Game and Fish Moves to Phase II of Elk Feedgrounds Public Collaborative By Wyoming Game and Fish Department
ELK FEED GROUNDS ARTICLE
IT’S BEEN SEVERAL YEARS SINCE the Wyoming Game and Fish Department fully evaluated management of their 22 elk feedgrounds. This is why the department has committed to and is leading a public collaborative process titled Elk feedgrounds: A challenge we can take on. “This process is the next step in the necessary progression of wildlife management, where we must continually shift based on science and emerging needs and issues. It’s an important evaluation, and we believe in doing it alongside our diverse stakeholders,” said Brian Nesvik, Game and Fish director. The collaborative process is phased. The first phase, which was completed in early 2021, involved a series of virtual public meetings designed to provide participants with a basic understanding of elk feedgrounds management and the challenges associated with them. Another component was listening to the public on what they wanted to learn about feedgrounds and answering their questions. “Our presentations were focused on providing interested members of the public with the information Game and Fish has — and continues to use — to make decisions regarding feedgrounds. Much of the presentation was aimed on ‘the why’ for Game and Fish-operated elk feedgrounds,” said Scott Edberg, deputy chief of wildlife. This summer marked the beginning of Phase II, which involves more in-depth learning and discussions with key stakeholders on topics that were identified in Phase I and during the six recent public meetings that were held across the state.
“We heard that constituents want to discuss similar issues and topics and provide input on the future of elk feedground management, so the stakeholder groups will meet those desires,” Edberg said. The stakeholder groups include agriculture/landowners, government/elected representatives, sportspersons, nongovernmental organizations, outfitters and guides, general public and academia. In these stakeholder focus groups, members will be asked to share perspectives, concerns and creative ideas in an open, respectful manner with members of the department’s steering team for use in the development of the long-term elk feedground management plan. “This is not a feedground closure plan. However, any number of options are on the table for the future of elk feedground management if they are in line with the primary objectives of the Department,” Nesvik said. “Game and Fish must be able to manage elk in northwest Wyoming to mitigate disease transmission to cattle and between elk and other wildlife species, reduce property damage, maintain publicly supported elk population objectives and hunting opportunity and manage competition with other species like mule deer on critical winter-range habitats.” The Department will hold public meetings to gather additional input once the draft elk management plan is developed, which is tentatively scheduled for June 2022. The final draft is slated to be presented to the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission in the Spring of 2023 for approval. More information on this public collaborative process, and a report on Phase I, can be found at: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/GetInvolved/elk-feedgrounds.
Please Help Us in This Fight to Keep the Feed Grounds Open You can support our effort by joining SCI @ safariclub.org and donations can be made payable to WYOGA by mailing your donation or payment through the WYOGA.org website. Mail to: WYOGA, P.O. Box 2650, Casper, WY 82602
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