The supplemental feeding program at the National Elk Refuge began Saturday. However, as reported in the last Biological Update, the Feeding Reduction Step Down Plan was released on December 31st, and consistent with that plan, biologists are using the same methods to determine when supplemental feeding begins as in recent years. When average available forage declines to 300 pounds per acre at key index sites, feeding is typically recommended. At this time, average available forage at key index sites has declined to 380 pounds per acre, down from 550 lbs. per acre on January 27th, and down from a baseline of 3,250 pounds per acre in early November. As in previous years, Biologist Eric Cole says the ration that elk receive over a week to 10-day period will gradually increase to allow their digestive systems time to adapt to the alfalfa pellet diet. After a period of initial adjustment, elk typically receive a ration of around 8 pounds of alfalfa pellets per animal per day. The refuge will attempt to end the feed season earlier than average as conditions allow. The principal goal is to shorten feed season length, reduce the likelihood that elk from other areas discover Refuge feedground – shifting elk winter distribution over time – and to ultimately reduce the number of elk wintering on the Refuge to 5,000 elk. At this time, it is estimated that at least 6000 elk will move onto the feedground during the early days of feeding.
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