Season 2, Episode 22 Out Now!
In this episode we venture to Arcata, just north of Eureka California and home to Cal Poly Humboldt to discuss ranching a few miles from the Pacific. Every environment presents a unique set of problems whether it be weather, invasive or native wildlife or urbanization. Ranchers in Arcata deal with all of the above.
The reason for my visit was to talk about Elk. Specifically, Roosevelt Elk. These elk are endemic in the area but for a long-time, populations have waxed and waned. More recently the population has thrived… the Elk don’t have many existing predators, are hard on fences and are prolific breeders. The Elk prefer the same feed that cows do and have the ability to access it.
The Elk’s size, population and reproductivity makes management difficult. In this episode we speak with ranchers Jason & Dean Hunt and Justin Mora about how they deal with the Elk and about what systems they have to manage them. We also speak with Carrington Hilson from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife who is tasked with gathering data on the Elk population in Humboldt County which should aid in better management practices in the future.
To listen now press play on the player below, search “Stories from California Cattle Country” on your preferred platform for streaming podcast episodes or click on one of the following links to go straight to it : Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.
Scenes from the Episode
Stories from California Cattle Country takes listeners to some of the most beautiful parts of this diverse state to learn more about the people and practices of ranches and dairies. Follow our host, Ryan as he darts around the state meeting cattle ranchers and dairy farmers learning about the animals and land they care for everyday.
This podcast is produced by the California Cattlemen’s Foundation with support from the California Cattle Council.
