Adult Cow Elk Survival
All Study Areas

In 2005 Fish and Game biologists and volunteers fitted 337 adult cow elk with radio collars. Since that time we have been tracking the animals to monitor their survival. To date overall survival among the collared elk has been relatively high. The causes of death have come from a variety of sources.

When healthy predator populations exist, mortalities due to predation normally make up the majority of deaths. Wildlife managers are more concerned with the rate of survival than the percentage of animals killed by predators. Adult cow elk survival over 85% is generally considered normal and sustainable.