Have you herd?

HAYDEN — A herd of more than 30 elk relaxed at the northwest corner of Ramsey and Lancaster roads Tuesday morning.

Mostly females and one large bull elk spread out in a snowy field, capturing the attention of passersby and motivating at least one person to call The Press.

"In general, this time of year in the wintertime, we in the valley down here are very buffered from what’s happening in the mountains as far as snowpack and harsh conditions," Idaho Department of Fish and Game regional communications manager for the Panhandle Region T.J. Ross said Tuesday. "If they're dealing with deep snow up high, it's not uncommon to see them in the valleys to get a reprieve."

He said historically, before the valley was as populated as it is now, this is how elk herds operated.

"They'd be out in the mountains, then snow would hit, then they'd be in the valleys to get out of the deeper snow," Ross said. "They get easier access to food because they don't have to dig through so much snow."

According to the U.S. Forest Service, elk are the second-largest members of the deer family. Adult male elk, or bulls, are their largest at 7 years old. Once fully grown, a bull elk averages 5 feet tall at the shoulders and can weigh between 700 and 1,100 pounds. Female elk, or cows, weigh between 500 and 600 pounds and stand an average of 4.5 feet at shoulder height.

Their diets consist of grasses, leaves, twigs, shrubs and, in smaller portions, bark, pine needles and tree lichens. Elk eat an average of three pounds of food per day for every 100 pounds of body weight. Therefore, a bull elk weighing 800 pounds would eat about 24 pounds of forage each day.

"It's a unique opportunity to live in an area where we get to see these types of animals in the wild," Ross said. "Most people only dream about that."

Fish and Game wildlife biologist Barb Moore said this particular group has taken up residence in this general area and has been seen year-round.

"How far they wander is hard to say," she said. "We get reports north of Highway 53. We've seen a video from someone who had a group of 30 cross in front of them coming from the north."

Although majestic and not predatory, it's best to leave these beasts to their business. Elk are known to be unpredictable and dangerous, especially if accompanied by calves.

"Never approach them, never attempt to touch them or feed them, just enjoy them from a distance," Ross said. "These are wild animals. I don't care how cuddly, cute or nice they look. Use common sense, take pictures from a distance, enjoy watching them and don’t push your limits."

Moore said Fish and Game recently finished placing GPS collars on elk calves in the St. Joe area to monitor their survival. She gave a reminder not to feed the elk, even during a harsh winter.

"Those animals are made to withstand the winter period with less food available," she said. "Feeding them can cause more problems."