Arizona Elk State Route260 Migration Corridors

The State Route 260 elk herd resides east of Payson, Arizona, along State Route 260 in Game Management Units 3C, 4A, 4B, 5A, 22, and 23. The herd winters in a concentrated range around State Route 260 near Kohls Ranch, south of Diamond Rim, and extending to Christopher Mountain and Bearhide Canyon. Most elk summer on the Mogollon Rim (hereafter, Rim), a rugged escarpment at the southern tip of the Colorado Plateau, and descend from the Rim in two primary locations, Sharp Creek and Al Fulton Point, to reach the winter range. Other individuals summer below the Rim, but as winter approaches, they migrate south to the winter range. In 2021, the Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) on State Route 260 near the herd’s winter range was 6,557 vehicles. Previous studies suggest that when the AADT exceeds 10,000–15,000 vehicles, elk rarely attempt to cross highways unless a designated crossing, such as an underpass, has been established. As development in Arizona continues to expand, it will become increasingly important to effectively manage traffic and accommodate wildlife crossings along State Route 260. These mapping layers show the location of the migration corridors for elk (Cervus canadensis) in the SR260 population in Arizona. They were developed from 76 migration sequences collected from a sample size of 33 animals comprising GPS locations collected every 1-4 hours.

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