Adult Cow Elk Survival
Salmon/Upper Snake Study Area

Fish and Game collared 151 cow elk in the Salmon region of Idaho, including Unit 60A in the Upper Snake River Region. In the first year of the study survival of those elk has been very high. The predominantly green chart here shows overall survival among the collared elk, the other chart shows cause-specific mortality for those elk that died.

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.