Northern Yellowstone Elk herd at highest levels in 10 years

[Old Ranger]

I was born in a little Montana town called Livingston in 1955. I grew up in a world long gone. I had the privilege of some very special early mornings just at first light from Anderson Ridge to the Head of Slough Creek to Maiden Basin, Cedar Creek and on to Six Mile. I never spent time on the Eagle Creek road.

That is all gone and Don't Even Get me Really Started...... But I'll start a little with the following thoughts.

Talking of the issues and current realities down in that part of the hunting world is about as contentious in most circles as "Trump Politics."

As we all know and understand there were around 20,000 elk comprising the World Renowned North Yellowstone Elk Herd by around the mid 1990's. And with a secured, sustainable, Public Wildlife Winter Range of over 20 miles along the eastern slopes of the Gardiner and Paradise Valleys.

There was a large degree of hunting pressure, good and bad, with this available public resource.

In my opinion and personal value judgement..... The re-introduction of the Grey Wolf into the Yellowstone Ecosystem changed the population dynamics and in reality the entire structure of the North Yellowstone Herd. Good or Bad... Right or Wrong.... depending on one's own perspectives. Twenty Thousand elk went away and basically a remnant population came into being. Not from "too many cows" being shot. But how bout too many June calves being eaten.

To me it is a saddening social documentary of what now befalls of this once incredible population of Rocky Mountain Elk. They are getting short on Champions to their well bing..

Personally, I see:

A State Wildlife Management Agency without a Professional Compass of conviction or direction.

What remains there of a licensed Hunting Industry holding to a world that is gone and not to what is needed for the future.

An environmental conglomeration of souls who feel "their favorite species" has to "win" versus other publics and other species populations.

A hunting public, albeit of diverse opinion and backgrounds, all somewhat placed to the sidelines.

From the above I don't see a strong coalition being built to go forward in the years ahead.

There will always be some elk for pictures in Yellowstone in July. But oh for what it once all was.....

Sorry to have rambled....

 

[phutch30]

One of the last FWP meetings I went to, Karen got absolutely hammered by everybody. Topic was elk in 313, primarily going over her recommendation to put the unit on limited quota.

Dealing with the wing-nut hunters, outfitters, landowners, wolf huggers, and the FWP leadership has got to be a tough. I told her after her presentation, she looked like she need a belt of whiskey.

I don't go to those meetings anymore - they're useless.

And lets not forget who sets the population objectives the local bios have to manage for

 

[shoots-straight]

Old Ranger, we could kill every Wolf, Grizzly and Black bears, lions and coyotes and it would change a thing about the elk that live in Yellowstone. They are over objective today and that's not because of calves being eaten it's because of a law that was passed by our legislature in 2003 that mandated for socially acceptable numbers of elk in each hunting district and those numbers were to be kept at or below those populations.

 

[PaulRevere]

The lack of engagement on this topic makes me curious!

Are we sick of beating a dead horse (elk)?

 

[Aussie_hunter_JD]

Imagine having a state the size of Michigan with less than ten game wardens to police it, that's my state!

Our "biologists" mentality for all but one species of deer is "kill them all" hence a 12 month no tag limit season. We have some hunters but enough yahoo shooters around that take pride in their entitlement to kill anything with a pulse.

 

[Pagosa]

This is good news. I'm glad the elk are making a come back in this area. The numbers at 19k was probably way over-objective anyhow. In SW Montana I think the elk numbers are very good from my limited experience; but it seems the elk are utilizing more timber to avoid hunters/wolves, going nocturnal, or going to large private ranches once the hunting pressure increases. It's not the same elk hunting as 12-15 years ago. I talk to a few biologist in Region 3 (Vanna Baccuhhi), and another MTFWP Biologist from Dillon and I can't personally see why they would falsely account for the big game herds. Like others have said it's the management driven plan by the MTFWP directors.

 

[Old Ranger]

shoots - straight,

Certainly not wanting to get into a game of "posting ping-pong." A little of that going around lately I see on some other threads. Must be the winter......

I guess you and I fall within that category I described in my initial post here of..... " A hunting public, albeit of different opinions and backgrounds, ........."

I certainly respect your opinion and perspective on this subject. But guess I'm just not drinking your Kool-Aid on this one. To me the situation and current existing conditions from the previous situation and those existing conditions is a little more complex than that. Both the Social as well as Biological.

Interesting isn't it that the Northern Yellowstone EMU Narrative in the MT Elk Plan identifies a Management Unit and it's three Hunting Unit subsets as being of 94% Public Lands. With 6% Private. Supporting around 400,000 acres of viable elk habitat. And within that total approximately 130,000 acres of identified Occupied Winter Range. With an additional 16,000 acres of Critical Winter Range acres added through purchase beginning in the very late 1980's. All this while there is also that little piece of ground to the south giving a level and period of habitat support.

If not here then where? Just Saying..

To me the population numbers don't make sense either Socially or Biologically. Just my thoughts.

 

[MTGomer]

Does anybody know if the proposed HD313 shoulder seasons passed? I see now they are saying the higher counts may be an anomaly due to some elk from the Lamar not being able to get out of the Cody end of the park.


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