Pine beetles affect natural shelter for elk in new wildlife study – ABC FOX Montana

A study on pine beetle infestation in forests at the Elkhorn Mountains is coming to a close, after tracking over 40 elk for three and a half years.

The study from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks originally started in 2015, when the agency captured and collared 30 cow elk and 15 bulls to see how pine-beetle-infested areas affected their movements and habitat.

According to F.W.P. Wildlife Biologist Kelly Proffitt, it turns out that pine beetles didn’t impact the amount or quality of food for elk, despite beetle infestations on 90% of pine trees in the area. However, they did discover that areas affected by the insects had less plant life, which meant less cover for the animals.

“The reduction in canopy cover, closed canopy cover has the potential to impact security for elks and make them overall less likely to use these areas,” said Proffitt.

The collared elk had a tendency to move to areas with more natural shelter in the summertime, as a way of finding better protection from the heat. In the study, the animals still relied on vegetation in affected areas during the fall and winter to hide themselves from hunters, but elk activity was less compared to studies from the 1980s and ‘90s.

Less security for elk may make it more difficult for hunters, as the animals could move to more private lands as a result. FWP says it’s working with the u-s forest service to maintain that security.

Several departments helped fund the study, including F.W.P, the U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Montana’s Department of Military Affairs.

An official report from F.W.P. is expected to be released on June 1.