Jefferson County will be a little more wildlife friendly after a gathering of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in Boulder this weekend. Friday, June 23, RMEF will have volunteers and members from around the state taking on a project to remove about six miles of old barbed wire fencing on BLM and Block Management Property.
“Our work project is a big part of the weekend and our group loves making elk country a better place,” said Jared Wold, Regional Director for RMEF’s Northern Idaho/Western Montana region. From June 23-25 attendees will gather at the Jefferson County fairgrounds to celebrate RMEF’s accomplishments over the past year and continued conservation success in Montana. In addition to the work project, the weekend will include an annual wild game potluck on Friday night, seminars and demonstrations, and a Saturday night pig roast.
For the kids, a game warden will explain how dogs are used to investigate wildlife crimes, there will be a GPS treasure hunt, and archery instruction will be offered, all on Saturday. Wold said Jefferson County residents are welcomed to stop in and see what’s happening and/or join in the fence project by meeting at the fairgrounds at 8 a.m. Friday.
Locals are also welcomed to bring a dish to share and attend Friday’s potluck. Anyone wishing to attend the Saturday night barbecue would need to register, which costs $10 for anyone over age 12. The rendezvous, which is not a fundraiser but a time for “like-minded conservationists” to celebrate RMEF accomplishments, said Wold. There are plenty of reasons for Jefferson County folks to celebrate what the RMEF has done.
According to Wold, the organization has spent $86,319 on habitat enhancement projects in Jefferson County. “These projects include fence removals, prescribed burns, thinning and noxious weed treatment,” he said. “Total acres affected in Jefferson County is 5661. With much of the Elkhorns located in Broadwater County, RMEF has invested a lot of money in that county as well,” he said. As a whole, the organization has invested nearly $600,000 to conserve over 34,000 acres of elk habitat, he said. This weekend’s rendezvous is something the organization holds every year, though they travel from place to place for the annual event.
“Traditionally we have moved rendezvous around to different sites in the state, but would like to find 2-3 facilities that we rotate around through,” said Wold. “We hope Boulder works out for us and we are able to come back every other year or so.” Proximity to elk habitat and potential work projects also weighed into the decision to meet in Boulder this year, he said.
For more information about the event, visit rmef.org, contact Wold at jwold@rmef.org or 406-370-8352, or stop by the fairgrounds beginning Thursday evening.
