Below is a news release from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
Another chance to ride a horse-drawn sleigh or wagon through the middle of hundreds of wild elk is almost here.
To celebrate the start of another elk-viewing season, staff at the Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area will hold the annual Elk Festival on Dec. 7. Activities will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Except for a fee to ride through the elk herd ($5 for those 9 years of age or older, or $3 for those 4 to 8 years old), all of the festival activities are free. Visitors can reach Hardware Ranch by traveling 16 miles east of Hyrum on state Route 101.
While the festival will only be one day, visitors will have the opportunity to view elk at the ranch for several months. However, just like last season, the length of time that staff feed the elk will be shorter than years past. Brucellosis, a bacterial disease that affects cattle, bison and elk, has not been detected in Utah, but Utah Division of Wildlife Resources biologists are concerned that elk migrating back and forth — from Utah to areas where brucellosis is found — could bring the disease into the state.
Late winter and spring is the time when elk usually transmit the disease to each other. As a precaution, feeding and elk viewing will end on Feb. 9. Ending feeding early should disperse the elk and cause them to leave the ranch early, which should reduce the chance that an elk with brucellosis passes the disease to other elk.
Go here for additional information.
(Photo source: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources)