Wyoming Wildlife May 2024 - 9

NEWS
The overall goal of the Wyoming Elk Feedgrounds Management Plan is to feed elk in a way that limits disease transmission while also working to reduce the reliance of elk on supplemental feed.
(Photo by Mark Gocke/WGFD)
Commission approves elk
feedgrounds management plan
CHEYENNE - The culmination of one of
the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's
most involved public collaborative efforts to
date has resulted in a management plan for
elk feedgrounds.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission
approved the department's Wyoming Elk
Feedgrounds Management Plan at its March
meeting in Pinedale. The overall goal of the
plan is to feed elk in a way that limits disease
transmission while also working to reduce the
reliance of elk on supplemental feed.
Feedgrounds maximize
hunt ing
opportunities while limiting winter mortality,
elk damage, brucellosis risk to cattle and
competition with other wintering wildlife.
However, feedgrounds present concerns for
disease transmission, habitat management
and the long-term health of elk populations.
" Managing elk feedgrounds remains a
complex and debated issue, " said Cheyenne
Stewart, Game and Fish wildlife management
coordinator in the Jackson Region. " The
department is responsible for managing
current challenges as well as the new threat of
chronic wasting disease. Having management
direction approved by the Commission
is a major accomplishment and ensures
department personnel are aligned in their
approach. "
Regional Game and Fish wildlife managers
will now be tasked with developing adaptive
feedground management action plans with
local stakeholders for the 21 Game and Fishoperated
feedgrounds. Each feedground
management action plan will identify the
unique challenges of each feedground and
determine the appropriate combination of
strategies to accomplish the overarching
goals of the plan while staying within the
sideboards.
The plan includes the following sideboards:
* Adhere to the standard department
process for elk herd unit population
objective review with public process and
Commission approval for any proposed
changes.
* Prioritize hunting opportunities as the
primary tool to manage elk populations
toward the Commission-approved herd
unit objectives.
* Minimize elk damage to private property,
disease transmission to livestock
and negative economic impacts to
livestock producers.
* Minimize competition with other wintering
wildlife species.
Included in the plan is history, key
current issues, disease management, elk and
feedground future direction and education
and public outreach regarding Wyoming elk
feedgrounds. There also is direction to Game
and Fish employees to ensure a unified goal
for long-term elk feedground and disease
management.
" By developing a feedground management
action plan with stakeholder and public input
for each elk herd unit with feedgrounds, the
department can implement the approved
management plan adaptively, " Stewart
said. " This was a critical concern voiced
by stakeholders and the public during the
collaborative process. "
- WGFD staff
SCAN THE QR CODE TO
LEARN MORE ABOUT
ELK FEEDGROUNDS IN
WYOMING.
Wyoming Wildlife | 9
https://wgfd.wyo.gov/get-involved/public-working-groups/elk-feedgrounds
Wyoming Wildlife May 2024

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