New rules for upcoming annual antler hunt in Jackson
With May 1 just around the corner, antler scavengers are gearing up for the annual rush to find the best rack the elk from the National Elk Refuge dropped during the winter. But before you make the trek, new rules mean there are changes this year. The biggest one being the timing you can drive onto the elk refuge.
“We’re moving the 8 a.m. opening of the road back to midnight on May 1,” said Lori Iverson of the National Elk Refuge. “So it will give people immediate access to the Bridger-Teton National Forest where antler collection is legal.”
Another big change, the refuge will no longer allow people to park along Flat Creek Road inside the elk refuge. Instead, people will have to wait in town. Jackson City officials say they’ve dedicated several parking lots around town for people to park while they wait.
“Our big concern is that people will park along Broadway (the main street to the elk refuge), and that’s a residential area,” said Carl Pelletier, the public information officer for Jackson. “We’re encouraging folks to come and participate, but we’re encouraging folks to come and wait in in those four different parking lots.”
Pelletier said police will be on patrol and will ticket people who try to park by the refuge entrance before the midnight opening time. A link with information on the parking locations can be found HERE.
Besides the parking and time change, another less-used access road into the Bridger-Teton National Forest will be off limits to the public. “The Gros Ventre River access point will be off limits this year,” said Iverson. “We have let people cross that on May 1 previously in years past, but at midnight, with high water levels, the darkness, we’re just concerned about people’s safety.”
Other safety concerns the Forest Service has includes the large number of people trekking through the forest at night while bears are coming out.
“This is bear country,” said Lesley Williams-Gomez of the Bridger-Teton National Forest Service. “It’s important that people realize that they need to take precautions, put their coolers and any bear attractants that could attract bears inside their vehicles.”
Williams-Gomez also said people need to drive only on the dedicated trails, and to not go around barriers. “Higher up in the mountains there’s still a lot of snow,” said Williams-Gomez. “We put those barriers up so people don’t get stuck.”
Both Iverson and Williams-Gomez said people need to remember that while recovering antlers and racks from within the national forest is legal, removing antlers from elk refuge property or national park land is prohibited.
