The Hardware Wildlife Management Area offers sleigh rides through herds of wild elk to the public.
Marni Lee, the wildlife recreation coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, said Hardware was purchased with federal funds and set aside in 1945 with the purpose of feeding wildlife to keep them out of Cache Valley.
She said the idea for sleigh rides came after the public grew an interest in watching the elk being fed.
“What was happening in the wintertime is the public would come up and they would see employees feeding the elk, and it's a pretty impressive thing to watch us feed them," Lee said. "They were sitting in the parking areas on the side of the road, and so we saw an opportunity as an agency to help guide people's discovery and their experience with wildlife.”
Lee said with the help of Haviland’s Old West Adventure, the public can go on a sleigh ride and learn more about elk. She said on a sleigh ride, the driver will point out the elks’ behaviors and teach you about elk biology.
Rayma Stott, a visitor to Cache Valley, said her favorite part of the sleigh ride was the driver.
“He was so full of knowledge and gave us so much information," she said.
During the ride, Haviland pointed out an elk he named Max.
Sleigh rides will be available Friday through Sunday, from 10am-4:30pm until Feb. 11. For more information, visit wildlife.utah.gov.
