Tracking Elk in North Dakota’s Badlands

When Boone and Crockett Club co-founder Theodore Roosevelt bought Elkhorn Ranch in the 1880s, the ranch’s once-abundant namesake was mostly gone from western North Dakota’s badlands. Market hunting had essentially wiped out the elk population. The ranch is now part of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and elk have since made a triumphant comeback in the area. Reintroduced to the park in 1985, elk have established themselves within its boundaries and beyond along the Little Missouri River corridor. 

The story of elk in North Dakota’s badlands recently entered a new chapter. The herd outside the park hasn’t been extensively studied until now. Boone and Crockett Fellow Daniel Morina is exploring the dynamics of the herd as part of his Ph.D. at the University of Montana. His research examines the impact oil and gas development has on elk, and he’s also contributing to a broader project to improve elk management in the region.

Morina uses scientific models to determine where elk go and what habitats they use. The goal is to help state managers refine where and how they conduct aerial surveys to count elk and assess their population. “We’ve been able to identify high areas of elk concentration in wintertime when North Dakota makes their aerial survey data,” Morina says. ”Using that information, [we] created a new aerial survey route for them to fly to do their surveys and be more efficient in counting animals.”

“If you’re going to manage elk in places like western North Dakota, the only source of mortality and the only way to manage population size is through hunter harvest,” Morina says. “We have to be able to step in and help manage those populations, and hunters have a huge role in that.”

A Rich Hunting Heritage

Morina’s work is funded by North Dakota Game and Fish (NDGF) and supported by the Club’s University Programs. As a Boone and Crockett Fellow, Morina receives funding to study the intersection of conservation policy and hunting on the landscape. 

“If you’re going to manage elk in places like western North Dakota, the only source of mortality and the only way to manage population size is through hunter harvest,” Morina says. “We have to be able to step in and help manage those populations, and hunters have a huge role in that.” 

Morina’s work provides information that managers use to help manage game species. Some of that information can also be used to inform hunters directly, Morina says. For instance, Morina found that the elk in the badlands, like other populations, avoid roads. Hunters in the area could improve success rates by getting at least half a kilometer away from them, Morina says.

He also found that elk in the badlands utilize private land more often than public land. “The only way we're going to be able to increase success and opportunities for hunters and mitigate conflicts with landowners is to build relationships and get public hunters to work with landowners to gain access,” Morina says. 

Combining Construction and Biology

Morina learned to hunt from his neighbors as a child and took up bowhunting after high school. Now, he teaches his four children and has also helped mentor college students learning to hunt. His passion for hunting led him to wildlife biology. “I loved hunting. I loved the outdoors,” he says. 

A nontraditional student, Morina spent seven years in commercial construction project management before returning to school, finishing his undergraduate degree at North Carolina State University, and becoming a wildlife biologist. Morina’s background and emotional maturity set him apart, says Bronson Strickland, professor of wildlife management at Mississippi State University. “[Morina] came in with kids and married, so some of the issues that might cause a younger person with less life experience to stumble, Dan could chuckle at,” Strickland says. His positive attitude and knack for problem-solving helped set him up for success during a uniquely challenging master’s project at Mississippi State—one originally intended for a Ph.D.-level student.

The main focus of his master’s work was to determine if the fetal growth curve used to evaluate the timing of conception in deer—the Hamilton fetal growth scale—was accurate for Mississippi whitetails.

Deer were largely wiped out in Mississippi in the first half of the 20th century but later reintroduced using stock from various places, including other U.S. states and Mexico. The timing of when deer breed in Mississippi is based on where their reintroduced ancestors came from and varies across the state from early November to February.

Morina’s project involved capturing wild deer from different areas in Mississippi and transporting them back to a deer facility, where he was charged with caring for about 100 animals. He and his team synchronized the does’ estrous and breeding and then sampled fetuses to test whether they adhered to the standard growth periods. Morina found that while finer details differed, overall, the results of the curve were accurate enough to continue using it in the state.

Does Size Matter to Does? 

Of all the studies he and his colleagues have conducted over the years, none have received more attention, awards, and media coverage than an experiment about female choice that they conducted as an offshoot of the fetal growth study.

They set out to answer an age-old question: Do does prefer big bucks, old bucks, or bucks with large antlers? To find out, Morina and his team manipulated antler size on bucks of the same age and body size and placed does in estrus between them to see which male they preferred.

Morina swapping out antlers on one of his test subjects. 

“Antler size was the tough part. [We] had to have two males that were the same body size and the same age but have small antlers on one and big antlers on the other,” says Steve Demarais, recently retired Taylor Chair in applied big game research and instruction at MSU and Morina’s master’s project advisor. 

The team had to figure out a way to attach different antlers to the bucks and then swap those antlers between animals every two weeks. Their first attempts used PVC pipes, but those broke. So, Morina worked with MSU’s agricultural engineers to hand-build a special metal coupling. The system allowed researchers to remove the buck’s antlers, attach a mounting apparatus to the base of the antlers, and then fit different antlers into the base.

The result? Does consistently chose bucks with larger antlers.

“Over the course of the study, we found that the females had no preference for body size or age. All they cared about was the size of the antlers,” Demarais said. “The antlers are what biologists call an honest signal. The biggest antlers represent a successful male.”

Demarais and Stickland helped oversee the project and say it was extremely intense, taking a lot of ingenuity and creativity—qualities Morina possesses in spades. 

“As a master’s student, [Morina] was a self-starter and highly motivated. He’s the type of person that you don't have to worry about,” says Strickland.

To swap out the antlers, Morina and his colleagues had to replace the antler sets using a coupling system. The result? Does like big antlers. 

Working with Landowners

Morina will graduate with his doctorate in May 2025. Afterward, he hopes to work for a nonprofit or agency focusing on wildlife management. He’s also interested in the possibility of opening a wildlife consulting firm.

“I want to affect conservation and habitat improvement on private land,” he says. One of his passions is working with people, especially private landowners, and he hopes to make a difference by partnering with them directly.

His mentors know his aptitude and proactive approach are sure to carry him far. “He is a highly motivated, highly energetic, self-motivated go-getter,” says Demarais. “If I had a company and I wanted to select a new CEO, Dan Morina would be the kind of guy I’d want in that position.”

For more information about Boone and Crockett Club Fellows or its University Programs, please contact Luke Coccoli, director of conservation research and education, at [email protected].

Boone and Crockett Fellows Program

Through its Fellows Program, the Boone and Crockett Wildlife Conservation Program supports graduate students in wildlife conservation and related fields. A Boone and Crockett Fellow is an undergraduate, graduate, or postdoctoral student supported by Boone and Crockett funding and/or advised by a Boone and Crockett professor or professional member. In addition to displaying academic excellence, Boone and Crockett Fellows are committed to scholarship that:

1. Promotes effective conservation policy through dedication to research, education, outreach, and service.

2. Exhibits leadership in wildlife conservation.

3. Helps others understand the mission of the Boone and Crockett Club and the evolution of conservation in America.

4. Recognizes and appreciates the values of hunting and fishing and the principles of Fair Chase.

For more information about Boone and Crockett Club Fellows or its University Programs, please contact Luke Coccoli, Director of Conservation Research and Education, at [email protected].