The Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni), often called wapiti, is an indigenous species that has inhabited the region for thousands of years. While these magnificent animals were once widespread across the state’s mountains and plains, their population was nearly eradicated in the early 20th century. The current large herds are a testament to one of North America’s most successful wildlife conservation efforts, which makes the elk’s status appear ambiguous to many people today.
Historical Presence and Near Extirpation
Before the arrival of European settlers, elk ranged freely across Colorado, moving between high-elevation summer pastures and lower-elevation winter ranges, including the eastern plains. These animals were an integral part of the state’s diverse ecosystem, with populations numbering in the tens of thousands. Their seasonal movements and grazing habits helped shape the natural landscape of the mountains and foothills.
The species faced a catastrophic decline in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily due to unregulated market hunting. Hunters targeted elk for their meat, hides, and especially their canine teeth, which were prized as status symbols. This unsustainable harvesting, combined with the rapid influx of miners and homesteaders who relied on wild game for subsistence, quickly decimated the herds.
By the early 1900s, the state’s elk population was estimated to have plummeted to a mere 500 to 1,000 individuals, pushing the species toward total extirpation within Colorado. Habitat encroachment further compounded the issue, as logging, mining, and agricultural development destroyed or fragmented the animals’ traditional winter range and migratory corridors. The severity of this decline set the stage for one of the most ambitious wildlife recovery programs in American history.
The Colorado Restoration Program
Early conservationists and government agencies initiated a formal restoration effort in the early 1900s. The federal government intervened by closing elk hunting in Colorado from 1913 until the late 1920s or early 1930s, providing a much-needed period of protection. This ban was paired with the establishment of protected areas, such as the creation of Rocky Mountain National Park in 1915, which provided safe havens for the remaining and newly introduced animals.
The reintroduction program, led by the state’s Department of Fish and Game—a predecessor to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW)—began in the early 1910s. Elk were translocated from the last remaining strongholds, most notably the herds from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Between 1912 and 1928, approximately 350 elk were released into fourteen different areas across Colorado.
These reintroduced animals were carefully managed to ensure their survival and reproduction. The restoration was highly successful, partially because the elk’s natural predators, such as wolves and grizzly bears, had also been largely eliminated from the state.
Current Population Dynamics and Management
Colorado’s conservation success has resulted in the state now hosting the largest elk population in North America, with recent estimates often exceeding 290,000 animals. These robust herds are distributed across extensive habitats, including the White River National Forest and Rocky Mountain National Park, where they are a major draw for wildlife viewers. The species’ successful rebound, however, presents ongoing challenges for wildlife managers.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife employs a “management by objective” approach, using Data Analysis Units (DAUs) to set specific population and sex ratio objectives for each distinct herd. Controlled hunting seasons are a primary tool used to maintain these herds within their objective ranges, preventing overpopulation that can damage the habitat. In some areas, such as Rocky Mountain National Park, lethal culling and contraceptives have also been utilized to reduce herds that have exceeded the land’s carrying capacity.
Current management also focuses on mitigating human-elk conflict and addressing habitat loss due to development and increased recreation. The pressure on winter ranges is a significant concern, as human disturbance from trails and growing residential areas can displace elk from forage areas, which can lead to population declines in localized herds. CPW works to balance the health of the elk population with the needs of the environment and the public.