Winter still abounds on the Bridger-Teton

When individuals access closed winter range, they cause animals using the area to become stressed or flee to new locations. This retreat requires animals, especially ungulates like deer, elk, and moose, to use energy they cannot spare. Further, it can place them in areas less suitable for grazing and/or browsing, preventing them from gathering the food sources they need to survive. This leads to a weakened condition, which can have a direct effect on the animals’ ability to defend itself, making it more susceptible to predation and disease, and can lead to future reproduction problems in individual animals.