While Idaho residents are lamenting heavy snowpack and icy roads, wildlife in the state have been struggling in the backcountry.
Idaho Fish and Game officials told the Post Register that the tough winter will likely mean higher mortality rates for elk and deer that are coping with heavily crusted snowpack.
The deep snow makes it harder for game to move around, with each step requiring more energy and sapping more of the animals' fat supplies. The crusted snow also makes it hard for deer and elk to uncover winter forage, further depleting their fat stores.
In Valley County, more familiar animals are struggling due to the snow. KTVB-TV reports a pair of horses has become stranded in a remote area near Boulder Lake. The Valley County Sheriff's Office is working to save the animals.
