Summit County Citizens Voice

Information session will address winter impacts to big game herds

A herd of elk near Buena Vista, Colorado. PHOTO COURTESY DAVE HANNIGAN/COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — After watching elk grow weak and die during last year’s record-breaking snowfall, some residents of the Steamboat Springs region decided to take matters into their own hands.

They started feeding the elk, which may have saved a few individual animals, but can cause problems for the larger population, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife biologists. The best way to ensure healthy big game populations is with large-scale habitat improvement projects, the biologists said. Read an in-depth story on this issue in Steamboat Today.

“Last winter, due to the deep snow and difficult conditions, we had elk move into town and many people saw firsthand the impact an especially harsh winter can have on wildlife,” said Danielle Domson, wildlife manager for the Steamboat Springs South District. “The situation caused some concern, but we want to explain to everyone that what they saw was actually a natural part of an elk’s life cycle. Colorado Parks and Wildlife information big game management is online here (more…)

Filed under: climate and weather, Colorado, Environment, hunting, Snow and weather, Summit County news, wildlife | Tagged: Colorado big game, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado parks and wildlife, conservation, elk, Environment, Steamboat Springs elk, wildlife | 1 Comment »