Elk
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Recently, Rep. Cliff Bentz discussed wolf management in a forum in Pendleton, Oregon. Bentz represents Oregon’s second district, which includes nearly all of eastern Oregon. During his presentation, Bentz is reported in an article in the East Oregonian to have made several misleading statements about wolves and their impact on game animals. For example, Bentz…
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The snag forests that result from high-severity blazes are a unique and critical habitat for numerous species. Photo George Wuerthner I was backpacking with a friend up the Yellowstone River in the Teton Wilderness of Wyoming a couple of years ago. At various times, we passed through areas that had burned severely, likely in the…
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Escudilla Mountain rises above the landscape and dominates the views in northern Arizona. Photo George Wuerthner “Life in Arizona was bounded underfoot by grama grass, overhead by the sky, and on the horizon by Escudilla.” So begins Aldo Leopold’s memorable essay Escudilla in Sand County Almanac, where he describes the killing of Bigfoot, one of…
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Mule deer buck in Wyoming. Photo George Wuerthner Recently the Wyoming Game and Fish reported that between 2016 and 2020, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was found in over 60% of the mule deer tested in Central Wyoming. Recent testing suggests it may be as high as 78% of all deer evaluated. A map shows the…
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Emigrant Peak and Yellowstone River in Paradise Valley. The East Paradise Grazing Decision will increase grazing by livestock on Emigrant Peak and adjacent areas of the Six Mile Creek drainage, an important area for wildlife. Photo George Wuerthner The Custer Gallatin National Forest (CGNF) recently released its decision on the future of six East…
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The Elk Ridge Complex grazing allotments were closed to livestock grazing in 2015. Now the BTNF wants to open them to cattle grazing. Photo George Wuerthner The Bridger Teton National Forest (BTNF) has recently issued an Environmental Assessment to restock four vacant grazing allotments in the Upper Green River drainage north of Pinedale, Wyoming.…
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North Fork of Pogo Agie River, Cirque of the Towers, Wind River Range, Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming. Photo George Wuerthner The Shoshone National Forest lies directly east and south of Yellowstone National Park. It contains some of the most important wildlife habitat in the country, including significant numbers of elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, moose,…
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Concentrations of elk by artificial feeding at Wyoming Feedgrounds is spreading diseases like Chronic Wasting Disease. Photo George Wuerthner Wyoming Fish and Game Department has 22 elk feed grounds scattered around the western part of the state and feeds as many as 17,000 elk every winter. The agency currently has eight of its 22…
