In the high country, deep November snows cause elk to migrate to their winter range on the National Elk Refuge. In strings of 200 or more, thousands of elk arrive, some traveling more than 65 miles from southern Yellowstone National Park and surrounding national forests. Settlement and development eliminated nearly three-fourths of the elk’s natural winter range. The 23,000-acre National Elk Refuge was established in 1912 to protect the remaining winter habitat. Throughout the year, several different national and state agencies manage the herd and its habitat.