Hanford Area Elk Trans-located

Last winter 157 elk were captured on the Hanford Arid Lands Ecological Reserve and re-located to Northeastern Washington and the Blue Mountains. Here the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is working on enhancing both elk habitat and populations. Major project cooperators include the Pend Oreille County Sportsmen’ Club, the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Energy, Battelle Corp., Yakama Indian Nation, and the Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife.

Since elk naturally colonized the Hanford Area beginning in the early 1970’s, their population there has grown to such a high level in recent years that they could potentially damage their range as well as surrounding private farm lands. Hence, 82 elk were live-captured in February and March of 2000 and released into Pend Oreille County. An additional 75 elk were captured and released into the Blue Mountains in early March.

Out of the 157 trans-located elk, 22 yearling or adult cows, were outfitted with radio transmitters. There were 13 radio-transmittered elk released in northeastern Washington. These animals have been faithfully tracked every week since release by volunteers from the Pend Oreille County Sportsmen Club. Only two of these transmittered elk have died, one within a few days following release from Cougar predation. The other eleven are still emitting normal radio signals. There have been good indications that many have mixed in with "native" northeastern elk which should enhance the probability of their survival and reproduction. None of the radio-transmittered elk have migrated further than approximately 10 air miles beyond the original respective release site for each.

In the Blue Mountains there were 9 radio-telemetered elk released on March 7 and 8, 2000. Two of these animals died within several days of release probably due to capture-related problems. The other seven have remained with other elk within 20 air miles of the release site. These elk have integrated with resident elk within the Lick Creek area. Hanford-released elk in the Blue Mountains are being monitored by personnel with the WDFW along with volunteers from the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council.

Planning and coordination are currently taking place for carrying out a second capture and transplant effort in early 2001.

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