RMEF Tops $1 Million in 2019 Elk Research

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation allocated more than one million dollars in funding to further elk-related scientific research in 2019. Those funds leveraged an additional $6.3 million in funding from other partners.

“Our mission to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat, and our hunting heritage would ring rather hollow without the constant infusion of up-to-date scientific research,” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer.

So far, in 2019, RMEF provided funding for 33 different research projects in California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. There are also three projects of national benefit.

Below are a few examples of RMEF’s 2019 research endeavors:

State Project Description

California Northern California elk population and recruitment

Colorado Impact of increasing human recreation on declining calf recruitment

Idaho Elk response to motorized roads and trails

Montana Effects of wildfire on elk forage and distribution

North Carolina Great Smoky Mountains elk monitoring, connectivity, and management

New Mexico Effects of Mexican wolves on elk, habitat use

Oregon Southern Blue Mountains elk distribution

South Dakota Cow elk survival in the Black Hills

Utah Factors limiting elk population growth in the Book Cliffs

Washington Assist with the construction of elk hoof disease research facility

Wisconsin Effects of wolves on elk population dynamics

Wyoming Determine migration pattern of the Targhee elk herd in Greater Yellowstone Area

National Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance applied research grant program

“It is imperative that we continue to work with partners on many fronts and in different locations, as we have for years, to gather all the quantified knowledge that we can about issues impacting elk and elk habitat,” added Henning.