Oregon Public Broadcasting

Wildlife managers have temporally closed two wildlife areas in Central and Eastern Oregon. The closures are part of an effort to protect big game populations.

Michelle Dennehy is a spokeswoman with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

She says in Grant County the Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area will close until mid-April. It's a stretch of land that spans about 50 thousand acres.

Northeast of there, the Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area near La Grande will be closed until March 31.

Dennehy says ODFW regularly closes wildlife areas this time of year. The closures help big game -- such as mule deer and elk -- survive the winter.

Dennehy explained, "During these months it’s natural for them to lose weight and to have low energy reserves. But basically, we don’t want to exacerbate the situation by having people or pets disturbing them."

Dennehey says the most recent closures are in addition to two other temporary closures that went into effect this past December, in Baker and Umatilla counties.