Is it Safe?
The Park Service suggests tourists (and photographers) wear florescent orange if they are roaming around in areas where hunting is allowed. However, there are places in GTNP where visitors are still in jeopardy of being shot while still on some of the major connectors like Antelope Flats Road and the East Boundary Road.
Today (Nov. 21) was “one of those days” when I felt I could have been in harm’s way. I didn’t get shot, nor did anyone else I am aware of, but conditions were potentially treacherous for hunters, tourists, photographers and rangers. This map might help illustrate the problem. Hunters were all over the sage flats with vehicles parked in the pullout near Ditch Creek, along the East Boundary Road, and along Ditch Creek Road. Photographers, tourists, and one Park Ranger were stopped along the East Boundary Road just south of Ditch Creek.
When I drove up, eight or nine moose were running East at break neck speeds across the sagebrush. They crossed before I could get shots. Three more bulls were running from the middle of the sage and they continued across the road to meet up with the rest of the moose. I took this shot from my window as they crossed in front of me. You can see a couple of the hunters in this shot. Just to the right, and out of the frame, were another half dozen hunters clustered together.
Within a minute of the moose crossing the road, I turned to see a huge herd of elk running from NW to SW and then across the East Boundary Road. At that point, rifle shots were rapid. I couldn’t tell exactly where the shots were coming from, nor which direction they were being fired—but it didn’t feel safe.
This shows the elk herd beginning to cross the East Boundary Road. You can see the power lines along Ditch Creek Road.
After crossing the East Boundary Road, the herd headed in the general direction of the Shane Cabin—still in one of the legal hunting zones.
Hunter and Elk: Around 15 elk got cut off from the herd and were still in the sage west of the East Boundary Road. In the distance, you can see a couple of the vehicles parked on the dirt portion of Ditch Creek road, along with a couple of hunters. This hunter could have easily killed one of the cows in this group, but apparently didn’t take the shot with all of the people and vehicles on the back side. I pulled up to a spot on the road and took this image out my window.
The nervous herd of elk went back and forth a few times, allowing three additional hunters to walk off the road, set up and prepare for a shot. A few moose were still in the sage in the distance. A Park Ranger was parked on the road, watching the activity at close range. This was also taken out the window of my van.
The herd of roughly fifteen elk finally made a break for safety by following the same tracks as the original herd. The hunter on the right in the previous photo tracked the elk as they made their way across the sage, but didn’t fire. The Ranger yelled out, “Don’t even think about it”. The hunter replied, “You didn’t see me take a shot, did you?” and the ranger followed up with, “No, but you were following an elk with your scope and rifle.”
There were roughly ten to fifteen vehicles parked along the East Boundary road when all of this took place. (I only indicated seven on the map) Many of the people were wearing hunter orange, but there were at least four photographer vehicles and a couple of what I would call “tourists” in the wrong place at the wrong time. This photographer was documenting what he was seeing, including the three hunters as they prepared to get back in their truck. The hunter spotted the photographer taking photos of him. He was yelling at the photographer and waving his arms and pointing at him (while still carrying his rifle). The hunter approached the hunter in an aggressive manner (without his rifle) and they did some face to face shouting. By that time, the ranger had left the area to follow the herd. I was expecting to see punches being thrown, but it didn’t happen.
Comments: I tried to give an accurate representation of the settings and scenario above, without a bias towards either side. Only the day before, I was out in the sagebrush fields along the dirt portion of Ditch Creek Road trying to photograph moose in the fresh snow. I knew at the time, I was driving into a hunt zone once I got off the East Boundary road—even though there is no sign advising tourists of the dangers. The Park put up a few small A-Frame signs with maps in a few areas, and the hunt zones are on the Park’s web site. Today, however, many people were on one of the Park’s major roads.
If you scroll back up to the map, you can see the potential problems. With hunters in the field, along Ditch Creek Road, and lined along the East Boundary Road, a triangle was created with elk running through the belly of the triangle. This triangle environment might have been “the perfect storm” in which someone was in jeopardy with every shot taken. Many shots were taken while the herd was bunched up and running. Some hunters refrained from taking shots. The on-site ranger might have had something to do with their conduct? I’ll never know. I didn’t see any hunters shoot from the road, from their vehicle, nor across a road. As far as I know, no citations were issued.
I drove up and down the road once to see hunters walking into the sage searching for dead or wounded elk. The Ranger was watching the activity from the road. I decided to get out of the way and find a quiet area without guns—like the swans along Flat Creek. Was it safe on this morning? I don’t think so!
Elk Reduction Program Started Saturday, October 24th.
“For Your Safety…
During the elk reduction program, hunting is prohibited within 1/4 mile of U.S. highways 26, 89, 191 and within 1/2 mile of buildings. Some parts of Area 75 have a 1/4-mile posted closure. Shooting is permitted adjacent to secondary roads within areas open to hunting with hunters at least 30 feet from the roadway. Hiking is not recommended in areas of the park and parkway adjacent to or within hunt areas. If you do hike in these areas, please wear flourescent orange. Also, the park recommends that all hikers carry bear spray. Consult a map or check at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose for recommendations.” (Note: The Visitor’s Center is now closed for the season)
The hunt area map can be found on this PDF: Elk Management Program – Grand Teton National Park
GTNP Hunt Area 75: (Added Monday afternoon) Just for clarification, I pulled this map off GTNP hunt documentation. There is a half mile buffer between the highway, but no buffer along Gros Ventre Road or the East Boundary Road. The lower orange oval is the area involved in this post and the upper oval offers a similar issue of possible cross-fire with unknowing tourists.