A winter of failure for brucellosis elk trapping near Pinedale, WY
In the second year of a project called “sadly misconceived” by conservationists, 173 elk were trapped at Muddy Creek feedground near Pinedale. 79 of the elk were adult females.
13 of the 79 tested seropositive for brucellosis and were slaughtered. “Seropositive” means the elk had antibodies — they had been exposed to brucellosis. A smaller percentage, undetermined, actually had brucellosis and were infectious.
The criticism is that the program is very expensive in time, effort, and unnecessary slaughter of elk, with few to no benefits because the petpetuation of the disease is in the winter feeding of Wyoming elk throughout the NW part of the state.
Story in the Casper Star Tribune. Numbers of elk trapped decline from last year. By Whitney Royster. Casper Star-Tribune environmental reporter.

Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He has been a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and also its President. For many years he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
Subscribe to Blog via Email
Recent Posts
- A Greater Yellowstone National Park Proposal July 5, 2022
- Key Impacts of Livestock Production (not just grazing) Upon the Land. June 21, 2022
- Climate Not Fuels Drive Large Blazes June 21, 2022
- Wolves in the West are collateral damage of human selfishness June 16, 2022
- Targeted Grazing–The Latest Magical Solution To Improve Rangeland Health June 16, 2022
Recent Comments
- Michael Kellett on A Greater Yellowstone National Park Proposal
- Rich on A Greater Yellowstone National Park Proposal
- Michael Lewis on A Greater Yellowstone National Park Proposal
- Chris Zinda on A Greater Yellowstone National Park Proposal
- Chris Zinda on A Greater Yellowstone National Park Proposal
- Mike Higgins on A Greater Yellowstone National Park Proposal
- Susan Rhem-Westhoff on A Greater Yellowstone National Park Proposal
- Mark L on A Greater Yellowstone National Park Proposal
- Beeline on A Greater Yellowstone National Park Proposal
- Mark L on A Greater Yellowstone National Park Proposal
- Johns David on A Greater Yellowstone National Park Proposal
- Michael Anthony on A Greater Yellowstone National Park Proposal
- Pamela W on A Greater Yellowstone National Park Proposal
- Michael Kellett on A Greater Yellowstone National Park Proposal
- Mark L on Wolves in the West are collateral damage of human selfishness