History
The Salmon Region has sporadic history of winter feeding and currently does not have an active Winter Feeding Advisory Committee. Winter feeding last occurred in the late 90’s in the Stanley area.
January 23, 2017 status report
Significant numbers of elk are wintering adjacent to agriculture fields but are not currently at risk of significant mortality based on lack of nutrition. Fish and Game staff are working with landowners to address depredation problems - over 100 depredation complaints have been recieved because of elk. Fish and Game has significantly increased elk permits in the Salmon Region to decrease elk numbers and to haze animals away from private property. Additional depredation hunts were recently added to help address depredation problems.
Snow measurements and temperatures information has been gathered in the Sawtooth Basin and in the North Fork area. To date, emergency feeding criteria has not been met in either location. In addition, 177 elk were counted in the river corridor between Clayton and Lower Stanley. In general, elk appear to be in good shape and are not generally in places where they are pawing down to native vegetation with relative ease or near a hot spring where they are also finding vegetation. The Salmon Region has reconstituted a winter feeding committee made up of tow returning members from Stanley and three more new members from Challis and Salmon. The Committee will meet on Monday January 23, 2017 in Challis to discuss the criteria, current conditions, elk numbers and depredation problems.