ODFW to host town hall meeting on North Coast elk, April 12

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the City of Warrenton will co-host a public meeting to address human-elk interactions in and around the city of Warrenton and Clatsop County. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 12 at the Warrenton Community Center, located at 170 SW 3rd St., Warrenton, OR 97146. ODFW wildlife biologist Herman Biederbeck will present an overview of elk population trends and management objectives, and will highlight safety concerns arising from increasing interactions between people and elk. ODFW has been working with city officials to raise awareness of responsible behavior around elk. Over time the City of Warrenton has experienced an increase in elk-human interactions, according to Biederbeck, including some dangerous activity such as people feeding the elk and getting too close for taking pictures. “These kinds of interactions may seem innocent enough, but in reality can be very dangerous because it could trigger the elk to become aggressive toward humans,” said Biederbeck. Meeting topics will include strategies and “best practices” people can consider to reduce elk damage and improve safety on their property, including vegetative management and fencing and other tools. Representatives of the law enforcement community are also scheduled to participate by providing an overview of elk-related law enforcement challenges and enlist the public’s support.