SFW Wyoming wants to supplement the alfalfa pellets fed elk and bison on the National Elk Refuge at Jackson, WY, with hay.
The National Elk Refuge has all the alfalfa pellets it can possibly use. Hay was abandoned in favor of pellets many years ago. Hay is more likely to spread disease because, unlike the pellets, it is spread into just several locations while the pellets are evenly spread over a large area of the Refuge, but worry about disease has never deterred this bunch of “sportsmen” and their attitudes out of the 1940s and 50s.
This is a publicity stunt.
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is President of the Western Watersheds Project.
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During the Winter of 2004/05, I spent many days up the Gros Ventre drainage and watched as elk kicked the hay around, used it for bedding, then moved up above the feedgrounds every evening to feed on natural vegetation.. That’s not to say that they didn’t eat any of the hay, but from what I witnessed, G&F was throwing hay out every day, rather the elk ate it or not.. There was rotted hay all over two of the feed grounds at the end of winter. Hey, on second thought, at least the elk on the Refuge will stay warm with all the extra bedding!!
I believe this may also work for Pennsylvania whitetails. A new and lucrative market for farmers’ hay. And why not toss out a few salt blocks as well while using border collies to protect the critters from evil predators?