winter elk feeding Winter feeding programs designed to boost elk populations, prevent their interactions with livestock and reduce depredation of haystacks are commonplace in the West. Unfortunately, elk herds that concentrate on these feeding grounds are more likely to be infected with brucellosis and may facilitate the spread of chronic wasting disease than elk that winter “out”. In addition, winter feeding programs are expensive. Discontinuing winter feeding programs may be necessary to decrease the spread of disease and reduce costs.

elk winter grazing Current research at Utah State University is using behavioral techniques to train elk to reduce reliance on supplemental winter feed while maintaining current elk populations and reducing human wildlife conflicts. Graduate student Dax Mangus, USU Professor Fred Provenza and Deseret Land and Livestock wildlife manager Rick Danvir are testing the effectiveness of range improvements, strategic cattle grazing, dispersed supplemental feeding, hunting, and herding as tools to distribute and hold elk in desired areas during the winter. The study is being conducted at Deseret Land and Livestock in Rich County, Utah. Researchers hope to decrease dependence on supplemental winter feed and reduce the risks of disease while keeping human-wildlife conflicts at a minimum and elk populations in northern Utah at or near their current size. It will also provide a more complete understanding of winter feeding behavior in large ungulates and will assist in forming more economical winter feeding practices and policies for elk, mule deer, and pronghorn in the West.

This project is funded by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.