Viewing Wildlife

Your national forest is a great place to watch wildlife.  As you hike the trails, picnic, or sit around your campfire at night, listen for wildlife that are just out of sight.  Remember to look up to see golden and bald eagles, or red-tailed hawks soaring high above you. 

Elk or wapitit is one of the largest species of deer in the world and one of the largest mammals in North America.  Elk range in forst and forest-edge habitat, feeding on grasss, leaves, and bark.  Dominant males gather and protect harems of females during the breeding season which occurs in the fall.  During this time, males "bugle" loudly to keep females in a group and warn other males to stay away.

Mountain Goats are sure-footed climbers that reside at high elevation, although they typically migrate to lower habitats in the winter.  They often rest on steep and rugged cliffs just out of reach of predators.  Females even give birth here, and the young are able to follow their mothers through the cliffs shortly after birth.  The mountain goat was likely native to Utah in the past, but was gone from the state until the late 1960s when the species was reintroduced onto the national forest.

Bighorn Sheep graze on grasses and browse shrubs, particularly in fall and winter, and seek minerals at natural salt licks.  Bighorns are well adapted to climbing steep terrain where they seek cover from predators such as coyotes, eagles, and cougars.  Adult males have large spiraling horns that are often used for butting other males in displays of dominance, whereas females have shorter horns that do not spiral.

Rattlesnakes are usually found on the ground, but will occasionally climbinto trees and shrubs.  Small mammals, birds, lizards, and the occasional amphibian make up their diet.  During cold weather, they occupy mammal burrows, crevices, and caves where they become inactive.

Moose prefer forest habitats, especially those locations with a mixture of wooded areas and open areas near lakes or wetlands where they feed on aquatic vegetation and new woody growth.  Durning the winter, moose switch to a diet of bark and twigs from evergreen and deciduous trees.  Moose are active both day and night, but peak activity occurs near dawn and dusk.

Wildlife Viewing Ethics

• Give the wildlife their spcace.  Use those binoculars!
• Avoid disturbing nesting adn denning areas, rookeries, and calving grounds.  If the parent is forced to flee, the young become vulnerable to predators and the elements.
• If you find what you believe to be an orphaned or sick animal, leave it alone.  Often the parents are hidden close by and waiting quietly for you to leave.
• Restrain your pet at all times.
• Do not feed wildlife.  Animals that become habituated to handouts can eventually become nuisances, losing their instinctive fears.  Often the only way to take care of the "nuisance" animal is extermination.
• Learn to recognize signs of alarm and leave if an animal shows them.  Watch for raised ears, skittish movements, or alarm calls.

Hardware Ranch

The Visitor Center offers hay rides throughout the elk during the winter season.  Check out their web site for additional information.