Elk NetworkNational Elk Refuge May Drop Elk Feeding Program This Year

General | February 16, 2018

Wyoming is seeing a mild winter like it’s not seen in years. And because of that, officials at the National Elk Refuge may not implement its annual elk feeding program for the first time in almost four decades.

“This is a very unusual winter, and outside the realm of my experience in 20 years here,” Eric Cole, National Elk Refuge biologist, told the Jackson Hole News and Guide. “We have zero snow at any of our monitoring sites. At the headquarters monitoring site, the average is 12 inches this time of year. This is usually when the snowpack depth peaks.”

Cole says elk are moving to the north in search of forage where they can find it.

(Photo source: Randy Mead)