About 80 elk were herded back up to Parley’s Canyon on Sunday after it was decided they were a public safety risk, being close to I-80 during heavy traffic hours for the better part of a month. The elk moved down to a golf course in Salt Lake City for the green grass after being pushed down by the worse than normal winter conditions in the hills surrounding the valley this year. I-80 was briefly closed and the elk were herded across the Interstate and back up to the canyon where there isn’t any green feed. DWR figured these elk were in good enough condition and picked a nice day to push the elk off the golf course. It’s a tough call to do but public safety is of utmost importance.
This is a good reminder to give the deer and elk a break until green-up as shed season kicks in out West. If you are out there hiking around, even if you feel like you are being low impact, you will still spook deer and elk which stresses them at the most critical time of the winter, right now. March has been cold and snowy for much of the Western part of the country so it’s not looking good for our ungulate herds. Green-up hasn’t started in Wyoming so deer and elk are extremely depleted and weak and easily susceptible to stress and death. Unfortunately, I think the worst of the winter die-off has yet to come so please be aware of that when you consider going shed hunting or even hiking in the coming weeks.
If you absolutely have to get out and enjoy the outdoors, and I don’t blame you, try to recreate in areas with no wintering ungulates.
