HYRUM, Utah — The herd of elk that can be found at Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area during the winter months is both a site and a sound to behold. Not only do the elk offer picturesque views for horse-drawn sleigh rides, but they also provide valuable insight for Utah’s biologists studying elk populations.
On Friday morning, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources used the trapping facilities at Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area to capture 40 elk calves to identify characteristics of Northern Utah’s elk population. Next week, the same team will capture the adults to test them for brucellosis.
DWR conservation outreach manager for the division’s Northern region Mark Hadley said the division does this each year to stay up to date on the herd’s health.
“We really want to try and stay on top of what’s going on with our elk herds and hopefully maintain a healthy herd,” Hadley said.
A team of DWR officials, biologists and volunteers ran each elk calf through a squeeze shoot, where they were then weighed, tagged and collared with a GPS device. DWR Biologist Sam Robertson said they capture and tag these calves to watch their movement — similar to the annual deer capture performed by the division.