Celebrate Wapiti and Wilderness during the Jackson Hole ElkFest: May 22-23, 2010!

ElkFest is a weekend of activities built around the world-famous Jackson Hole Boy Scout Elk Antler Auction. It is an exciting time to celebrate nature, outdoor skills, hunting and ecological education and awareness. Every spring, thousands of elk wintering on the National Elk Refuge lose their antlers before they migrate to their summer range. The Boy Scouts assist the Refuge with harvesting the shed antlers and auction them to bidders from around the world. The antlers are used to make furniture, art, and jewelry. This annual event includes a Chili Cook-Off with live musical performances, the kick-off to the Mountain Man Rendezvous & Antler Rendezvous. ElkFest supports the National Elk Refuge. 80% of auction proceeds go to the Refuge. 10,317 pounds of antlers were sold at the ElkFest 2009 auction averaging $8.52 per pound for total revenue of $88,010.

For more information on ElkFest, please contact the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce: info@jacksonholechamber.com or 307.733.3316.
To register for the Antler Auction, please contact Cliff or Loretta Kirkpatrick, info@elkfest.org or 307.733.5935.
For more information on the Antler Rendezvous, please contact Joe Schloss, Jschloss1000@hotmail.com or (307) 733-4007.

The National Elk Refuge

On a cold, crisp winter day, visitors and residents in Jackson Hole can bundle up and enjoy a unique wildlife experience - riding a horse-drawn sleigh to watch thousands of elk wintering on the National Elk Refuge. Through the sleigh rides and the visitor staging area at the Jackson Hole Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center, visitors learn intriguing facts about the  history of the elk and management of the Refuge. The Jackson Elk Herd is one of the outstanding natural resources of this country and comprises the largest, concentrated wintering herd of elk in North America.

Elk once ranged from eastern states through central and western North America. They grazed the open prairies, mountain valleys, and foothills. But as civilization pushed slowly westward, the distribution of these animals was rapidly reduced to the western mountainous regions. By the turn of the century, elk had disappeared from over 90% of their original range in the U.S.

The National Elk Refuge was established to preserve and manage habitat for elk wintering area in the valley and is operated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. It was created in 1912 as a result of public interest in the survival of the Jackson Elk Herd. The National Elk Refuge is one of over 540 areas within the National Wildlife Refuge System. It is approximately 25,000 acres and is devoted primarily to the preservation of elk winter range. Refuge lands represent about one quarter of the historic elk wintering area in the valley. In addition, the area provides habitat and crucial wintering areas for a variety of other wildlife including trumpeter swans, bald eagles, bison, bighorn sheep, mule deer, moose, coyotes, wolves, and a variety of ducks and geese.