With recent investments in an in-house research program, RMEF has taken the crucial next step toward owning science-based conservation. Follow along as a team of scientists from the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks and RMEF research staff monitor elk calves as part of a larger elk-habitat-predator project near Noxon, Mont. This project was catalyzed by a notable dip in hunter harvest and changes in elk availability on public lands. While capturing calves to collect data is just one portion of a study that began years ago, it is a vital link between what’s happening to the area’s elk population now and future hunting opportunities.

Thorough field research conducted by RMEF and partners is the bedrock for better understanding how habitat, predators, and elk survival interact across the landscape. This research reflects RMEF’s commitment to supporting rigorous science that strengthens elk populations, improves habitat and informs conservation across big game country.