The residential Sun Valley/Ketchum area in Idaho is getting to be a real elk refuge. There are too many and the IDFG is trying to reduce numbers. They've extended the cow season to 6 weeks with liberal tags but many of the elk hang out on private land where you can't get at them. A couple years ago a bunch of them died by getting on the Sun Valley golf course and in peoples' yards and eating ornamental yew. It's deadly and there's a lot of people who've planted it for landscaping. Years ago, this was a major elk winter range that's now full of high dollar houses.
NO, none, zero, nada elk died from yew on the Sun Valley golf course, and as to it "years ago" being a major elk range that is now houses...the course has been here since 1937.
A total of 17 elk died from yew in Blaine County in January of 2016. 11 foraged the yew from the Hailey Cemetery, that has been here since the 1880's, 5 from the Valley Club in Hailey (which is a private club miles from and no way related to the Sun Valley golf course), and 1 from an adjacent home. Blaine County immediately took action based on these incidents and not another case has been reported.
Contrast to the Treasure Valley over the last three years, where this problem is endemic, with animal kills of over 50 at a time, involving deer, elk and antelope...with no resolution to the problem...
