Thanks to Commissioner Cothren for elk support

To The Eagle:

With snow in the Grays River Valley this morning, it’s a lovely sight to wake up to 50 or so elk bedded down just across the road from my house. I watched them while drinking my coffee and marveled at the good life they have in this valley with easy grazing, a safe environment, and water nearby in the river. It was painful, though, as they got up, to see at least three cows and one young bull limping from the hoof disease that weakens them day by day till they can barely move at all.

I applaud Commissioner Cothren’s work to help WDFW determine what is causing the hoof problems in “our” elk. I have heard the theory that it comes from the domestic animals in the valley where the elk graze. I have a tough time with that one. Elk have grazed side by side with cows from all the dairy farms that used to be here 100+ years ago and they thrived. We still have a number of dairy, as well as beef, herds here, but not nearly as many as there used to be. I am so glad to read that Commissioner Cothren has found someone with another idea. I welcome the new ideas and new voices as WDFW looks at the problem.

I am proud to be one of the residents of Grays River Valley where we have our own “refuge” for elk without anyone setting standards or protocols or telling us how to “manage” them. They do just fine on their own and for the most part, we welcome them, especially at this end of the valley where we don’t have too many fences for them to tear down! They can wander from east to west without being harassed or bothered. They even ignore my dog when she wanders out amongst them. It’s sad there aren’t as many cow herds as in the past, but it does give our elk a wonderful open refuge offered up by landowners who honor them as our “other neighbors.” They can do damage to the soil with their hoofs, and they destroy fences, but for most of us, it’s a joy to have them here. I’m sure some of the landowners get tired of replacing fences, but in the past few years the herd seems to stay in the open pastures so hopefully fences aren’t being torn down as much as they were historically. Thanks, Dan, for keeping up with the hoof problems. As always, we appreciate your hard work.

Karen Bertroch, Grays River