U.S. Clears State’s Bid to Vaccinate Elk on Refuge

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved Wyoming’s proposal to vaccinate elk on the National Elk Refuge against the cattle disease brucellosis. Vaccinations will probably begin this year and continue each winter through 2005.

In an effort to keep Wyoming cattle herds free of the contagious disease, the state has vaccinated elk on 22 of 23 of the state’s winter elk feeding grounds, using methods similar to those proposed for the National Elk Refuge.