Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) staff recently captured elk in the Tobacco Root Mountains as a part of the Department’s ongoing brucellosis testing program. All the elk in this recent capture and testing procedure tested negative.
The capture process took place in both the northern and southern areas of the Tobacco Root Mountains. In the northern capture area. 100 cow elk were captured with the aid of a helicopter. 40 of these cow elk were also fitted with radio collars that will function for the next year. The northern portion of the capture area covers the country south of Interstate 90 from Whitehall to Three Forks.
The southern portion of the Tobacco Root capture area s north of Montana Highway 287 from Twin Bridges to the Virginia City Hill. In the southern capture, FWP officials caught 63 elk in this southern portion. These 63 elk also tested negative for brucellosis. There was some concern because elk in the nearby Ruby Mountains tested positive for the disease in 2020.
The goal of these operations was multifaceted as stated above. Firstly, the testing for brucellosis lets the FWP know the prevalence of the disease in the Tobacco Root Mountains. Secondly, the radio collars allow officials the learn more about seasonal ranges, migration routes, and the potential mixing of elk herds.
Brucellosis is a bacterial disease that can infect humans, cattle, bison, and elk and can result in abortion or the birth of weak calves. The disease is primarily transmitted through contact with infected birth tissues and fluids.
This capture project was a joint effort by the DOL and FWP.
You can read more about the Tobacco Root capture project by clicking here. Likewise, you can read more Montana hunting news by clicking here.
