Washington plans to trim elk herd

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Washington plans to trim elk herd

Yakima _ The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is proposing reducing the size of the elk herd that wanders the east slopes of the Cascade Range by 1,500 animals over the next year.

There are about 11,000 elk in the area now, and a number of farmers west of Yakima have complained that the hungry herd is stripping their vulnerable fruit trees.

Under a proposed five-year plan, the department would reduce the size of the herd, maintain winter elk feeding stations, build more fences and try to establish more open space for the animals to roam.

The Yakima herd is the healthiest in the state, said Lee Stream, a Fish and Wildlife regional program manager here.

About 250 people showed up at a meeting Wednesday night to review and comment on the proposed plan.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife will take comments on the plan until March 7.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002


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