A sign of things to come
Agencies want reasons to close land. Wintering mule deer offer that opportunity. I predict we will see more of this.
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The harsh weather this past winter has forced the Bureau of Land Management to leave the the St. Anthony sand dunes closed for an extra month.
Normally the dunes open to the public on April first but the Department of Fish and Game has been feeding 800 mule deer on the dunes.
Food has been sparse for the animals and they could die if people get too close.
John Hansen, Dept. Fish & Game: “We kind of liken it to the fact they only have so much gas in their gas tanks and they’re running on empty bout this time of year. March and April are typically the months when we see the majority of the winter kill.”
The dunes have been and will remain open east of Egin Lakes but no one is allowed to go west of the lakes.
Sheriff Ralph Davis, Fremont Co. Sheriff’s Office: “We will monitor that from the air and from patrol vehicles and there will be citations. We won’t be giving warnings on this.”
The sheriff says the crusted snow is also very dangerous for people to play or ride ATV’s on.
All of the dunes should be ready to open on May 1.
