Fish and Game begins feeding elk at Bullwhacker’s feedlot west of Ketchum

Residents and visitors are asked to stay away from the feeding area so as not to disturb the moose.

It is expected that feeding will continue until April 2025.

Located west of Ketchum, the Bullwhacker Feeder is an annual Fish and Game Commission approved feeder. Feeding at Bullwhacker has occurred on an annual basis since the 1980s, with periodic feeding beginning in the 1950s. Depending on winter conditions, feeding typically begins in late December or early January.

The site was established with the intention of keeping moose away from the communities of Ketchum and Sun Valley. While many believe that feedlots supplement forage in the winter range, the purpose of Bullwhacker’s feedlot is to lure elk away from communities where conflicts may arise.

Large numbers of deer and elk have become year-round or seasonal residents of communities throughout the Wood River Valley, leading to an increased number of human-wildlife conflicts in the winter. Big game that remain in and around communities run a greater risk of being hit on roads and highways, trapped in fences, falling through thin ice on ornamental ponds and into household window wells, as well as being chased by off-leash dogs and entangled. in swings and hammocks.

Feeding wildlife by residents is strongly discouraged, as unauthorized feeding sites can lead to unintended consequences of attracting wildlife close to cities and neighborhoods. (Please read Feeding moose and deer in the city does more harm than good.)

For more information on how to reduce human-wildlife conflict and suggestions on how to live and recreate safely around wildlife, visit Wood River Valley Wildlife Smart Communities website.

Contact the Magic Valley Regional Office for more information on winter feeding at (208) 324-4359.