Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Opinion Paper

        Elk herds are causing damage to agricultural interests outside the boundaries of the Arid Lands Ecology Reserve Unit (ALE) on the western side of the Monument. Because there is little predation and no hunting on the ALE, it has created a situation which allows the elk herd to leave the Monument to pursue forage (often on agricultural lands), and then retreat to the ALE and use it as a refuge.  Hunting on adjacent private and public lands is not as effective as it could be, due to largely private land holdings outside the Monument.