Harris Ranch Wildlife Mitigation Association

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Year Round Local Wildlife

Wildlife and Plants

Harris Ranch continues to grow and become a thriving residential community. The community is surrounded by natural habitat along the river and in the foothills. Our mission is to preserve this habitat that is an important home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. Many of these native plants are unique to Idaho and they are vital to the continued survival of wildlife in our state.

In an effort to ensure the survival of flora and fauna, the HRWMA encourages people to respect this important habitat. When hiking in the foothills or along the Boise River, please stay on designated trails to avoid interaction with wildlife and to protect plants underfoot. Please keep this in mind as you enjoy the Boise Foothills. Leashes are required when exercising any dogs in the foothills. Please do your part and help protect remaining wildlife and surrounding habitat!

MULE DEER

Over 7,000 mule deer winter in the Boise River Wildlife Management Area, adjacent to Harris Ranch development. View this 4-minute video on deer migration in Wyoming; the deer in the Boise Foothills migrate similar distances from their summer range.

LONG-BILLED CURLEW

The long-billed curlew is the largest sandpiper in North America. Adults have a very long bill curved downwards, a long neck and a small head; the female has a much longer bill than the male.

PRONGHORN The pronghorn is the fastest land mammal in the western hemisphere. It can run 35 miles/hour for up to 4 miles; 42 miles/hour for 1 mile; and 55 miles/hour for half a mile. It is often cited as the 2nd fastest land animal, second to the cheetah.

ELK

Elk seem to prefer mountainous country with mixed open,
grassy meadows, marshy meadows, river flats, aspen parkland, as well as coniferous forests, brushy clearcuts, forest edges, and shrub steppe. Some populations live year-round in sagebrush desert, using grass-shrub for feeding and tall
shrub or pole timber for resting in spring.

AMPHIBIANS

At Harris Ranch, amphibians can likely be found along or near the Boise River, the artificial trout spawning stream, in wetland areas, and along or near canals. Although generally associated with wet areas, some amphibian species can range quite a distance from a given water source. For those species the much of the total Harris Ranch property may be important habitat.

For Youngsters Too!