Wyoming Explores Paying Ranchers to Host Elk as Alternative to Feedgrounds

As concerns grow over the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) among Wyoming’s elk herds, conservation groups and ranchers are testing a new approach to winter habitat management—paying landowners to host elk instead of relying on state-run feedgrounds, WyoFile reports.

One such effort is underway at Spring Creek Ranch in Star Valley, where Luke Lancaster, a fourth-generation cattle rancher, has partnered with the Greater Yellowstone Coalition (GYC) to allow elk on his property in exchange for financial incentives.

Historically, elk have been a challenge for cattle ranchers like Lancaster. The large herds compete for forage, consume valuable hay, and carry diseases like brucellosis, which can spread to livestock. But this winter, for the first time, Lancaster saw the elk on his land as something other than a nuisance.

The change came through a voluntary agreement with the GYC, which reimbursed Lancaster for part of the cost of moving his cattle to winter pasture in Utah, helped cover his feeding expenses, and provided funding for ranch modifications like wildlife-friendly fencing.

“It’s helped us financially to grow the herd to a size where we can actually live off it and support the ranch,” Lancaster said.

Wyoming has historically managed winter elk populations through a network of 21 state-run feedgrounds and the federally managed National Elk Refuge. However, as CWD continues to spread, wildlife experts worry that concentrating elk in feedgrounds increases disease transmission, prompting discussions about phasing out artificial feeding programs.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) is currently reviewing its feedground operations, exploring alternatives like incentivizing private landowners to provide winter range for elk.

“The real goal is to facilitate closing feedgrounds and create a model for ranchers: Here’s an option where you can get paid,” said Steve Sharkey, director of the Knoblach Family Foundation, which helped fund Lancaster’s agreement.

The elk-occupancy agreements remain in their early stages, with previous projects in Jackson Hole and Montana’s Paradise Valley. While the initiative is gaining traction, scaling it up to replace feedgrounds entirely would require significant funding.

Currently, these agreements rely on private donors. However, experts suggest that state and federal agencies could redirect feedground budgets—like Wyoming’s $3.1 million annual feeding program—toward compensating ranchers for hosting elk.

“If this could be scaled up, we would hope that Game and Fish would take it over,” Sharkey said. “Instead of buying hay to feed elk, they could reallocate those dollars to paying ranchers to allow those elk onto their properties.”