I recently received a piece of mail that has really started me thinking. It was from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation asking us to fill out a short survey and, of course, contribute some money ($35).

The letter stated, “your opinions will help us know what’s important to you, and your donation will help us protect what’s important to you.”

Really?

Where was the foundation this past winter when large herds of elk and deer were starving? Where were they this winter when herds of elk were destroying ranchers’ haystacks?

Instead of purchasing private property in Wallowa County, couldn’t a portion of those funds have been used to set up feeding stations here and provide hay to the hungry elk herds?

As many of you know, my husband and I dealt with this extreme problem on a very personal level. We are still dealing with the elk herds as they are currently coming into our hayfields nightly and feeding here.

Yes, we have hunters here with ODFW damage tags, but only three animals have been taken. Some adjoining landowners are hunting, too, but I really don’t know how successful that has been.

We have spent thousands of dollars preparing out haysheds for the coming winter and return of the elk herds. I’m told they will be back now that they know where the hay is.

I would say, we already have contributed to the elk foundation and will most likely continue to for many years until there are changes in legislative policy and people from all sides decide to work together to resolve this problem for private landowners.

Pamela Harshfield

Wallowa