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Elk survive winter well at volcano wildlife area

The Columbian
Published: May 19, 2011, 12:00am

TOUTLE — Despite heavy spring snowfall, elk in the Mount St. Helens Wildlife Area came through the winter relatively well.

Last week, Department of Fish and Wildlife staff and 21 volunteers, mostly from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, surveyed the wildlife area in the Toutle River valley for elk mortalities due to winter stress.

The total number of mortalities counted on the wildlife area this winter was 29.

After the harsh winter of 2008, more than 150 elk carcasses were counted in the wildlife area, despite a hay feeding program for the animals.

Last fall, conditions in the Mount St. Helens region were cold and wet, followed by the early part of winter, which was fairly dry.

However, March brought cold weather and high snowfall, increasing the snowpack to almost twice the average, according to the WDFW.

Elk tend to concentrate along the Toutle River mudflow in the wildlife area during winter months when deep snow covers forage at higher elevations.

In years of the most severe winter conditions, approximately 800 elk have been observed on the wildlife area.

The highest winter counts for this year were 368 elk recorded in December and 367 in January. This month, only 46 elk were counted.

This year’s winter losses are less than 10 percent of the maximum herd count this winter, which is considered normal for the location.

Grants awarded — Research at Mount St. Helens plus habitat improvement in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest will be financed with grants in 2011 from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

The Montana-based ground will grant a total of almost $157,000 in Washington spread over Skamania, Lewis, Cowlitz and seven other counties.

“Along with research on elk population densities and forage use at Mount St. Helens, we’re also funding habitat projects like prescribed burns, forest thinning, weed treatments and guzzler installations,’’ said David Allen, foundation president. “These projects could add well over 25,000 acres to the 391,805 acres that we’ve already helped to conserve or enhance for wildlife in Washington.’’

Projects, by county, include:

• Cowlitz County — Begin a two-year research project on forage quality and elk population densities in late-succession forest habitat surrounding Mount St. Helens (also affects Lewis and Skamania counties); lime, fertilize and reseed native grasses on state lands in the Mount. St. Helens area.

• Skamania County — Treat noxious weeds and do prescribed burns at retired nursery fields to improve forage for elk and deer in the Wind River area of Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

• Lewis County — Enhance elk forage areas by thinning forest plantations in the Davis and Greenhorn creek areas of Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

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