In 2024, RMEF closed on a 23-acre piece of stellar Idaho elk country that created a gateway to access to more than 13,000 acres of public lands. In the heart of this chunk of ground lays the property’s namesake mountain, a popular destination for hunters who put in work to hike the miles back to it. Access to Elk Mountain blinked out in the last decade or so as properties in the area that had long-since had public access agreements shifted hands and closed off. So when word got around that tides were changing thanks to RMEF working with a conservation-minded landowner to purchase the property, volunteers didn’t shy away from turning out to get the parcel ready to be opened to the public.
Volunteers from RMEF and partner organizations such as STIHL, onX and Eberlestock met up on a Thursday in the middle of September ready to get their hands dirty. While local contractors worked on making a gravel parking lot, volunteers helped mark property lines, etch in a trail through the acreage and build an informational sign about the property in the parking lot.
Many of these volunteers were locals. “We were joined today by a lot of local members and volunteers that live in the area between Carey, Bellevue and Hailey that came out and helped support us with this project,” said Regional Director for southern Idaho Jameson Sharp. “Many of which have hunted the area most their life and are excited and looking forward to having a solid access point for them to enjoy every year.”
Tim Olsen was one of those locals who was excited to see access reopen. He explained that he had tried to access the mountains beyond the property from a trailhead a few miles away, but that even with horses it was too dangerous and difficult of a trek to be feasible. He has been an RMEF member for many years and was elated to see dollars being put to work in his backyard. “This is just 10 miles from my house and I’ve hunted here a lot, so I was totally on board as soon as I heard about it to be all in,” he says.
But it wasn’t just locals that attended, Sharp was also proud to have had volunteers from across the state make the trek to come lend a hand. Some of them drove hours to put their work boots on soil their hunting boots may not ever set foot on.
One duo came out of the mountains to help; their pickup truck was loaded down to resume elk hunting afterwards.
When the day’s work concluded, former RMEF lands operations manager Ryan Chapin thought it shouldn’t go without noting that many volunteers were likely sacrificing hunting time of their own to be there.
“Thanks for taking time to be with us here today and work,” said Chapin before adding, “in the middle of the elk rut!”