Elk seek refuge on Salt Lake City golf course

A Salt Lake City golf course is seeing some unusual crowds this time of year – and this group seems to have left their clubs behind. Approximately 80 elk have decided to take refuge on a golf course despite efforts to relocate them to a more appropriate area, KSL News Radio reports.

In January, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) warned Utah residents that a herd of 60 elk were migrating to Parley’s Canyon and “keep crossing Foothill Boulevard and I-80 in Salt Lake City.” Only days after, four elk were killed within a group of 20, resulting in a temporary traffic closure as UWDR biologists herded the elk across I-215 and I-80 to safety. Two days later, three more elk were struck and killed.

According to KSL News Radio, this is when UDWR discovered that “the majority of the elk had set up camp at The Country Club golf course.” While the course may be empty this time of year, it’s not an ideal place for elk to congregate. So UDWR made plans to relocate the elk back to the canyon.

UDWR worked with the Utah Highway Patrol and temporarily closed roads to help elk safely reach their destination.

The relocation took place on March 19 as 20 UDWR works formed a human chain to “coax the herd of elk above Parleys Canyon.” And it appeared to be a success until, only a week later, someone spotted the herd back where they wanted to be: on The Country Club golf course.