The way I understand it the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation started the construction of the Elk Visitor’s Center several years ago while Rawley Cogan was their Director for this part of the Country.
After it was well under construction the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Executive Director position came open and Rawley Cogan and another individual from somewhere out west were both in contention for the position. The guy from out west got the position and almost as soon as he was in power he pulled all support and funding from the Visitor Center project and fired Rawley Cogan.
There were a lot of people from Pennsylvania that had been long time supporters of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation who were pretty upset about the direction taken on the issues since they had fully supported the construction of the Visitor’s Center with their funding. They decided to form their own Elk Foundation in the name of the Elk Country Alliance.
When the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation pulled their backing from the project it was way to far along to just abandon so the building and property was initially taken over by DCNR, primarily because the Game Commission was not financially or perhaps even legally in a position to put money into funding the remaining construction.
From what I understand the Elk Country Alliance has since raised the funds to operate the Visitor’s Center and provide for its maintenance. They do that, as well as a lot of elk habitat work, with both the funds generated at the Visitors Center and also funds generated through annual banquets across the state.
As for the Game Commission getting shafted I don’t believe that to be the case. The Game Commission is not in a position to run the Visitor’s Center and really didn’t want ownership of it. The Game Commission has been very involved in doing educational programs for the public at the facility though. Both WCO McDowell and I have taken bears there to process so the public could see and learn from the process. WCO McDowell is doing a bobcat program there this Saturday and then the following Saturday I will be doing a bluebird program there for the public. A couple weeks ago the Game Commission Veterinarian was there and did a program on the perils of intentionally feeding elk.
Though the Game Commission doesn’t own the Elk Visitor’s Center they are in many ways benefiting from its existence and operations with the ability to help educate the public about both elk and other wildlife with programs there.
Go ahead and go to the Elk Country Alliance banquet, they do a lot of good work for not only elk but many other wildlife populations with the habitat developed from the money they bring in.
R.S. Bodenhorn
post edited by RSB - 2012/02/14 22:48:07