MORE CHALLENGING THAN IT PROBABLY WAS 50 YEARS GO.

NARRATOR: AMID ALL THE CHANGE IS THE SKINNER PLACE, HAIRER POINT RANCH.

WITH 3,000 UNDEVELOPED ACRES, 250 COWS AND WILDLIFE WANDERING THROUGH YEAR ROUND, IT LOOKS ALMOST EXACTLY LIKE IT DID A CENTURY AGO WHEN GREAT GRANDPA SKINNER SETTLED HERE JUST OVER THE HILL FROM BEAR LAKE.

DUSTIN SKINNER: I JUST LOVE IT HERE.

I LOVE THE COUNTRY AND I LOVE WHERE I GREW UP.

I LOVE THE LAND.

IT JUST FEELS LIKE WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING.

IF MY KIDS HAVE AN INTEREST IN IT AND IF THEY HAVE THE SAME FEELINGS I WANT THEM TO HAVE THAT IN THEIR LIFE TOO.

BUT IT'S ALSO PRETTY SCAREY BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH FOR ALL OF THEM.

A LOT OF GROUND THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO RANCHERS IS JUST GETTING BOUGHT UP BY PEOPLE OUT OF TOWN.

PRETTY HARD FOR ANYBODY, ESPECIALLY YOUNGER PEOPLE TO ACQUIRE MORE LAND UNLESS YOU HAVE ACCESS TO A LOT OF MONEY.

I THINK WILDLIFE GOES HAND IN HAND WITH COWS.

ONCE IT'S A SUBDIVISION IT'S GONE.

I LOVE THIS PLACE AND I LOVE HOW IT IS RIGHT NOW AND I WANT TO SEE IT STAY THAT WAY.

NARRATOR: TO KEEP IT THAT WAY LONG AFTER THIS MODERN-DAY GENERATION PASSES, THE SKINNER'S PUT A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON THEIR RANCH.

THAT MEANS IT CAN NEVER BE DEVELOPED NO MATTER WHO OWNS IT.

IT ALSO MEANS THE STRETCH OF HIGHWAY BORDERING THE RANCH IS WORTHY OF THE STATE'S NEXT WILDLIFE CROSSING.

THE PROPERTY IS IN THE DIRECT PATH OF THE ROCKY POINT MULE DEER MIGRATION.

ZACH LOCKYER: IT'S THE LARGEST NUMBER OF ANIMALS CROSSING A NARROW PATHWAY TO AND FROM WINTER AND SUMMER RANGE IN IN SOUTHEAST IDAHO.

THE TOPOGRAPHY AND THE WAY THAT HIGHWAY CURVES AROUND THE CORNER, IT'S JUST A NATURAL FUNNEL POINT FOR DEER TO MIGRATE DOWN THIS RIDGE AND CROSS.

IT'S ALSO POOR VISIBILITY FOR DRIVERS AND MOTORISTS AND SO WE JUST HAVE REALLY HIGH WILDLIFE-VEHICLE COLLISIONS THERE.

JUST THE MAGNITUDE OF THAT HERD AND THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS CROSSING A SMALL BOTTLENECK MAKES IT THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.

IF WE CAN ACHIEVE THAT GOAL WHERE ANIMALS ARE CROSSING SAFELY AND MOTORISTS ARE TRAVELING SAFELY THAT'S A WIN WIN.

BUT ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT LAND IS PROTECTED IN PERPETUITY DUSTIN SKINNER: WE DID A CONSERVATION EASEMENT WITH FISH AND GAME.

THEY CAN PUT THEIR CROSSING IN AND IT'LL SAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVING A BAD DAY ON THE HIGHWAY.

I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT US AS RANCHERS WERE WILLING AND ABLE TO HELP TO MAKE THAT PROJECT HAPPEN.

WE'RE PROUD AND HAPPY ABOUT IT.

I'M SURE IT WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

NARRATOR: THE TRIBES DO THEIR PART TOO.

THEIR TRADITIONAL, CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING DEPENDS ON IT.

CHAD COLTER: KNOWING THAT THIS IS OUR PERMANENT HOMELANDS REALLY DRIVES HOME THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT TO PROTECT IT.

WE CAN MAKE NO OTHER SAID PLACE OUR HOME.

THIS WILL BE OUR HOME FOREVER.

NARRATOR: FORT HALL INDIAN RESERVATION IS MORE THAN A HALF MILLION ACRES OF RANGELAND, WETLANDS AND FOREST.

THIS LAND IS FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED THROUGH TREATY AUTHORITY AS BELONGING TO THE SHOSHONE AND BANNOCK TRIBES.

CHAD COLTER: FISH AND WILDLIFE ON THE TRIBE'S PRIORITY LIST RANKS RATHER HIGH.

WE DON'T ALLOW FOR A LOT OF THE URBAN SPRAWL HERE.

WE'RE SEEING THAT URBAN SPRAWL COME RIGHT UP TO THE EDGE.

NARRATOR: DEVELOPMENT PUSHES IN ON ALL SIDES OF FORT HALL.

THE SHOSHONE-BANNOCK TRIBES CAN TELL BECAUSE WILDLIFE IS PUSHING IN TOO.

ONE THOUSAND DEER SHOWED UP AT FORT HALL.

ALONG WITH 8,000 UNEXPECTED ELK.

CHAD COLTER: I MEAN BOOM.

THAT FIRST BIG PUSH OF SNOW THESE ANIMALS JUST LEFT A PATH GOING OVER THESE MOUNTAINS THAT WAS VISIBLE FOR MILES.

EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE MULTIPLE USES, THIS IS A WORKING LANDSCAPE HERE, WE'VE MANAGED TO KEEP SOMETHING INTACT ENOUGH FOR THEM TO WANT TO COME BACK.

IT'S UNEXPECTED TO START MANAGING AN ACCOUNTING FOR A POPULATION OF THAT SIZE TO MOVE INTO YOUR BACKYARD.

NARRATOR: MORE THAN 100 OF THEM WERE HIT ON 1-15.

IT SLICES THROUGH THE RESERVATION RUNNING NORTH AND SOUTH FROM POCATELLO TO BLACKFOOT.

OF THE SEVERAL THOUSAND ELK WINTERING AT FORT HALL, SOMEHOW 400 OF THEM SUCCESSFULLY CROSSED I-15.

BUT WHEN SPRING THAW STARTED, THEY NEEDED TO CROSS BACK.

IN A LANDMARK OPERATION, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND FOR THE INTERSTATE THROUGH FORT HALL, I-15 CLOSED.

HUNDREDS OF ELK CROSSED IN A FEW HOURS ON EASTER SUNDAY WHILE FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC WAITED.

CHAD COLTER: I THINK WE WERE REALLY SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THOSE ANIMALS ACROSS.

I THINK A LOT OF OUR CREW WAS DYNAMITE IN GETTING IT DONE.

IT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT TO DO.

I WOULD RATHER HAVE THESE ANIMALS BE ABLE TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH ON THEIR OWN.

SO THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF PLANNING THERE BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T ALLOWED FOR A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT.

WE'VE KEPT IT TO A MINIMUM.

WHAT I WASN'T EXPECTING TO SEE WAS 10K ANIMALS WANTING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT PLAN.

EVENTHOUGH IT IS A BIG PROBLEM.

IT'S ONE THAT CAUSES ME HEADACHES ALL WINTER LONG.

THE REALITY IS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S NOT A BAD PROBLEM TO HAVE.

NARRATOR: THE IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY.

IT'S LOCATED IN WHAT'S KNOWN AS "THE BIG DESERT."

SITUATED BETWEEN IDAHO FALLS AND ARCO, IT'S ANOTHER UNDEVELOPED LANDSCAPE THAT THE WILD SEEKS.

SAM WILLIAMS, INL BIOLOGIST: THIS PLACE HAS BEEN HERE SINCE WORLD WAR II AND IT'S STILL WILDLY EMPTY.

JUST BEYOND US OUT HERE IS A BUNCH OF VIRTUALLY UNTOUCHED SAGEBRUSH.

IT'S INCREDIBLE.

NARRATOR: THE SITE IS 890 SQUARE MILES, WHICH IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF RHODE ISLAND.

THE LAND IS SET ASIDE FOR NUCLEAR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT.

ENGINEERS WORK OUT HERE, BUT SO DO BIOLOGISTS.

SAM WILLIAMS: WE'VE 8 FACILITIES OUT HERE THAT HAVE RELATIVELY SMALL FOOTPRINTS.

THE REST IS WIDE OPEN SPACES WHICH IS CONDUCIVE TO WILDLIFE.

WE ONLY GET ONE OF THESE ECOSYSTEMS OUT HERE.

IT'S REALLY EASY TO DESTROY HABITAT.

IT TAKES GENERATIONS TO PUT IT BACK.

RESEARCHERS COME HERE TO LOOK AT UNTOUCHED SAGEBRUSH HABITAT.

IT CAN SERVE AS A BASELINE FOR OTHER STUDIES TO ANSWER OTHER QUESTIONS.

THERE'S SO MANY COOL THINGS ABOUT THE SITE HAVING RESTRICTED ACCESS FOR WILDLIFE.

IT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE LAST PLACE THAT WOULD EVER GET TOUCHED FOR DEVELOPMENT.

IT'S GOT SO MANY SAFEGUARDS, SECURITIES AND LAYERS TO PROTECTING THE LAND AROUND HERE THAT IT'S A FANTASTIC PLACE FOR WILDLIFE.

NARRATOR: WHILE THE PROTECTION OF OPEN SPACE IS SECURED LONG-TERM IN SOME PLACES, IT'S NOT A GIVEN STATEWIDE.

GIVING WILDLIFE RIGHT OF WAY IN THE FUTURE SIMPLY COMES DOWN TO PRIORITIES.

FRANK EDELMANN: WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE THESE PRESSURES OF CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT.

THEY WILL CONTINUE, BUT WHAT I SEE IN MY CRYSTAL BALL OUT 20 YEARS, IS THAT THE VALUE FOR WILDLIFE AND ESPECIALLY BIG GAME BECAUSE THEY ARE SO VISIBLE AND THEY DO HAVE THE HUNTING NEXUS, THERE'S AN ECONOMIC NEXUS.

THERE'S JUST SO MUCH VALUE FOR IDAHO'S CULTURE.

I THINK THAT AS OUR CULTURE EVOLVES AND CHANGES AND IT WILL OVER 20 YEARS, IT HAS OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS, THAT WILDLIFE WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF THAT.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WANT TO CONSERVE THAT.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WANT TO KEEP THE WILDLIFE HERE BECAUSE OFTEN THAT'S WHY PEOPLE ARE HERE.

THAT'S WHY PEOPLE STAY.

THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY PEOPLE COME.

ANNOUNCER: FUNDING FOR OUTDOOR IDAHO IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE LAURA MOORE CUNNINGHAM FOUNDATION, COMMITED TO FULFILLING THE MOORE AND BETTIS FAMILY LEGACY, OF BUILDING THE GREAT STATE OF IDAHO.

BY THE FRIENDS OF IDAHO PUBLIC TELEVISION.

BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE SHOWS, VISIT US AT IDAHOPTV.ORG.