The project is continued by subsequent 8 th grade classes. The student s research focuses on the Gallatin elk herd, consisting of elk populations in Porcupine, Taylor Fork, and around the Park boundary in Daly and Tepee Creek. Currently, elk in these populations generally die from old-age or hunting. Wolves and human activity are both increasing in this area, and may eventually have an impact on this herd. Over several years, student-collected elk data may show if the population s size is changing, and may provide valuable information for the management of the population.
Students collect most of their data on elk found on the foothills of the Porcupine drainage.
These elk are visible from the Ophir School library. Three to five times a week, students use spotting scopes to census the visible elk, recording the number of cows, calves, and bulls. The students also sample more distant populations by snow shoeing into the backcountry once a month which allows them to count elk between Ophir School and the Northwest corner of Yellowstone Park. The elk research program is part of the Ophir School Cabin Project. Ophir School welcomes such projects as the elk research program, because it allows Big Sky students to learn while they serve the community.