The Stanley City Council voted fddddwto approve the sale of several elk from the city’s herd at Chapman Park to Luke McAlpine of Hogsback Ranch in an effort to bring in new genetics and maintain the health of the animals.

Streets/Grounds Foreman Joe Schmitt explained to the Council that the City holds a license for 15 elk and currently has 14. “We are looking into getting some new genetics maybe into our herd,” said Schmitt. He added that the city has had the same elk for more than a decade, with some being nearly 13 years old.

The current bull elk is 11 years old, nearing the 15-year life expectancy for bulls. Several of the cows are between 9 and 12 years old.

“What I’m afraid of right now is that we’re potentially on the line for inbreeding right now because there hasn’t been new blood brought into that herd in a very long time,” Schmitt told the Council.

Schmitt noted that they have already seen possible signs of this issue, explaining that some calves were born unusually late last year. He stated that he was told it was due to the bull “being old” and “lazy.”

The Council approved the sale of one bull calf for $900, four older cow elk at $1,500 each, and the adult bull for $5,000. The plan includes purchasing a three-year-old bull elk for roughly the same price as the sale of the adult bull, which Schmitt said will introduce new genetics into the herd.

Following the sale and purchase, the city’s herd will consist of nine elk, including three calves born this year. Schmitt said the smaller herd size will benefit the animals and make feeding them more manageable.

“I would like to keep the herd under that ten total. One it’s better for the elk. It allows the acres that we have out there to be grazed better,” said Schmitt. He added that feeding a 14-elk herd is difficult to sustain given the city’s budget for feed and the limited pen size.