View Elk This Saturday In Springville

Photo Courtesy Scott Root, DWR

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is holding an elk viewing event this Saturday, February 5th at the DWR central region office located at 1115 North Main Street in Springville. The DWR will have spotting scopes and binoculars on hand to allow the public to view elk that are wintering above the valley floor on the mountains above Provo and Springville. The event will run from 9:00 a.m. until Noon.

DWR Conservation Outreach Manager Scott Root states “I have been watching over 100 elk and many deer east of Springville and Provo for the past month. Elk and deer utilize these critical winter range areas above the valley floor because the sun burns off the snow and exposes much needed vegetation. Many people have no idea that herds of these magnificent big game animals can often be viewed right from their homes. Within a month or so as the temperatures rise and the snow melts, the elk will climb up and over the mountain and be out of view again.”

Elk are the second largest member of the deer family and are easy to identify in the field. Mature males, called bulls, may weigh up to 700 pounds, stand five feet at the shoulder and measure eight feet from nose to rump. Their antlers can weigh approximately 50 pounds. Mature females, called cows, may weigh up to 500 pounds, stand four and a half feet at the shoulder and measure six and a half feet from nose to rump. For questions about the event, contact Root at (801) 491-5656.

The DWR also offers a closer view of elk at Hardware Ranch near the town of Hyrum in northern Utah. For more information on seeing elk at Hardware Ranch visit the DWR’s website at: http://wildlife.utah.gov/hardwareranch/  or call (435) 753-6206.