Student-led study to culminate in community event

The Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife and Mount Si High School students need help in finding out how many elk live in the Valley.

As part of an ongoing elk land-use study, Snoqualmie and North Bend residents have been calling and e-mailing in their elk sightings over the past three months.

The entire effort culminates in a single-day special event, “All Eyes on Elk Day,” Saturday, April 19.

“We now know where they are; now we need to know how many there are,” said state wildlife biologist Russell Link. “To get this estimate we need to focus our survey effort on one day.”

To take part, residents should call or e-mail in their sighting of one or more elk on April 19.

Anytime during daylight hours is fine for observing, but you are most likely to see animals an hour after daybreak and an hour before dark, according to Link.

• To record a sighting, call 1-888-elkherd (1-888-355-4373) or e-mail to elkherd@dfw.wa.gov and include the number of elk you saw and where you saw them.

“The phone message will let you know what information we need, and you’ll have plenty of time to share your information,” Link said.

Link will give a talk on “The elk in our backyard,” 7 p.m. Friday, April 18 at the Meadowbrook Farm.

He will discuss the Elk land-use project and other issues regarding the local elk herd.