The Greatest Threats to Elk and Their Habitat

In a recent conversation with Mark Holyoak, director of communication for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), we discussed some of the threats that face elk and their habitat in the U.S. today.

From the RMEF perspective, the greatest threats are two-fold. One of them is urban sprawl. In many places across the west, housing developments continue to push up into elk country and onto the foothills that were once important wildlife habitat.

“That’s all important habitat for elk and other wildlife,” Mark told us. “So it’s important that we as sportsman understand that and realize that if we push higher and higher as a human race up into those elevations, that we’re really taking away what’s up there.”

According to Mark, the second great threat is forest and land management.

“At the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, we’re heavily involved in habitat stewardship projects around the country,” Mark said. “We dole out millions of dollars in grants every year, for projects like forest thinning, prescribed burns and removing encroaching conifers that choke out the native vegetation.”

The RMEF is in an ongoing process of awarding grants for critical habitat projects. The funds for these grants come from RMEF volunteers and members who attend banquets and membership drives.

“Those funds are turned around on the ground, usually in the back yard where those folks live and for other projects around the country like elk reintroduction,” Mark explained. “We are always moving, always trying to put one foot in front of the other in an effort to move forward and improve the habitat that’s out there.”

Opportunities

The RMEF understands the critical tie between conservation and hunting. The tagline, “Hunting is Conservation” is a serious statement.

“One thing that I think everybody needs to understand that not everybody knows, even some hunters, is the importance that hunting plays in conservation,” Mark told us. “Hunting really is conservation. The funds that are generated by hunters are put back on the ground in all of the states where they live.”

Through taxes on guns and ammunition, license fees and donations to groups like the Elk Foundation, those funds are given right back to the land and the wildlife, to be used specifically for conservation, wildlife management, land projects, and habitat stewardship projects.

Legislative Issues to Watch

“We have been trying to let our members know of a couple of important legislative issues,” Mark told Guidefitter. “They are important because they directly transfer on the ground. One of them is the Land and Water Conservation Fund. It is due to sunset later this year and we’ve used those funds in the past to help fund all sorts of projects and make sure these projects happen.”

The RMEF is actively working on another act called the Resilient Federal Force Act. This is in the early stages and currently being introduced into committees. Basically it’s an effort to finally provide serious management to some of our federal forests. A lot of those forests are overgrown, have noxious weeds or face other management issues.

“If this thing can be pressed forward and voted upon by our lawmakers, this is an opportunity to introduce more forest improvement like prescribed burning and noxious weed treatment,” Mark explained. “These things will really improve the habitat for elk and deer and all sorts of other wildlife out there. That’s just another issue we have our eyes on.”

For more information on these issues, you can keep up with recent news and projects at RMEF.org. If you’re not already a member, we strongly encourage you to join the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and support your local chapter.