No matter the year, wildlife, especially elk, deer and moose can become entangled in items left around homes and farmyards around Idaho. These entanglements tend to happen more frequently during the winter months but can happen anytime when wildlife is attracted to neighborhood yards and farms. As the calendar moves quickly towards the winter months this is a great time for Idaho residents to inspect their properties for items that could entangle wildlife. If potential entanglement items are found, we ask property owners to remove and securely store them in an area that wildlife cannot access. 

Entanglements happen every year

In the winter of 2022-2023, numerous instances of wildlife entanglements occurred in the Wood River Valley, in southcentral Idaho. One of the most common entanglements was wire tomato cages around the necks of elk. Tomato cages are particularly troublesome because removal typically will not occur without human intervention.