Direct control of hunters and hunting seasons and bag limits has been the primary technique of elk management in North America. After the near disappearance of elk in the late 1800’s, management efforts have been made to restore the individual and herd numbers. Management of habitat for the specific purpose of producing more and healthier animals probably has not been practiced on a large scale probably since the Indians ceased the burning of big game ranches in the late 1800’s (Stewart 1963, Barrett 1980). The North American elk was once the most abundantly distributed member of the deer family in North America. Today, elk are restricted to a much smaller geographic area and less diverse habitats. Size and adaptability of elk provide only a partial explanation for the emergence of land use problems related to elk, and for the failure of wildlife managers to use land management practices more extensively to accommodate the needs of elk (Allen 1972).

Seasonally, elk require different combinations of security and thermal cover near foraging areas. In North America, there are few successful free-ranging elk herds not associated with forested lands (Allen 1972).