Elk NetworkSmall Oregon Town Grapples with Overabundance of Elk

General | January 14, 2021

It is a beautiful sight. However, there are too many elk in too small of spaces in a small Oregon coastal town. Because of that, the town of Gearhart, approximately 90 miles northwest of Portland, is trying to determine how to reduce growing elk numbers.

“You’re going to start seeing very quickly a situation in which you are going to have very few, if any, options left to be able to start to bring down the herd to a manageable level,” Manuel Padilla, Oregon Solutions project manager, told the Seaside Signal. “That’s precisely why culling, although a tough decision, has been put forward and is strongly, strongly recommended.”

Biologists with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife concede elk numbers are much higher today than just ten years ago.

The town is considering culling a number of animals and donating the meat to nearby food banks.

(Photo source: Janette Berklund Staten)