| National Elk Refuge | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
 Wetlands on the National Elk Refuge | |
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| Location | Teton County, Wyoming, United States |
| Nearest city | Jackson, WY |
| Coordinates | 43°28′49″N110°44′53″W / 43.48028°N 110.74806°W /43.48028; -110.74806 |
| Area | 25,000 acres (100 km2) |
| Established | 1912 |
| Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Website | National Elk Refuge |
TheNational Elk Refuge is aWildlife Refuge located inJackson Hole in theU.S. state ofWyoming. It was created in 1912 to protect habitat and provide sanctuary for one of the largestelk (also known as wapiti) herds. With a total of 24,700 acres (10,000 ha), the refuge borders the town ofJackson, Wyoming, on the southwest,Bridger-Teton National Forest on the east andGrand Teton National Park on the north. It is home to an average of 7,500 elk each winter. The refuge is managed by theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of theU.S. Department of the Interior.
The refuge's elkmigrate from as far away as southernYellowstone National Park. Historically, they migrated to the present location of the refuge and further south into southwestern Wyoming during the fall, wintering on grassy plains that were both sheltered from weather and that maintained less snowfall or snow depth than surrounding lands. During the spring, the herd would follow the retreating snows and growing grasses back into the Yellowstone National Park region. The original size of the elk herd has been estimated to have been in excess of 25,000. By the end of the 19th century, the town of Jackson had developed on important winter range, blocking off some of the migration routes used by the elk. The elk herd was severely reduced in size due to the hostile climate and lack of food supply, in addition to hunting pressures by bothhomesteaders and surrounding Native American tribes (Bannock,Eastern Shoshone,Northern Shoshone,Crow,Salish).
A movement to protect the remaining herd and establish greater numbers was commenced in the early 1900s. When the Miller homestead was sold for $45,000 to the federal government, the refuge was established.
The elk herd survives the hard winters ofJackson Hole through a supplementary feeding program[1] and a lottery-based, permittedhunting program.[2] The elk haveantlers which are shed each year- theBoy Scouts of America have been collecting the antlers under permit since 1968[3] and selling them at auction, under agreement that 75% of the proceeds are returned to the refuge, where they are used for irrigation of the grasses to maintain maximum natural food supply. Ten to eleven thousand pounds (4,500 to 5,000 kg) of antlers are auctioned each year. The increase in value has resulted in a commensurate rise in antler theft, and the 2017 auction set a new record price of $18.79/lb.[4]
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The refuge also provides horse drawn sleigh rides to the public during the winter months so that visitors have the opportunity to see portions of the herd up close.
The furthest consistent migration of elk to the refuge is currently from the southern portion of Yellowstone National Park,[5] making it the second-longest ungulate migration in the lower 48 states. (The migration ofpronghorn between theGreen River basin and Jackson Hole is longer).
The refuge is nearly 25,000 acres (10,000 ha)[6] of meadows andmarshes along the valley floor,sagebrush and rock outcroppings along the mountain foothills. The largest single herd ofbison under federal management, comprising 1,000 plus individuals, also winter on the refuge.[7]Bighorn sheep, along withpronghorn,mule deer can be found. Rare sightings ofwolf packs andgrizzly bears have occurred, whilecoyotes andred foxes are more common. The most abundant birds includered-winged blackbirds,magpies,crows andravens, along withtrumpeter swans, which can be found along Flat Creek, which flows out of the refuge south into the town of Jackson. A total of 47 mammal species and 147 bird species have been documented on the refuge.
The refuge has a lower elevation and much milder climate than the rest of theGreater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which is why so many animals are drawn to winter on it. Most of it is snow-covered from November until March. Snowfalls are followed by sunny days, when some of the snow melts temporarily. South-facing slopes are free of snow for most of the winter.
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