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154-693: Klondike Glacier is in Shoshone National Forest , in the U.S. state of Wyoming on the east of the Continental Divide in the Wind River Range . Klondike Glacier is in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness , and descends from the northeastern slopes of Pedestal Peak . The glacier flows east into a proglacial lake and shares a glacial margin with Grasshopper Glacier to the north. This article about

308-531: A misfolded protein known as a prion , affects the brain tissue in elk, and has been detected throughout their range in North America. First documented in the late 1960s in mule deer, the disease has affected elk on game farms and in the wild in a number of regions. Elk that have contracted the disease begin to show weight loss, changes in behavior, increased watering needs, excessive salivation and urinating and difficulty swallowing, and at an advanced stage,

462-439: A day or two, and matings usually involve a dozen or more attempts. By the autumn of their second year, females can produce one and, very rarely, two offspring. Reproduction is most common when cows weigh at least 200 kilograms (440 lb). Dominant bulls follow groups of cows during the rut from August into early winter. A bull will defend his harem of 20 cows or more from competing bulls and predators. Bulls also dig holes in

616-617: A distinct species, namely the Central Asian red deer ( Cervus hanglu ), which also includes the Kashmir stag . Elk have thick bodies with slender legs and short tails. They have a shoulder height of 0.75–1.5 m (2 ft 6 in – 4 ft 11 in) with a nose-to-tail length of 1.6–2.7 m (5 ft 3 in – 8 ft 10 in). Males are larger and weigh 178–497 kg (392–1,096 lb) while females weigh 171–292 kg (377–644 lb). The largest of

770-515: A dozen subspecies. But mitochondrial DNA studies conducted in 2004 on hundreds of samples from red deer and elk subspecies and other species of the Cervus deer family, strongly indicate that elk, or wapiti, should be a distinct species, namely Cervus canadensis . DNA evidence validates that elk are more closely related to Thorold's deer and even sika deer than they are to the red deer. Elk and red deer produce fertile offspring in captivity, and

924-459: A global linkage of atmospheric conditions over time. The small glaciers in the forest are less able to resist melting than the great ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica . Once a glacier begins retreating, it may fall into disequilibrium and be unable to find mass balance ( accumulation versus melting rate) at any size. Without a favorable climate change , it will continue to retreat until it disappears. Loss of glacial ice already reduces

1078-484: A human getting variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease . Antlers are also used in artwork, furniture and other novelty items. All Asian subspecies, along with other deer, have been raised for their antlers in central and eastern Asia by Han Chinese , Turkic peoples , Tungusic peoples , Mongolians , and Koreans . Elk farms are relatively common in North America and New Zealand. Native Americans have used elk hides for tepee covering, clothing and footwear. Since 1967,

1232-401: A large animal, buglings can reach a frequency of 4000 Hz. This is achieved by blowing air from the glottis through the nasal cavities. Elk can produce deeper pitched (150 Hz) sounds using the larynx . Cows produce an alarm bark to alert other members of the herd to danger, while calves will produce a high-pitched scream when attacked. Female elk have a short estrus cycle of only

1386-620: A location in Wyoming is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about a glacier in the United States is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Shoshone National Forest Shoshone National Forest ( / ʃ oʊ ˈ ʃ oʊ n i / shoh- SHOH -nee ) is the first federally protected National Forest in the United States and covers nearly 2,500,000 acres (1,000,000 ha) in

1540-591: A long season for winter activities. Shoshone National Forest forms the eastern boundary of Yellowstone National Park and the northeastern and eastern entrances to the park are both accessed by way of designated scenic roadways. A federally designated National Scenic Byways All-American Road , the Beartooth Highway (U.S. Highway 212), weaves through the forest and serves as the northeastern entranceway to Yellowstone National Park. Chief Joseph Scenic Byway ( Wyoming Highway 296 ) connects Cody, Wyoming with

1694-491: A mean weight of 275 kilograms (606 lb). The elk is the second largest extant species of deer, after the moose . Antlers are made of bone, which can grow at a rate of 2.5 centimeters (0.98 in) per day. While actively growing, a soft layer of highly vascularized skin known as velvet covers and protects them. This is shed in the summer when the antlers have fully developed. Bull elk typically have around six tines on each antler. The Siberian and North American elk carry

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1848-555: A rock cairn were unearthed, which were dated to 800 AD. Considered one of the finest paleoindian archeological assemblages in the Rocky Mountain region, the site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places list in 1981. In the early 19th century, the forest was visited by mountain men and explorers such as John Colter and Jim Bridger . Colter is the first white man known to have visited both

2002-581: A small portion of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness extends into the extreme northwestern part of the forest, along the Montana border. In Shoshone National Forest, 1,400,000 acres (570,000 ha), constituting 56 percent of the forest is designated wilderness. The wilderness designation provides a much higher level of land protection and prohibits any alterations by man to the resource. The Wilderness Act of 1964 enhanced

2156-526: A smaller information center is in Lander, Wyoming . There are local ranger district offices in Cody, Dubois and Lander. Shoshone National Forest practices conservation of resources, which ensures a sustainable flow of some raw materials from the forest, such as lumber for construction purposes and wood pulp for paper products. The forest averages an annual harvest of 4.5 million board-feet of timber for

2310-435: A tendency to do most of their feeding in the mornings and evenings, seeking sheltered areas in between feedings to digest. Their diets vary somewhat depending on the season, with native grasses being a year-round supplement, tree bark being consumed in winter, and forbs and tree sprouts during the summer. Elk consume an average of 9.1 kilograms (20 lb) of vegetation daily. Particularly fond of aspen sprouts which rise in

2464-545: A trophy level Rainbow or Yellowstone cutthroat trout. 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of streams and a hundred lakes that can be legally fished from provide plenty of elbow room during even the most crowded of fishing seasons. Hunting and fishing licenses are sponsored by the state of Wyoming and are available through the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. The southern section of the forest in the Wind River Range

2618-580: A wild population has not yet established. Since 2015, elk have also been reintroduced in a number of other states, including Missouri , and introduced to the islands of Etolin and Afognak in Alaska. Reintroduction of the elk into Ontario began in the early 20th century and is ongoing with limited success. Elk and red deer were introduced to Argentina in the early 20th century. There they are now considered an invasive species , encroaching on Argentinian ecosystems where they compete for food with

2772-570: A winter- or disease-weakened adult. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem , which includes Yellowstone National Park, bears are the most significant predators of calves while healthy bulls have never been recorded to be killed by bears and such encounters can be fatal for bears. The killing of cows in their prime is more likely to affect population growth than the killing of bulls or calves. Elk may avoid predation by switching from grazing to browsing. Grazing puts an elk in

2926-460: Is 1–2 years after the trees are killed and then again after the trees have fallen many years later. Shoshone National Forest borders Yellowstone National Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest to the west. The Continental Divide demarks the boundary between Shoshone and Bridger-Teton National Forests. Along the Montana border, Shoshone National Forest borders Custer National Forest to

3080-576: Is a good source of iron , phosphorus and zinc . A male elk can produce 10 to 11 kilograms (22 to 24 lb) of antler velvet annually and on ranches in the United States, Canada and New Zealand, it is collected and sold to markets in East Asia , where it is used in medicine. Some cultures consider antler velvet to be an aphrodisiac . However, consuming velvet from elk in North America may be risky since velvet from animals infected with chronic wasting disease may contain prions that could result in

3234-492: Is a parasitic nematode known to affect the spinal cord and brain tissue of elk and other species, leading to death. The definitive host is the white-tailed deer, in which it normally has no ill effects. Snails and slugs, the intermediate hosts, can be inadvertently consumed by elk during grazing. The liver fluke Fascioloides magna and the nematode Dictyocaulus viviparus are also commonly found parasites that can be fatal to elk. Chronic wasting disease , transmitted by

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3388-465: Is also not known, but it appears to be highly contagious among elk. Studies are being undertaken by government departments to determine how to halt or eliminate the disease. The elk ranges from central Asia through to Siberia and east Asia and in North America. They can be found in open deciduous woodlands, boreal forests, upland moors, mountainous areas and grasslands. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) list

3542-760: Is at the Wapiti Wayside on the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway , west of Cody, Wyoming and adjacent to the historic Wapiti Ranger Station while the other visitor center is to the south in Lander, Wyoming. There are 30 vehicle access campgrounds in the forest, with up to 54 individual sites per campground. Approximately half of these campgrounds provide running water and restroom facilities and also provide for handicapped accessibility. Referred to as "front country" campgrounds, they also permit recreational vehicle access in most cases. All of

3696-528: Is common with many deer species, and they lose their spots by the end of summer. After two weeks, calves are able to join the herd, and are fully weaned at two months of age. Elk calves are as large as an adult white-tailed deer by the time they are six months old. Elk will leave their natal (birth) ranges before they are three years old. Males disperse more often than females, as adult cows are more tolerant of female offspring from previous years. Elk live 20 years or more in captivity but average 10 to 13 years in

3850-487: Is considered critical habitat for lynx recovery since the species is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and the forest is in their historical range. Other generally carnivorous mammals include coyote , bobcat , weasel , marten , ferret and badger . Omnivorous mammals such as the raccoon and skunk and herbivore mammal species such as the porcupine and pika , are common to

4004-501: Is either on foot or horseback . Hunting and fishing are permitted in the wilderness, just as they are throughout the forest, provided those engaging in such activities have the proper licenses and permits. Fire Management officials in Shoshone National Forest recognize that forest fires are a natural part of the ecosystem; however, this was not always the case. 20th century fire fighting efforts, especially in

4158-582: Is known today as the Wind River Indian Reservation . In 1957, Mummy Cave was rediscovered by a local resident on the north side of the North Fork Shoshone River, adjacent to U.S. Routes 14 / 16 / 20 , 15 mi (24 km) east of Yellowstone National Park. Subsequent archeological excavations in the 1960s produced evidence that the cave had been occupied for over 9,000 years. The oldest deposits in

4312-554: Is popular with mountain climbers because of its solid rock and variety of routes. The Cirque of the Towers in the Popo Agie Wilderness is one of the more popular climbing and hiking destinations, and an estimated 200 different climbing routes are located within the peaks that surround the cirque . There are over 500 lakes in the forest, and 1,000 mi (1,600 km) of streams and rivers. The Clarks Fork of

4466-489: Is registered, and if the bear continues to return to areas where they pose a risk of imminent threat to human safety, they are exterminated. The grizzly recovery efforts implemented by federal agencies have often resulted in major disagreements with local landowners and surrounding municipalities. This situation occurs less frequently with the smaller and less aggressive black bear . An active management program, in conjunction with other National Forests and National Parks within

4620-666: Is required. After the end of the mining era, numerous camps were established by the Civilian Conservation Corps to help combat unemployment during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The camps housed groups of unemployed men who were paid by the federal government to build roads, hiking trails, and campgrounds for future travelers to the Yellowstone region. Visitation to national forests like Shoshone increased dramatically after World War II with

4774-440: Is seen in other artiodactyl species, like the bighorn sheep , pronghorn and the white-tailed deer , to varying degrees. Elk dwell in open forest and forest-edge habitats, grazing on grasses and sedges and browsing higher-growing plants, leaves, twigs and bark. Male elk have large, blood- and nerve-filled antlers , which they routinely shed each year as weather warms-up. Males also engage in ritualized mating behaviors during

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4928-482: Is the official state animal for Utah . An image of an elk and a moose appear on the state seal and flag of Michigan. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (B.P.O.E.) chose the elk as its namesake because a number of its attributes seemed appropriate for cultivation by members of the fraternity. Jewel-encrusted, gold-mounted elk teeth are prized possessions of many members of the B.P.O.E. Although breakdown figures for each game species are not available in

5082-490: Is the primary destination for mountain climbers . Nine of the highest 10 peaks in Wyoming are here, and the mountains are primarily of granitic rock with countless cliffs and sheer rock walls. The Cirque of the Towers is particularly popular as it has numerous peaks within a relatively short distance of each other. Two particular climbs on the peaks in the cirque are considered amongst the finest climbing adventures available in

5236-667: Is typically characterized by a diverse community of bacteria specialized in breaking down complex plant fibers and cellulose , whereas the supplementally fed gut microbiome may have less fiber-digesting bacteria. Therefore, transitioning from natural foraging to concentrated alfalfa pellets can cause changes in the gut microbiome that might affect the elk's ability to efficiently digest their natural diet or could potentially lead to imbalances that affect overall health. Predators of elk include wolves , coyotes , brown and black bears , cougars , and Siberian tigers . Coyote packs mostly prey on elk calves, though they can sometimes take

5390-661: The Oxford English Dictionary , the etymology of the word "elk" is "of obscure history". In Classical Antiquity , the European Alces alces was known as Ancient Greek : ἄλκη , romanized :  álkē and Latin : alces , words probably borrowed from a Germanic language or another language of northern Europe. By the 8th century, during the Early Middle Ages , the moose was known as Old English : elch, elh, eolh, derived from

5544-611: The Fiordland National Park . In 1949 the New Zealand American Fiordland Expedition was undertaken to study the descendants of this release. There is significant hybridization of elk with red deer. These deer have had an adverse impact on forest regeneration of some plant species, as they consume more palatable species, which are replaced with those that are less favored by the elk. The long-term impact will be an alteration of

5698-694: The Korean Peninsula and Siberia are the Manchurian wapiti ( C. c. xanthopygus ) and the Alashan wapiti ( C. c. alashanicus ). The Manchurian subspecies is darker, and more reddish, in coloration than other populations. The Alashan wapiti of northern Central China is the smallest of all the subspecies, has the lightest coloration, and is one of the least-studied. Recent DNA analyses suggest that there are no more than three or four total subspecies of elk. All American forms, aside from possibly

5852-539: The Laramide orogeny , the Beartooths consist of vast windswept plateaus and rugged peaks with sheer cliff faces. The Beartooth Highway ( U.S. Highway 212 ) crosses 10,974-foot (3,340 m) Beartooth Pass, and from there descends to the northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The Wind River Range is in the southern portion of the forest and is composed primarily of Precambrian granitic rock. Gannett Peak,

6006-641: The Late Pleistocene , surviving into the early Holocene in Southern Sweden and the Alps . The now-extinct North American Merriam's elk subspecies ( Cervus canadensis merriami ) once ranged south into Mexico . The wapiti has also successfully adapted to countries outside of its natural range where it has been introduced, including Argentina and New Zealand ; the animal's adaptability in these areas may, in fact, be so successful as to threaten

6160-545: The National Elk Refuge , having migrated south from the southern portions of Yellowstone National Park and west from the Shoshone and Bridger–Teton National Forests . Elk are ruminants and therefore have four-chambered stomachs. Unlike white-tailed deer and moose, which are chiefly browsers, elk are similar to cattle in that they are primarily grazers . But like other deer, they also browse . Elk have

6314-914: The Proto-Germanic : *elho- , *elhon- and possibly connected with the Old Norse : elgr . Later, the species became known in Middle English as elk , elcke , or elke , appearing in the Latinized form alke , with the spelling alce borrowed directly from Latin: alces . Noting that elk "is not the normal phonetic representative" of the Old English elch , the Oxford English Dictionary derives elk from Middle High German : elch , itself from Old High German : elaho . The American Cervus canadensis

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6468-751: The Roosevelt ( C. canadensis roosevelti ), Tule ( C. c. nannodes ), Manitoban ( C. c. manitobensis ) and Rocky Mountain elk ( C. c. nelsoni ). The eastern elk ( C. c. canadensis ) and Merriam's elk ( C. c. merriami ) subspecies have been extinct for at least a century. Four subspecies described from the Asian continent include the Altai wapiti ( C. c. sibiricus ) and the Tianshan wapiti ( C. c. songaricus ). Two distinct subspecies found in China, Mongolia ,

6622-497: The mating season , including posturing to attract females, antler-wrestling (sparring), and bugling , a loud series of throaty whistles, bellows, screams, and other vocalizations that establish dominance over other males and aim to attract females. Elk were long believed to belong to a subspecies of the European red deer ( Cervus elaphus ), but evidence from many mitochondrial DNA genetic studies, beginning in 1998, shows that

6776-509: The ornate box turtle are turtle species known to exist and about eight species of lizards such as the greater short-horned lizard have been documented. Amphibians such as the Columbia spotted frog and the boreal toad are considered species of concern because of their high susceptibility to disease, habitat loss and human introduced toxins. Boreal toads are found at elevations of between 7,380 and 11,800 ft (2,250 and 3,600 m) and

6930-648: The state of Wyoming . Originally a part of the Yellowstone Timberland Reserve , the forest is managed by the United States Forest Service and was created by an act of Congress and signed into law by U.S. President Benjamin Harrison in 1891. Shoshone National Forest is one of the first nationally protected land areas anywhere. Native Americans have lived in the region for at least 10,000 years, and when

7084-924: The 1940s while cattle grazing has remained relatively constant. Shoshone National Forest is an integral part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem , which has 1,700 documented species of plants. Since the elevation of the land in the forest ranges from 4,600 to 13,804 ft (1,402 to 4,207 m), which is more than 9,000 ft (2,700 m), the forest has a wide variety of ecosystems. Lower elevations often have sagebrush and grass -dominated vegetation types, while forested areas are dominated by various combinations of tree and shrub species. These include lodgepole pine , which along with Rocky Mountain juniper , and quaking aspen are found at elevations up to 9,000 ft (2,700 m). At higher elevations subalpine fir , Engelmann spruce , whitebark pine and limber pine , are common, each occurring up to timberline . The region above timberline makes up 25 percent of

7238-471: The 2006 National Survey from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, hunting of wild elk is most likely the primary economic impact. While elk are not generally harvested for meat production on a large scale, some restaurants offer the meat as a specialty item and it is also available in some grocery stores. The meat has a taste somewhere between beef and venison and is higher in protein and lower in fat and cholesterol than beef, pork, and chicken. Elk meat

7392-631: The Beartooth Highway and follows the old trail in which Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce tribe attempted to flee the U.S. Cavalry in 1877. South of there, Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway (US 14/16/20) heads west from Cody, Wyoming, passes through the forest and crosses Sylvan Pass as it enters Yellowstone. Lastly, the Wyoming Centennial Scenic Byway (US 26/287) heads northwest from Dubois, Wyoming, over Togwotee Pass and enters Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park. Though

7546-575: The Beartooth Highway is the only one of these four roads that is a National Scenic Byway, all four of them have been designated Wyoming State Scenic Byways by the state of Wyoming. Encountering bears is a concern in the Wind River Range. There are other concerns as well, including bugs , wildfires , adverse snow conditions and nighttime cold temperatures . Importantly, there have been notable incidents, including accidental deaths , due to falls from steep cliffs (a misstep could be fatal in this class 4/5 terrain ) and due to falling rocks , over

7700-634: The Columbia spotted frog can live at elevations as high as 9,480 ft (2,890 m) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Exotic species of fauna such as the zebra and quagga mussels and the New Zealand mud snail are invasive species that can greatly impact fish species. Though the mussel species are not known to be in Wyoming, several surrounding regions have reported them. The New Zealand mud snail has been found in

7854-468: The European variety of the moose , Alces alces , but was transferred to Cervus canadensis by North American colonists. The name "wapiti" is derived from a Shawnee and Cree word meaning "white rump", after the distinctive light fur around the tail region which the animals may fluff-up or raise to signal their agitation or distress to one another, when fleeing perceived threats, or among males courting females and sparring for dominance. A similar trait

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8008-547: The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, but in the forest is mostly limited to the Shoshone River . The mountain whitefish is also found in the Shoshone River, while the burbot is found in two streams in the southern regions of the forest. There are more than a dozen species of reptiles in the forest including the venomous prairie rattlesnake which can be found at lower elevations. The western painted and

8162-569: The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, works cooperatively to maximize human safety and to ensure habitat protection for both species of endemic bears. Visitors are mandated to store their food in their vehicles or in steel containers found in campgrounds, and bear-proof trash receptacles are located in the front-country zones throughout the forest. In the backcountry , food must be stored some distance from campsites, and other related precautions are enforced to help prevent bad encounters. Cougars and timber wolves are large apex predators that inhabit

8316-522: The Lewis and Clark Expedition, is also buried here, but it is now considered that this is unlikely and that her actual burial place was Fort Lisa in North Dakota. During the last decade of the 19th century, minerals such as gold were mined with limited success. The last mine was abandoned in 1907, but panning for gold is still allowed in many areas of the forest, and in most circumstances no permit

8470-588: The Rocky Mountains. The forest recreation guide lists 16 named and 140 unnamed glaciers within the forest, all in the Wind River Range. Forty-four of these glaciers are in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness, centered around the highest mountain peaks. However, the state water board for Wyoming lists only 63 glaciers for the entire Wind River Range, which includes glaciers in adjacent Bridger-Teton National Forest. Researchers claim that for most of

8624-513: The Shoshone River east of the forest. Forest managers have established a preventative program to try to keep these species from entering forest waterways. The forest contains four areas of pristine wilderness that have remained largely untouched by human activities such as mining, logging, and road and building construction. The four regions include the North Absaroka , Washakie , Fitzpatrick and Popo Agie Wildernesses . Additionally,

8778-657: The Shoshone and Sioux for spiritual healing and vision quests . By the early 1840s, Washakie had become the leader of the easternmost branch of the Shoshone Indians. At the Fort Bridger Treaty Council of 1868 Washakie negotiated with the U.S. Government for 44,000,000 acres (18,000,000 ha)) to be preserved as tribal lands. Subsequent amendments to the treaty reduced the actual acreage to approximately 2,000,000 acres (810,000 ha) and

8932-735: The Tule and the Roosevelt's elk, seem to belong to one subspecies— Cervus c. canadensis ; even the Siberian elk ( C. c. sibiricus ) is, more or less, physically identical to the American forms, and thus may belong to this subspecies, too. However, the Manchurian wapiti ( C. c. xanthopygus ) is clearly distinct from the Siberian forms, but not distinguishable from the Alashan wapiti. Still, due to

9086-454: The U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the Wind River Indian Reservation , which belongs to the Shoshone and Arapahoe Indians. Custer National Forest along the Montana border is on the northern frontier. The Oregon Trail , the 19th century covered wagon route, passes just south of the forest, where broad and gentle South Pass allowed the migrants to bypass the rugged mountains to the north. Shoshone National Forest has virtually all

9240-805: The U.S. The Absaroka Range also attracts climbers but not of a technical nature since the rocks are not considered solid enough for good anchoring points. For the tallest peaks in the Wind River Range, the entire summiting effort will take even experienced climbers many days due to the inaccessibility of the region and complexity of the climbing effort. Winter activities include cross-country skiing and snowmobiling , with 48 mi (77 km) of groomed trails for cross-country skiing and over 300 mi (480 km) for use by snowmobilers. The region around Togwotee Pass allows snowmobilers easy access from paved roads and has snow depths of between 6 and 10 ft (1.8 and 3.0 m) annually at elevations of 8,000 to 10,000 ft (2,400 to 3,000 m), which equates to

9394-620: The U.S. Cavalry, better known as the Buffalo Soldiers , including the second African-American graduated from the United States Military Academy , John Hanks Alexander . Chief Washakie is buried at the fort, which is located immediately east of the forest boundary. Rumor has it that Sacajawea , the Shoshone Indian who provided invaluable assistance to Meriwether Lewis and William Clark during

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9548-629: The U.S. where the disease is still known to exist, though this can extend out to the Bighorn Mountains . In domesticated cattle, brucellosis causes infertility, abortions, and reduced milk production. It is transmitted to humans as undulant fever , producing influenza -like symptoms that may last for years. Though bison are more likely to transmit the disease to other animals, elk inadvertently transmitted brucellosis to horses in Wyoming and cattle in Idaho . Researchers are attempting to eradicate

9702-605: The US. Elk were reintroduced in Michigan in 1918 after going extinct there in 1875. The Rocky Mountain elk subspecies was reintroduced by hunter-conservation organizations into the Appalachian region of the U.S. where the now extinct eastern elk once lived. They were reintroduced to Pennsylvania beginning in 1913 and throughout the mid-20th Century, and now remain at a stable population of approximately 1,400 individuals. Since

9856-483: The Wind River Range. Shoshone National Forest is the setting of the 2016 first-person adventure video game, Firewatch . Elk Various Cervus elaphus subspecies The elk ( pl. : elk or elks ; Cervus canadensis ), or wapiti , is the second largest species within the deer family, Cervidae , and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia . The word "elk" originally referred to

10010-655: The Yellowstone River is federally designated as a Wild and Scenic River for 22 mi (35 km) through the forest, with cliffs towering up to 2,000 ft (610 m) as the river winds through a gorge. The forest is on the eastern slopes of the Continental Divide, and the rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean basin . According to the U.S. Forest Service, Shoshone National Forest has the greatest number of glaciers of any National Forest in

10164-523: The Yellowstone region and the forest, which he did between 1807 and 1808. Having been an original member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition , Colter requested permission from Meriwether Lewis to leave the expedition after it had finished crossing the Rocky Mountains during their return journey from the Pacific Ocean. Colter teamed up with two unaffiliated explorers the expedition had encountered, but soon thereafter decided to explore regions south of where his new partners wished to venture. Traveling first into

10318-399: The advent of better roads and accessibility to the region. Shoshone National Forest is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture . The forest is separated into five districts and from 2008 and 2012 had an average staff of 165 employees and an annual operating budget of $ 17,500,000. The headquarters and a visitor center are in Cody, Wyoming and

10472-464: The afternoon when the rising temperatures and more turbulent air caused fires to expand and become more erratic. However, this policy led to an increase in fuels because fires were often extinguished before they had a chance to burn out dead and dying old growth. It was in a stand of old growth fir trees in Shoshone National Forest that the Blackwater fire of 1937 killed 15 fighters during a firestorm 35 mi (56 km) west of Cody, Wyoming. The fire

10626-432: The big bull to avoid harassment. Dominant bulls are intolerant of spike bulls and will chase them away from their harems. The gestation period is eight to nine months and the offspring weigh around 16 kilograms (35 lb). When the females are near to giving birth, they tend to isolate themselves from the main herd, and will remain isolated until the calf is large enough to escape predators. Calves are born spotted, as

10780-406: The bull will copiously lick the female and then mount her. Younger, less dominant bulls, known as "spike bulls" because their antlers have not yet forked, will harass unguarded cows. These bulls are impatient and will not perform any courtship rituals and will continue to pursue a female even when she signals him to stop. As such, they are less reproductively successful, and a cow may stay close to

10934-682: The campgrounds are on a first come, first served basis although four campgrounds have sites that can be reserved in advance by contacting the National Reservation Service. Due to the presence of grizzly bears, a few of the campgrounds require what is referred to as "hard-sided" camping only, and tent camping is not permitted. For some visitors the greater solitude of the backcountry requires using hiking trails to backpacking or horseback riding into more remote destinations such as Blackwater Natural Bridge which can be accessed from Blackwater Natural Bridge trailhead. There are dozens of trails which total over 1,600 mi (2,600 km) located throughout

11088-439: The cave yielded prismatic stone blades and other artifacts created by paleoindians and the surrounding soils were radiocarbon dated to 7,300 BC. The evidence indicates the cave was occupied from at least 7280 BC to 1580 AD. Besides projectile points, the cave also produced well preserved feathers, animal hides and other usually perishable materials. Additionally, the mummified remains of an individual buried inside

11242-808: The compromising situation of being in an open area with its head down, leaving it unable to see what is going on in the surrounding area. Living in groups also lessens the risk of an individual falling to predation. Large bull elk are less vulnerable and can afford to wander alone, while cows stay in larger groups for protection for their calves. Bulls are more vulnerable to predation by wolves in late winter, after they have been weakened by months of chasing females and fighting. Males that have recently lost their antlers are more likely to be preyed upon. At least 53 species of protist and animal parasites have been identified in elk. Most of these parasites seldom lead to significant mortality among wild or captive elk. Parelaphostrongylus tenuis (brainworm or meningeal worm)

11396-409: The decline since the end of the 20th century, possibly due to a parasite. There were an estimated 739 moose in the forest in 2006 which is almost 300 fewer than there were 20 years earlier. Other ungulate species are much more common and there are over 20,000 elk (also known as wapiti) and 40,000 mule deer . Bighorn sheep and mountain goats inhabit the rocky terrain and highest elevations. During

11550-400: The disease leads to death. No risks to humans have been documented, nor has the disease been demonstrated to pose a threat to domesticated cattle. In 2002, South Korea banned the importation of elk antler velvet due to concerns about chronic wasting disease. The Gram-negative bacterial disease brucellosis occasionally affects elk in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the only place in

11704-557: The disease through vaccinations and herd-management measures, which are expected to be successful. Nevertheless, research has been ongoing since 2002, and a successful vaccine has yet to be developed as of 2016 . A recent necropsy study of captive elk in Pennsylvania attributed the cause of death in 33 of 65 cases to either gastrointestinal parasites (21 cases, primarily Eimeria sp. and Ostertagia sp.) or bacterial infections (12 cases, mostly pneumonia ). Elk hoof disease

11858-478: The early Holocene of central Alaska, where it was the main hunted animal along with bison , and survived in Yukon until around 1400 BP (550 AD). As of 2014, population figures for all North American elk subspecies were around one million. Prior to the European colonization of North America, there were an estimated 10 million on the continent. There are many past and ongoing examples of reintroduction into areas of

12012-640: The elk) first appear in the fossil record 25 million years ago, during the Oligocene in Eurasia , but do not appear in the North American fossil record until the early Miocene . The extinct Irish elk ( Megaloceros ) was not a member of the genus Cervus but rather the largest member of the wider deer family (Cervidae) known from the fossil record. Until recently, red deer and elk were considered to be one species, Cervus elaphus , with over

12166-636: The far north of Shoshone National Forest a small portion of the Beartooth Mountains are located north of the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River . The Beartooths are composed of Precambrian granitic rocks that are amongst the oldest found on Earth. Although often considered a part of the Absaroka Mountains, the Beartooths are distinct in appearance and geologic history. Uplifted approximately 70 million years ago during

12320-424: The first half of that century, emphasized quickly extinguishing all fires, as fire was seen as completely detrimental to a forest. In 1935, fire management officials established the 10 am rule for all fires on federal lands, which recommended aggressive attack on fires and to have them controlled by 10 am, the day after they are first detected. This was intended to prevent fires from remaining active into

12474-559: The forest are low, especially at higher altitudes. In the middle of the forest at the Wapiti Ranger Station, which is 30 mi (48 km) west of the forest headquarters in Cody, Wyoming, January high and low temperatures are 35.8 and 13.2 °F (2.1 and −10.4 °C), while the July highs and lows are 81.4 and 49.1 °F (27.4 and 9.5 °C). The annual precipitation at Wapiti is 10.37 in (263 mm). Most of

12628-468: The forest starting in 2012. Cougars are generally nocturnal and rarely seen but hunting of this species is also allowed in highly regulated harvests. Wolverines are rare and elusive so documentation is often only from their tracks. The Canada lynx was native to the forest, but no known populations may still exist due to the rarity of its primary food source, the Snowshoe hare . Shoshone National Forest

12782-551: The forest, protecting more than half of the managed land area from development. From sagebrush plains through dense spruce and fir forest to craggy mountain peaks, Shoshone National Forest has a rich biodiversity rarely matched in any protected area. Shoshone National Forest is named after the Shoshone Indians , who, along with other Native American groups such as the Lakota , Crow and Northern Cheyenne , were

12936-605: The forest, with the highest peak being Francs Peak at 13,158 ft (4,011 m). The peaks of the Absaroka are basaltic in origin, having been the result of volcanic activity estimated to have occurred 50 million years ago during the Eocene epoch . The rocks are composed of mostly andesite and breccias deposited for millions of years during volcanic events and are atop more ancient sedimentary rocks that are considered to have economically viable mineral wealth. Gold

13090-419: The forest-adapted European red deer . Elk are among the most gregarious deer species. During the summer group size can reach 400 individuals. For most of the year, adult males and females are segregated into different herds. Female herds are larger while bulls form small groups and may even travel alone. Young bulls may associate with older bulls or female groups. Male and female herds come together during

13244-593: The forest. Bison and pronghorn antelope are two other ungulates that live on the forest and have sustainable populations. An estimated 300 species of birds are found in the forest at least part of the year. Bald eagle , peregrine falcon , Swainson’s hawk and the prairie falcon are birds of prey that are relatively common. Waterfowl such as Western grebe , Northern pintail , Great blue heron and Barrow’s goldeneye have stable populations and rare sightings of Trumpeter swans are reported. pheasant , ruffed grouse and wild turkey are widely distributed across

13398-480: The forest. Some remote areas can also be accessed by horseback. Trailheads usually provide enough room for horse and pack animal trailers plus personal vehicles. Along forest access roads, all-terrain vehicles (ATV) are allowed, but since wilderness areas do not permit access by way of motorized transport, those who wish to visit such areas usually do so either by hiking in or on horseback. Hunting and fishing are popular recreational activities permitted throughout

13552-492: The forest. The beaver is considered a species of special interest to Shoshone National Forest since its dam building activities improve habitat for numerous other species such as the moose , breeding waterfowl, various amphibians and other species dependent on a riparian environment. Native herbivores such as the moose are found in small numbers near waterways, especially at lower elevations. Moose populations in northwestern Wyoming and other areas of North America have been on

13706-437: The forest. The grizzly is listed as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , and the forest is one of their last strongholds. For what are considered to be "nuisance bears", non-lethal traps are set to capture them so that they can be relocated to remote areas, away from civilization. In the case of the grizzly, each captured bear is tranquilized and then ear tagged with an identifying number. Each number

13860-408: The forest. Altogether, at least 335 species of wildlife call Shoshone National Forest their home, including the largest population of Bighorn sheep and one of the few locations Grizzly bears can still be found in the contiguous U. S. At least 700 grizzly bears are believed to exist in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which includes Shoshone National Forest, with approximately 125 grizzlies in

14014-598: The forest. Many of the trailheads can be accessed at campgrounds, with shorter day hikes available as well. The Continental Divide Trail has a 20-mile (32 km) section which passes through the forest and crosses the Continental Divide at Sheridan Pass. There is also the Nez Perce National Historic Trail and the Beartooth Loop National Recreation Trail, both of which are in the northern regions of

14168-524: The forest. Many of the streams and rivers are considered to be "Blue Ribbon Trout Streams". Though many streams and lakes have excellent opportunities to catch various species of trout, the north and south forks of the Shoshone River, the Greybull River and the Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone, the only federally designated Wild and Scenic River in Wyoming, are a few of the better locations to reign in

14322-484: The forest. Since the 1990s wolf reintroduction program in Yellowstone National Park, wolves have migrated into the forest and established permanent packs. Approximately a dozen wolf packs totaling 70 individual wolves were documented in the forest in 2012. The wolf was delisted as endangered once their population levels had reached management objectives and limited hunting of wolves was permitted in

14476-492: The glaciers of Shoshone National Forest is consistent with this pattern. In one study of Dinwoody and Gannett Glaciers , during the period from 1958 to 1983, the thickness of these glaciers was reduced 77 and 61 ft (23 and 19 m), respectively. Gannett Glacier, on the northeast slope of Gannett Peak, is the largest single glacier in the U.S. Rocky Mountains. It has reportedly lost over 50 percent of its volume since 1920 with 25 percent of that occurring between

14630-435: The greater availability of food to eat. Elk do not appear to benefit from thermal cover. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem elk herds comprise as many as 40,000 individuals. During the spring and fall, they take part in the longest elk migration in the continental U.S., traveling as much as 168 mi (270 km) between summer and winter ranges. The Teton herd consists of between 9,000 and 13,000 elk and they spend winters on

14784-479: The ground called wallows, in which they urinate and roll their bodies . A male elk's urethra points upward so that urine is sprayed almost at a right angle to the penis. The urine soaks into their hair and gives them a distinct smell which attracts cows. A bull interacts with cows in his harem in two ways: herding and courtship. When a female wanders too far away from the harem's range, the male will rush ahead of her, block her path and aggressively rush her back to

14938-532: The harem. Herding behavior is accompanied by a stretched out and lowered neck and the antlers laid back. A bull may get violent and hit the cow with his antlers. During courtship, the bull is more peaceful and approaches her with his head and antlers raised. The male signals his intention to test the female for sexual receptivity by flicking his tongue. If not ready, a cow will lower her head and weave from side to side while opening and closing her mouth. The bull will stop in response in order not to scare her. Otherwise,

15092-467: The head, neck, and legs during the summer. Forest-adapted Manchurian and Alashan wapitis have red or reddish-brown coats with less contrast between the body coat and the rest of the body during the summer months. Calves are born spotted, as is common with many deer species, and lose them by the end of summer. Adult Manchurian wapiti may retain a few orange spots on the back of their summer coats until they are older. This characteristic has also been observed in

15246-567: The heavy winter coat has been shed. Elk are known to rub against trees and other objects to help remove hair from their bodies. All elk have small and clearly defined rump patches with short tails. They have different coloration based on the seasons and types of habitats, with gray or lighter coloration prevalent in the winter and a more reddish, darker coat in the summer. Subspecies living in arid climates tend to have lighter colored coats than do those living in forests. Most have lighter yellow-brown to orange-brown coats in contrast to dark brown hair on

15400-508: The highest fire incidence is generally in the months of August and September. An average of 2,334 acres (945 ha) burns annually, with the worst year in the past century being 1988, when 194,430 acres (78,680 ha) burned from fires that had spread from the conflagration that engulfed Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding region. After the Yellowstone region fires of 1988 , an effort to identify areas of similar fire potential

15554-531: The indigenous Chilean huemul and other herbivores. This negative impact on native animal species has led the IUCN to identify the elk as one of the world's 100 worst invaders. The introduction of deer to New Zealand began in the middle of the 19th century, and current populations are primarily European red deer, with only 15 percent being elk. In 1905 18 American wapiti were released in George Sound in

15708-547: The insufficient genetic material that rejects monophyly of C. canadensis , some researchers consider it premature to include the Manchurian wapiti as a true subspecies of wapiti, and that it likely needs to be elevated to its own species, C. xanthopygus . The Chinese forms (the Sichuan deer , Kansu red deer , and Tibetan red deer ) also belong to the wapiti, and were not distinguishable from each other by mitochondrial DNA studies. These Chinese subspecies are sometimes treated as

15862-556: The largest antlers while the Altai wapiti has the smallest. Roosevelt bull antlers can weigh 18 kg (40 lb). The formation and retention of antlers are testosterone -driven. In late winter and early spring, the testosterone level drops, which causes the antlers to shed. During the fall, elk grow a thicker coat of hair, which helps to insulate them during the winter. Both male and female North American elk grow thin neck manes; females of other subspecies may not. By early summer,

16016-666: The late 1990s, they were reintroduced and recolonized in the states of Wisconsin , Kentucky , North Carolina , Tennessee , Georgia , Virginia and West Virginia . In the state of Kentucky, the elk population in 2022 had increased to over 15,000 animals. In 2016, a male elk, likely from the Smoky Mountains population, was sighted in South Carolina for the first time in nearly 300 years. Once locally extinct, dispersing elk are now regularly spotted in Iowa , although

16170-495: The lease options that are offered to ranchers to allow them to graze cattle and sheep. The U.S. Forest Service provides guidelines and enforces environmental regulations to ensure that resources are not overexploited and that necessary commodities are available for future generations, though conservation groups have voiced concerns over the management practices of the leasing program and especially cattle overgrazing problems. Leases for sheep grazing have declined considerably since

16324-408: The major tribes encountered by the first European explorers into the region. Archeological evidence suggests that the presence of Indian tribes in the area extends back at least 10,000 years. The forest provided an abundance of game meat, wood products, and shelter during the winter months from the more exposed high plains to the east. Portions of the more mountainous regions were frequented by

16478-412: The mating season, which may begin in late August. Males try to intimidate rivals by vocalizing and displaying with their antlers. If neither bull backs down, they engage in antler wrestling, sometimes sustaining serious injuries. Bulls have a loud, high-pitched, whistle-like vocalization known as bugling , which advertise the male's fitness over great distances. Unusual for a vocalization produced by

16632-560: The meaning of the word "elk" to English-speakers became rather vague, acquiring a meaning similar to "large deer". The name wapiti is from the Shawnee and Cree word waapiti (in Cree syllabics : ᐙᐱᑎ or ᐚᐱᑎ ), meaning "white rump". There is a subspecies of wapiti in Mongolia called the Altai wapiti ( Cervus canadensis sibiricus ), also known as the Altai maral. According to

16786-403: The mountain passes such as Two Ocean Pass . The expedition finally crossed the northern Wind River Range at a pass they named Union Pass and entered Jackson Hole valley to the south of Yellowstone. Hayden led another expedition through the region in 1871. Hayden was primarily interested in documenting the Yellowstone country west of the forest, but his expedition also established that the forest

16940-749: The north. Private property, property belonging to the state of Wyoming and lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management form the eastern boundaries. Lastly, the Wind River Indian Reservation also borders on the east, and bisects a smaller southern section which includes the Popo Agie Wilderness and the Washakie Ranger District. The altitude in the forest ranges from 4,600 feet (1,400 m) near Cody, Wyoming, to 13,804 ft (4,207 m) at

17094-525: The northeastern region of what is today Yellowstone National Park, Colter then explored the Absaroka Mountains , crossing over Togwotee Pass and entering the valley known today as Jackson Hole . Colter survived a grizzly bear attack and a pursuit by a band of Blackfeet Indians who had taken his horse. The explorer later provided William Clark, who had been his commander on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, with previously unknown information on

17248-420: The northern section of the forest. The Wind River Range is in the southern portion and contains Gannett Peak , the tallest mountain in Wyoming. Yellowstone National Park forms part of the boundary to the west; south of Yellowstone, the Continental Divide separates the forest from its neighbor Bridger-Teton National Forest to the west. The eastern boundary includes privately owned property, lands managed by

17402-420: The open sage lands. Harlequin duck and northern goshawk are generally rare but management plans were implemented to protect various habitats these two species frequent to try and increase their population numbers. Fish found in Shoshone National Forest include at least six species and subspecies of trout including rainbow , brook and brown trout . The Yellowstone cutthroat trout is widespread throughout

17556-681: The original animal and plant species that were there when explorers such as John Colter and Jim Bridger first visited the region. The forest is home to the Grizzly bear , cougar , moose , tens of thousands of elk as well as the largest herd of bighorn sheep in the U.S. The streams in the forest are considered to have some of the best game species fishing opportunities in the U.S. including Yellowstone cutthroat trout . More than 1,300 miles (2,100 km) of hiking trails, 32 campgrounds and adjacent forests and parklands provide numerous recreational opportunities. There are four wilderness areas within

17710-676: The period that glaciers have been known to exist in the forest, that they have been in a state of general retreat, with glacial mass losses of as much as 25 percent between the years 1985 and 2009. Reversing the growth of mid-latitude glaciers that occurred during the Little Ice Age (1350–1850), there has been a worldwide reduction of mountain glacial ice since, with some regions losing as much as 50 percent of their peak ice cover. This can be correlated by examining photographic evidence of glaciers taken over time even with an absence of other means of documentation. The behavior of

17864-408: The precipitation falls in the winter and early spring, while summer is punctuated with widely scattered thunderstorms. The autumn is usually cool and dry. Due to the altitude and dryness of the atmosphere, vigorous radiative cooling occurs throughout the year, and exceptional daily temperature variances are not uncommon. Consequently, the nights range from very cool in the summer to extremely cold in

18018-525: The production of ground antler and velvet supplements is also a thriving naturopathic industry in several countries, including the United States, China and Canada . The elk is hunted as a game species, and their meat is leaner, and higher in protein , than beef or chicken . By the 17th century, Alces alces (moose, called "elk" in Europe) had long been extirpated from the British Isles , and

18172-513: The protection status of remote and/or undeveloped land already contained within federally administered protected areas. Passage of the act ensured that no human improvements would take place aside from those already existing. The protected status in wilderness designated zones prohibits road and building construction, oil and mineral exploration or extraction , and logging, and also prohibits the use of motorized equipment, including even bicycles. The only manner in which people can enter wilderness areas

18326-517: The purposes of commercial log home construction and another 2.5 million board-feet of wood collection from dead and down trees that are used for firewood and poles. Additionally, low-scale mineral extraction and oil and gas exploration and recovery are also conducted, though in Shoshone National Forest this has become less common due to a consensus to protect the natural surroundings. Only 8,570 acres (3,470 ha) of oil and gas leases were filed as of 2013. More common than logging and mining are

18480-467: The region including some that are rare. Among them, the whitlow grass , fremont bladderpod , shoshonea, and the north fork Easter daisy provide vivid white and yellow flowers during the spring and summer. Exotic species of flora that are not native to the region include Canada thistle , Musk thistle , Spotted knapweed , Leafy spurge and Yellow toadflax . These non-native plant species are considered noxious, impacting native plant communities and

18634-442: The region was first explored by European adventurers, forestlands were occupied by several different tribes. Never heavily settled or exploited, the forest has retained most of its wildness. Shoshone National Forest is a part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem , a nearly unbroken expanse of federally protected lands encompassing an estimated 20,000,000 acres (8,100,000 ha). The Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains are partly in

18788-487: The regions he had explored, which Clark published in 1814. Travels by fur trappers and adventurers, such as Manuel Lisa and Jim Bridger from 1807 to 1840, completed the exploration of the region. With the decline of the fur trade in the late 1840s and much of the prized beaver long since made scarce by over-trapping, few explorers entered the forest over the next few decades. The first federally financed expedition which passed through portions of Shoshone National Forest

18942-494: The reserve and then divided the reserve into four separate units, with Shoshone being the largest. Upon the creation of the U.S. Forest Service in 1905, the reserve was designated a National Forest , but the current wording and title were formulated forty years later in 1945. A remnant of the earliest years of the forest management is the Wapiti Ranger Station which is located west of Cody, Wyoming . The station

19096-532: The same species (adapted to local environments through minor changes in appearance and behavior). Populations vary in antler shape and size, body size, coloration and mating behavior. DNA investigations of the Eurasian subspecies revealed that phenotypic variation in antlers, mane and rump patch development are based on "climatic-related lifestyle factors". Of the six subspecies of elk known to have inhabited North America in historical times, four remain, including

19250-627: The sensitive endemic ecosystems and species it encounters. As a member of the Artiodactyla order (and distant relative of the Bovidae ), elk are susceptible to several infectious diseases which can be transmitted to and/or from domesticated livestock . Efforts to eliminate infectious diseases from elk populations, primarily by vaccination , have had mixed success. Some cultures revere the elk as having spiritual significance. Antlers and velvet are used in traditional medicines in parts of Asia;

19404-497: The species "red deer", but noted in parentheses that they were "for their unusual largeness improperly termed Elks by ignorant people". Both Thomas Jefferson 's 1785 Notes on the State of Virginia and David Bailie Warden 's 1816 Statistical, Political, and Historical Account of the United States used "red deer" to refer to Cervus canadensis . Members of the genus Cervus (and hence early relatives or possible ancestors of

19558-519: The species as least-concern species . The habitat of Siberian elk in Asia is similar to that of the Rocky Mountain subspecies in North America. During the Late Pleistocene their range was much more extensive, being distributed across Eurasia, with remains being found as far west as France. These populations are most closely related to modern Asian populations of the elk. Their range collapsed at

19712-431: The species that thrive on them. Native species such as the mountain pine beetle are having an enormous negative impact on some tree species. A survey of the forest performed in 2010 indicated that over 1,000,000 acres (400,000 ha) of timberland had been impacted by insects such as the mountain pine beetle, spruce bark beetle and Douglas fir beetle , and that the insects had killed between 25 and 100 percent of

19866-424: The spring, elk have had some impact on aspen groves which have been declining in some regions where elk exist. Range and wildlife managers conduct surveys of elk pellet groups to monitor populations and resource use. Research in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem has found that supplemental feeding of concentrated alfalfa pellets leads to significant alterations in the elks' microbiome . The elk gut microbiome

20020-508: The start of the Holocene, possibly because they were specialized to cold periglacial tundra-steppe habitat. When this environment was replaced largely by closed forest the red deer might have outcompeted the elk. Relictual populations survived into the early Holocene (until around 3000 years ago) in southern Sweden and the Alps, where the environment remained favorable. Elk were also present in

20174-429: The state, and consequently receives anywhere between 15 and 70 in (380 and 1,780 mm) annually. Higher elevations in the forest not only get more precipitation than lower elevations, but also have lower overall temperatures, with summertime highs around 60 °F (16 °C) and lows near 35 °F (2 °C) while lower elevations may be 20 °F (−7 °C) or warmer on average. Humidity levels throughout

20328-837: The subspecies is the Roosevelt elk ( C. c. roosevelti ), found west of the Cascade Range in the U.S. states of California , Oregon and Washington , and in the Canadian province of British Columbia . Roosevelt elk have been introduced into Alaska , where the largest males are estimated to weigh up to 600 kg (1,300 lb). More typically, male Roosevelt elk weigh around 318 to 499 kg (701 to 1,100 lb), while females weigh 261 to 283 kg (575 to 624 lb). Male tule elk weigh 204–318 kg (450–701 lb) while females weigh 170–191 kg (375–421 lb). The whole weights of adult male Manitoban elk range from 288 to 478 kilograms (635 to 1,054 lb). Females have

20482-411: The summer glacial runoff that supplies water to streams and lakes and provides a cold-water source vital to certain fish and plant species. This, in turn, may have a significant impact on the forest ecosystem over time. Wyoming is an arid state, averaging 12.68 inches (32.2 cm) of precipitation annually. However, Shoshone National Forest is located in and near some of the largest mountain ranges in

20636-487: The tallest mountain in Wyoming, is in the northern part of the range. Altogether eight peaks exceed 13,500 ft (4,100 m) and 119 rise at least 12,000 ft (3,700 m) above sea level. Fremont Peak , the second highest peak in the range, was originally believed to be the tallest mountain in the Rocky Mountains due to its prominence when viewed from the Oregon Trail by early pioneers. The Wind River Range

20790-495: The top of Gannett Peak , an elevation gain of over 9,200 ft (2,800 m). Of the three major mountain ranges found in the forest, they are geologically distinct from each other. All of the mountains are a part of the Rocky Mountains. In the northern and central portions of the forest lie the Absaroka Mountains which were named after the Crow Indian tribe. The majority of the Absaroka Mountains are contained within

20944-480: The total acreage of the forest and of that 13 percent is listed as just either barren, rock or ice. The types of plant species is highly dependent on the amount of water available, and trees are more commonly found on higher slopes due to the longer lasting snowfall which keeps the soil moister for a longer time into the summer months. Along lower elevation riparian corridors, cottonwoods and willows are typically dominant. Numerous plant species are endemic to

21098-481: The trees in the impacted areas. The forest service is addressing the situation by performing controlled burns, selling dead trees as firewood, timber harvesting and spraying the highest value areas. Since the migration of the endangered gray wolf into Shoshone National Forest after the successful wolf reintroduction program in the Yellowstone region commenced in the mid-1990s, all of the known 70 mammal species that existed prior to white settlement still exist in

21252-399: The two are distinct species . The elk's wider rump-patch and paler-hued antlers are key morphological differences that distinguish C. canadensis from C. elaphus . Although it is currently only native to North America, Central , East and North Asia , elk once had a much wider distribution in the past; prehistoric populations were present across Eurasia and into Western Europe during

21406-509: The two species have freely inter-bred in New Zealand 's Fiordland National Park . The cross-bred animals have resulted in the disappearance of virtually all pure elk blood from the area. Key morphological differences that distinguish C. canadensis from C. elaphus are the former's wider rump patch and paler-hued antlers. There are numerous subspecies of elk described, with six from North America and four from Asia, although some taxonomists consider them different ecotypes or races of

21560-663: The types of plants and trees found, and in other animal and plant species dependent upon them. As in Chile and Argentina, the IUCN has declared that red deer and elk populations in New Zealand are an invasive species. Elk have played an important role in the cultural history of a number of peoples. Neolithic petroglyphs from Asia depict antler-less female elk, which have been interpreted as symbolizing life and sustenance. They were also frequently overlaid with boats and associated with rivers, suggesting they also represented paths to

21714-557: The underworld. Petroglyphs of elk were carved into cliffs by the Ancestral Puebloans of the southwestern U.S. hundreds of years ago. The elk was of particular importance to the Lakota and played a spiritual role in their society. The male elk was admired for its ability to attract mates, and Lakota men will play a courting flute imitating a bugling elk to attract women. Men used elks' antlers as love charms and wore clothes decorated with elk images. The Rocky Mountain elk

21868-415: The wild. In some subspecies that suffer less predation, they may live an average of 15 years in the wild. As is true for many species of deer, especially those in mountainous regions, elk migrate into areas of higher altitude in the spring, following the retreating snows, and the opposite direction in the fall. Hunting pressure impacts migration and movement. During the winter, they favor wooded areas for

22022-417: The winter, one of the largest bighorn sheep herds in the lower 48 states congregate in the region around Dubois, Wyoming ; however, their numbers since 1990 have been diminished due to disease transmitted from contact with domesticated sheep and goats. An estimated 5,000 bighorn sheep are found throughout the forest and a small but stable population of 200 mountain goats reside in the northernmost portions of

22176-471: The winter; therefore, visitors should always remember to bring along at least a jacket, even during the summer. Records indicate that the highest temperature ever recorded in the forest was 100 °F (38 °C) in 1978, while the coldest was −49 °F (−45 °C) in 1972. Shoshone National Forest receives an average of over half a million visitors a year. Two visitor centers provide orientation, books, maps, and interpretive displays. One visitor center

22330-633: The years 1980 and 1999. Upper Fremont Glacier has been studied more than any other glacier in the Wind River Range. Scientists have obtained ice cores from the Upper Fremont Glacier and found that there have been measurable changes in the atmosphere over the past several hundred years. The Upper Fremont Glacier and the Quelccaya Ice Cap in the Andes of South America both show nearly identical atmospheric records, which indicate

22484-422: The years, including 1993, 2007 (involving an experienced NOLS leader ), 2015 and 2018. Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near SquareTop Mountain in 2005, and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent accidental fall ) in 2006 that involved state search and rescue . The U.S. Forest Service does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in

22638-505: Was a prime resource that merited protection. Travels in the forest in the 1880s by later U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt , who was also a strong advocate of land conservation , as well as by General Philip Sheridan , provided the impetus that subsequently established the Yellowstone Timberland Reserve in 1891, creating the first national forest in the U.S. In 1902, President Roosevelt first greatly expanded

22792-407: Was built in 1903 and is the oldest surviving ranger station in any national forest, and is now designated a National Historic Landmark . Prior to the establishment of the Wind River Indian Reservation, the U.S. Cavalry constructed Fort Brown on the reservation lands, which was subsequently renamed Fort Washakie . During the late 19th century, the fort was staffed by African-American members of

22946-594: Was first noticed in the state of Washington in the late 1990s in the Cowlitz River basin, with sporadic reports of deformed hooves. Since then, the disease has spread rapidly with increased sightings throughout southwest Washington and into Oregon. The disease is characterised by deformed, broken, or missing hooves and leads to severe lameness in elk. The primary cause is not known, but it is associated with treponeme bacteria, which are known to cause digital dermatitis in commercial livestock. The mode of transmission

23100-427: Was implemented. Fire managers at Shoshone National Forest work with a number of outside agencies to incorporate fire restrictions, fuels management, and a controlled burn plans to reduce the chances of a catastrophic fire. The dead and dying trees which have been killed by various species of bark beetle may have a great impact on future forest fires. Fire managers have stated the worst time for increased fire activity

23254-618: Was mined from the slopes of Francs Peak between the years 1890 and 1915, and the small ghost town of Kirwin remains as a legacy of that period. Major tributaries of the Bighorn River , such as the Shoshone and Greybull Rivers , originate in the Absaroka Mountains. Important passes through the Absarokas include Sylvan Pass , which leads to the eastern entrance of Yellowstone National Park; and Togwotee Pass , which provides access to Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park . In

23408-423: Was one of the deadliest in terms of forest firefighter deaths in U.S. history. Between the years 1970 and 2012, Shoshone National Forest averaged 25 fires annually, of which half were due to natural ignition from lightning, which accounted for 90 percent of the total acreage burned. The remaining acreage that burned was due to campfires that got out of control or from other causes. In Shoshone National Forest,

23562-532: Was recognized as a relative of the red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) of Europe, and so Cervus canadensis were referred to as "red deer". Richard Hakluyt refers to North America as a "lande ... full of many beastes, as redd dere" in his 1584 Discourse Concerning Western Planting . Similarly, John Smith 's 1616 A Description of New England referred to red deer. Sir William Talbot 's 1672 English translation of John Lederer 's Latin Discoveries likewise called

23716-608: Was the Raynolds Expedition of 1860, led by topographical engineer Captain William F. Raynolds . The expedition included geologist and naturalist Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden and was guided by mountain man Jim Bridger. Though the Raynolds Expedition was focused on exploration of the Yellowstone region, several efforts to enter what later became Yellowstone National Park were impeded by heavy snows across

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