Sleighing the National Elk Refuge

Good Morning,

In preparation for our Winter Teaching Practicum, the Graduate Cohort explored the National Elk Refuge and the National Wildlife Art Museum.  These are two places that graduate students, as field instructors, can take students during program time.

This Morning's Hippie TV of the Tetons
Look at that moon!

Going to the National Elk Refuge was a really fun experience.  We met our tour guide at the entrance to the refuge, stock-piled into our SLEIGH, and off we went onto the refuge to meet the elk!

The Draft-Horses Taking Us to the Elk on the Refuge

The National Elk Refuge is very interesting.  The refuge was established in 1912 in order to provide winter habitat and preserve the Jackson Hole elk herd.  It was one of the first big game refuges established and was created as a result of the public interest in the survival of the Jackson elk herd.  Providing a habitat for approximately half of nearly 14,000 elk on the herd. 

There They Are!

As we traveled into the refuge, our tour guide talk about the history of the refuge, talked about the elk and their natural history, and answered any questions that we had.  When we take students on these sleigh rides, the tour guides also explained how our roles as field instructors can help support our tour guides during these tours with younger individuals.

So Majestic!

The grasslands are maintained with native plants and managed to produce enough natural forage for the elk through irrigation, seeding, prescribed burning, and other management activities.  The refuge is also managed throughout the summer and fall with hunting, to give the refuge land enough time to continue to produce the elk's vegetative food before they are allowed onto the refuge land.

Since the number of wintering elk on the Refuge is limited to avoid overuse of the range and spread of diseases common when herd animals are crowded.  As the winter season progresses, the management program enhances the winter elk habitat and reduce the need for supplemental feeding. 

Bull Elks Resting in the Early Hours of the Afternoon

The Refuge Has Carrying Capacity of About 5,000 Elk to Stay Here on the Refuge for the Winter

Some of the controversial activities and issues include the supplemental feeding of the elk (and bison), the management hunting program, spread of disease between elk and livestock, concentrated elk and bison populations on a limited wintering area, and the growing bison populations on the Refuge. 

Heart Exploding From Seeing the Elk Up Close

These sleigh rides were very informative, interesting, and gave us an up-close and personal viewing of the elk.  Not to mention our tour guides give that pure, raw, cowboy vibe and of course on a sleigh!

TheChristyBel