A Reason To Give

Seeing elk in elk country feeds our souls. It renews our spirit and makes the mountain come alive. The mountain without elk is not a complete picture. It's the combination of seeing such a wild and magnificent animal on some our country’s most beautiful land that makes the experience fulfilling. The sad news is we are losing a little bit of both each year as the human population grows and quality elk habitat becomes scarce.

Elk in the spring are drawn to fresh new plants sprouting from the earth. Alfalfa and grass hay is a favorite. Farmers prep the land to take advantage of spring snow and rain. Hay will flourish with the slightest hint of spring precipitation. And it’s also here where you will find desperate elk (and deer) taking advantage of such fine foods. Elk gather up any energy they can to make the trek out of the mountains and down to lower elevations where spring comes sooner. They are weak and hungry. It is on some of these farms where elk can regain some strength by eating high quality browse. It’s food that they wouldn’t get in the wild until May or June. Elk will eat hay in these fields all-night and return to the mountain when it’s still dark out. That’s when they are at risk, crossing roads in the pitch dark.

I travel Highway 36 from Boulder to Lyons, Colorado often on bicycle and by my trusty old pickup in March and April. Along this stretch of road I see a lot of dead animals. Elk cross near Elk Mountain Ranch. They cross exclusively along a 3-5 mile stretch of road coming off Elk Mountain destined for rich hay fields on the other side of Highway 36. Sure there are deer crossing signs to warn motorists but accidents still happen. Though there are a couple places where they can cross under the road there is only a barbed wire fence keeping them from crossing the road. Elk won’t hesitate to jump a fence to get after quality food. Horses are boarded at Elk Mountain Ranch and they cross under the road through a tunnel. Elk (and deer) could do the same thing and reduce if not eliminate future elk and auto accidents. The elk need a little help. They need to first discover the tunnels and also to realize that is the only place to cross. What this stretch of road needs is a ten-foot fence running both sides of the road along this area. This will force the elk to cross under the road using the tunnels. The Wyoming Department of Wildlife has already successfully proven this theory.

The mature cow in these photos could have been pregnant with a young calf. She sure looked healthy and her stomach was well rounded. Both her back legs were broken near the hocks and her guts were hanging out her back end. Massive internal injuries were also evident by the pool of blood spilled from her mouth now soaked into the dry dirt shoulder of the road. I’ve reported her to the Colorado Division of Wildlife so they could test her for possible Chronic Wasting Disease and potential pregnancy. It’s a sad situation because she could have been the mother of a proud young bull or cow in May. Her death could easily have been two.

We’re in contact with State officials and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to raise funds to put up the fence along this stretch. Once we get the money we will need volunteers to help put the fence up. Over the years this fence will save many wildlife and vehicles accidents. It’s the least we can do to help preserve the future of elk in this area.

As the human population increases elk country gets smaller. The rate is slow and hard to notice unless you are paying close attention. I think the future of elk is up to us. Through the RMEF and volunteers we can fight to save the elk and the land little by little. Let’s not wait until it’s too late. Let’s do something today.

(See larger image by just clicking on photo)