(CROW AGENCY) – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, in conjunction with Crow Tribe Fish & Game, recently captured elk on the Crow Reservation south of Billings as part of a collaborative effort between the Crow Tribe, FWP and the Department of Livestock (DOL).
Blood samples from all 99 captured elk tested negative for brucellosis.
Capture operations on the Crow Reservation were conducted in late January. Thirty elk were outfitted with GPS collars that will be active for one year to help wildlife managers with the Crow Tribe and FWP better understand elk seasonal ranges, migration routes and areas of potential mixing with other elk herds on and off the reservation.
The goals of these capture operations are to evaluate the presence of brucellosis in elk and better understand the movement of Montana’s elk populations. The research also helps wildlife managers and animal health officials understand the potential overlap of elk and livestock on the landscape, and thus disease transmission risk between these species.
