Bridger

JACKSON — The Bridger-Teton National Forest will allow two Wyoming Game and Fish elk feedgrounds that need their permits renewed to continue to operate on forest land for at least three more years.

The draft decision, published Sunday, allows for continued winter feeding at Dell Creek, near Bondurant, and Forest Park, near Afton.

The renewal follows the first winter in which chronic wasting disease — an always fatal and highly transmissible neurological malady — was detected on Wyoming feedgrounds during active feeding. The disease killed 10 elk across four feedgrounds, including six at Dell Creek.

Feedgrounds keep elk in close proximity and foster the spread of disease, but shuttering them has faced strong opposition from ranchers, outfitters and lawmakers.

“Feeding as part of winter