| The North Ranier Elk Herd is one of ten within | | | | summer and fall. Most of the area belove timberline is |
| Washington State. It is located north of Mt. Ranier, in a | | | | covered in coniferous forest. |
| range that includes King and Pierce counties. The | | | | Originally, the herd area was made up of unbroken |
| majority of this herd's members are location on the | | | | mature forest, with a large scale fire occurring about |
| western slopes of the Cascade Range. However, | | | | every four hundred years. Clear cut timber operations |
| there are also small populations located in pockets of | | | | have greatly changed almost all the forests outside Mt. |
| habitat near suburban developments and cities, as well | | | | Ranier National Park, making the area a patchwork of |
| as in the foothills. This elk herd is of value both to the | | | | young and recently clear cut forest. This has affected |
| general population of Washington State as an | | | | the distribution and numbers of the North Ranier elk |
| aesthetic, recreational, and economic resource, and as | | | | herd. |
| a cultural, subsistence and ceremonial one to the | | | | Currently, the most elk in this herd live in the White |
| area's native people. In 1989, this herd numbered | | | | River unit. This particular sub herd migrates between |
| around 3,400 elk. It has recent declined to around 1,845 | | | | the high alpine meadows of Mt. Rainier National Park |
| elk, a decline of forty-six percent. Current management | | | | and their winter range in the north. The major migration |
| objectives for elk population of this herd include an | | | | routes include Buck Creek, Haller Pass, the West Fork |
| increase of herd size to around 2,800 elk. | | | | White River, and Huckleberry Creek. Between fifteen |
| The range of the North Ranier Elk Herd encompasses | | | | and thirty percent of elk do not migrate. |
| an area of about 2,834 square miles (7,341 km). The | | | | Current management plans intend to make little to no |
| herd occupies the headwaters of both the Clearwater | | | | change in the distribution of this herd. Commercial and |
| and White rivers in the north part of Mount Ranier | | | | recreational timberland allow for growth in population, |
| National Park, as well as the greater Puyallup River | | | | and elk near urban and suburban development will |
| drainage in the western part of that park. Land in the | | | | probably continue to decline. Elk-human conflict in these |
| area is a mix of private, federal, and state ownership. | | | | areas is expected to increase, meaning that there will |
| The largest portion of the area belongs to the U.S. | | | | be more nuisance complaints and concerns about |
| Forest Service, but there are also large parcels owned | | | | damage caused by the animals. |
| by industrial timber companies. Most lands, including | | | | Plans for the management of the North Rainier Elk |
| federally and state owned land, are managed to | | | | Herd include better data collection to improve over all |
| produce timber. Forest Service lands are managed for | | | | management, general increase in numbers, and |
| a number of different uses, including recreation and | | | | providing opportunities for hunters without causing |
| wildlife, in addition to timber. There is an emphasis on | | | | numbers to decline. Post hunting season numbers |
| management and growth of old growth forests in the | | | | should exceed a ratio of twelve bulls for every |
| Forest Service lands at this time. | | | | hundred cows. Local hunting of black bear and cougar |
| Generally, this area consists of low to mid-level | | | | is intended to be coordinated to maintain the elk |
| mountains, as well as forested terrain. Steep, difficult to | | | | population appropriately, as the numbers of these |
| access parts of the elk herd's range include higher, | | | | predators have increased in recent years. In addition, |
| snow covered elevations along the Cascade Crest. | | | | cooperation with local tribes is planned, in order to help |
| Elevations are between four hundred feet and 14,000 | | | | implement the conservation and management of these |
| feet (the summit of Mt. Ranier). Elk occupy most of | | | | animals. In areas where elk expansion is desirable, |
| this range, up to nearly 7,500 feet, in alpine and | | | | partnerships are to be developed in order to increase |
| sub-alpine meadows of the national park area during | | | | the amount, availability, and quality of elk habitat. |