Plans for 2021 and summary of 2020 Red Hill elk management will be presented, questions and comments welcomed

Boulder County, Colo. - Boulder County Parks & Open Space and Colorado Parks and Wildlife will host a neighbor meeting and open house on Tuesday, Aug. 3, from 5-6:30 p.m. to discuss the continuation of the Red Hill elk management plan for a second year.

This meeting is an opportunity to exchange information, ask questions, express concerns, and provide input before the start of the 2021 Red Hill elk management hunt. The hunt will begin Aug. 16 and run through Oct. 30. Hunting on adjacent open space property (see map below) was approved by the Boulder County Commissioners in 2020 to address a growing resident elk herd.

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Red Hill Elk Management Neighbor Meeting and Open House
Tuesday, Aug. 3, 5 – 6:30 p.m.
Beech Shelter Map & Directions
(Neva Road, west of Longmont)

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Boulder County and Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff will also present the results of the 2020 Red Hill elk management hunt. A summary of the 2020 hunt can be also found at boco.org/elk (click on the "Year 1:2020" tab).

The Red Hill elk herd makes use of county-owned properties closed to the public on either side of US 36 between Heil Valley Ranch and Table Mountain. The area has been historically utilized by the herd during fall and winter after migrating down from their summer range at higher elevations. However, a growing number of elk have recently ceased migration and now spend their summer at low elevation on county-owned properties and the Table Mountain area.

The elk herd’s rapid population growth has the potential to cause extensive damage to the highly diverse native plants and wildlife habitat of this area. Summering elk are also impacting tenants and neighbors’ private lands and fields. Additionally, this area has been noted as a dangerous highway elk crossing by the Colorado Department of Transportation with numerous vehicle-wildlife collisions.

For more information, including the Red Hill Elk Management Plan, please visit boco.org/elk or contact Elk Management Coordinator Jon DeCoste at jdecoste@bouldercounty.org or 720-526-8029.