The National Elk Refuge: Its History and Use Today
The National Elk Refuge, tucked between the Teton Mountain Range and Gros Ventre Wilderness in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is home to one of America's most spectacular wildlife displays. Where elk traveling in groups as large as 7,000 seek sanctuary during these harsh winter months. This lot stretches over 24,700 acres at the edge of Grand Teton National Park and serves as a crucial winter haven for one of the largest elk herds in North America. Established in 1912, the refuge was born out of necessity to shield these animals from the harsh winters and the rapidly changing landscape of the early 20th century. Today, it stands as both a testament to American conservation history and a blueprint for those to follow showing how communities can still protect wildlife patterns even as towns expand around them. Since its founding over a century ago, the National Elk Refuge has helped maintain the balance needed for both wildlife and the changing Western landscape.
“National Elk Refuge, Jackson, WY #2 by Ted Wood.” Fine Art America, fineartamerica.com/featured/2-national-elk-refuge-jackson-wy-ted-wood.html. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
The Jackson Hole valley has long been a natural winter sanctuary for elk, with Native American Tribes witnessing and following these migration patterns for generations. As settlers moved into the valley in the late 1800s, they began establishing ranches and farms that disrupted the traditional wildlife passages. The situation grew to a crisis during the winter of 1908-1909, when too much snow drove this unusually large herd of elk into the valley searching for food. With their normal grazing areas now fenced off by ranches, thousands of elk starved to death, pushing locals to take action. Led by Stephen N. Leek, who documented the elks' travels through photography and with support from the Wyoming legislature and local ranchers who donated land, the groundwork was laid for what would become the National Elk Refuge and in the following years, President Taft would formally set aside the first 1,000 acres for elk protection.
Warburton, Michael. National Elk Refuge Sleigh Rides, 4 Sept. 2024, www.nersleighrides.com/.
The National Elk Refuge’s landscape serves both as a natural sanctuary and a carefully managed wildlife preserve. Stretching across elevations from 6,200 to 7,200 feet, the diverse terrain of open meadows, marshlands, and steep slopes provide specific habitats for every animal from the thousands that migrate there throughout the year. During our cold winter months, supplemental feeding was used as a way of keeping track of the animals intake and health but recently a new Step-Down Plan for bison and elk has been implemented to reduce artificial feeding. This plan is a shift to end feeding times earlier in the season, encouraging elk to turn to natural food resources and will gradually decrease the number of elk relying just on the refuge to survive winter. Disease management, particularly for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), is another important focus for the refuge, allowing testing to minimize environmental contamination. Beyond the elk, the refuge’s wetlands attract trumpeter swans and a wide variety of water birds while bighorn sheep bounce around rocky slopes and bison graze in the lowlands. Through these specific feeding programs, the refuge maintains the balance as a winter sanctuary and a year round wildlife preserve while still adapting to modern conservation challenges.
Koshmrl, Mike. “Tribal Bison Hunt Expands on National Elk Refuge to Include Eastern Shoshone.” Casper Star-Tribune, 1 May 2024, trib.com/news/state-regional/tribal-bison-hunt-expands-on-national-elk-refuge-to-include-eastern-shoshone/article_7ea38b98-07d5-11ef-b038-eb24079ac38f.html.
Looking towards the future, the National Elk Refuge faces both challenges and opportunities in its conservation mission. With newly altering weather patterns in Jackson Hole, future weather consistencies may eventually affect the timing and routes taken by the elk. To adapt, refuge managers are constantly developing new strategies to maintain these past routes while still exploring new ways to help wildlife adjust to these shifting seasonal patterns. The refuge's new Step-Down Plan marks a significant shift toward more sustainable management practices, gradually reducing supplemental feeding while still making sure the herd is healthy. Development around Jackson continues to put pressure on those wildlife movements, pushing refuge officials to collaborate with surrounding landowners and other agencies to protect these key migration patterns. Population management has been the hardest to balance, maintaining herd sizes while preventing disease transmission. Despite the challenges, the refuge's commitment to research and attention to movement combined with new technologies for wildlife monitoring, disease surveillance and increased public awareness provides a strong foundation for future conservation to keep protecting our ecosystem.
Spomer, Ron. “Jackson Hole Elk Devastated by Hunting?” Ron Spomer Outdoors, Ron Spomer Outdoors, 1 June 2022, www.ronspomeroutdoors.com/blog/an9n1dp77s1wu3mrg11e9kihvymcha.
The National Elk Refuge represents a critical growth in wildlife conservation, transforming from an emergency response to elk starvation into a detailed wildlife management system. Today's refuge operates with careful attention to herd health, implementing strategic feeding regulations and disease monitoring to ensure sustainable populations. As the refuge adapts to new challenges like changes in climate and shifting migration patterns, its management practices continue to change, led by scientific research and decades of experience. The Step-Down Plan for Bison and Elk Management demonstrates this forward-thinking approach, gradually transitioning the herds toward more natural feeding patterns while maintaining the refuge's essential role as winter sanctuary. After more than a century of operation, the National Elk Refuge continues to strive to ensure the survival and health of one of North America's most significant elk herds.
Looking to learn more about the Elk Refuge and its inhabitants? Experience the National Elk Refuge from a sleigh, one of Jackson's most popular wintertime attractions: https://www.nersleighrides.com/
