Attracting Elk to Your Land

elk_6.jpg

 

Credit: Shutterstock

If you don’t have elk in your woodland, or would like to provide better habitat for your current elk residents, there are some simple things you can do to encourage a healthier elk community.

• Provide forage plants: Some good options include aspen, cottonwood, big leaf maple, hazelnut, huckleberry, thimbleberry, trailing blackberry, bear grass, cow-parsnip, false solomon’s seal, dandelion, serviceberry, red-twig dogwood, red alder, fireweed.
• Protect water sources: Conserve vegetation around water sources and protect them from road runoff and erosion.
• Restore disturbed areas: Where land has been disturbed or trees removed, make sure it is restored with native plants that provide good forage.
• Protect winter range: If you can reduce disturbance from humans, cars, and domestic dogs in winter, it will help elk survive the lean months.
• Ask the experts: Consult with local wildlife biologists on special actions for your area, which may include prescribed burning, which encourages elk browse to grow.
• Mineral blocks: Mineral blocks will also attract elk, but give this option some forethought. The minerals will leech into the ground if the block is not placed in an impermeable tub, and once they leech in, animals will dig and dig to get at the minerals, even long after the block is removed. You may end up with a very large pit where the block once was.

Native seed resources

• Native Seed Network: www.nativeseednetwork.org
• Heritage seedlings: www.heritageseedlings.com