Regional Forest Service trails that are now closed include No. 134 (Norton Lakes), 145 (Rooks Creek), 146 (Moonlight Gulch), 117 (Greenhorn Gulch), 140 (High Ridge), 143 (Oregon Gulch) and the Mormon Hill, Deadman Creek and Copper Creek trails near Mackay.

All Forest Service roads and trails from Ross Fork to Bluff Creek in the Fairfield Ranger District are also closed to snowmobilers year-round, and roads and trails from Willow Creek to Fleck Summit are closed to snowmobilers from Dec. 1 through May 1.

The Forest Service’s yearly set of road and trail closures, implemented in partnership with Fish and Game, keeps animals from burning valuable fat reserves while trying to avoid humans.

According to the Bureau of Land Management—which is expected to implement its own set of closures on Jan. 1—off-leash dogs have been the main stressor to wintering deer and elk in the Wood River Valley, as they can resemble natural predators like coyotes or wolves.

On Dec. 13, the BLM stressed that it is illegal for dogs to actively chase wildlife—and owners who allow that behavior may be charged with a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

“Please remember … dogs should be leashed, under strict voice control or consider leaving them at home,” the agency stated in a press release.

The BLM is also asking that hikers that see deer or elk on a ridge turn around and find a new place to recreate, and encourage anyone behind them to do the same.

Small disturbances can quickly add up, according to John Kurtz, outdoor recreation planner for the BLM Shoshone Field Office, and Lisa Cresswell, the acting field manager of the office.

“We might think, ‘I only made them move a little bit.’ But if there are 20 or 30 or maybe 100 other people using that same area, and everybody is impacting [deer and elk] a little bit, those little bits add up to a lot of impact,” Kurtz said. “If you see wildlife, don’t wait for them to move or keep walking.”

The BLM also has the authority to implement conditional, non-motorized land closures if it finds that any recreational activity—for example, dog-walking—is negatively impacting wildlife. The agency can also bar humans from a region.

In past years, the BLM has partnered with the city of Hailey and Wood River Land Trust to to protect mule deer and elk by suspending uphill dog-walking on Red Devil Mountain, Hangman Gulch, Olympia Gulch, Buttercup Hill and Radio Tower Hill. Similar closures could go into effect around Hailey next year if dogs continue to harass ungulates, according to the BLM.