Seems like Nebraska is still struggling to figure out herd management strategies

[jbowlin]

Damage Control Elk Permit for Morrill Co. landowner raises questions, concerns among hunting public | KNEB

KNEB - Your trusted voice.

kneb.com

Wasn't sure if this was correct Forum for this.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

"A damage control permit allowing a Morrill County landowner to take up to 50 elk that have been destroying his corn crop, and one state senator’s involvement in the issue, have generated some questions and concerns among hunters"

Sounds almost like Montana.

Pretty crazy that the state is willing to issue one landowner 50 permits when there are only 77 permits total for public hunting.

 

[bklotthor]

I was going to share this earlier this week when I first saw this news release. Being relatively young and fairly new to the western hunting/conservation community my exposure to these types of issues has mainly been from reading about other state's issues that have been discussed on this forum. The thing that concerns me the most about this situation is the ease of which a few individuals in power were able to make this happen relatively quietly. Obviously with Nebraska being 97% private land there are going to be challenges with balancing healthy wildlife populations, hunting opportunity, and crop damage concerns. But the push for this action seems extreme. I'm interested in hearing other peoples thoughts on this.

Hopefully this story raises awareness to other hunters and individuals who care about Nebraska wildlife. There have been a few other landowner/wildlife/depredation issues that I remember hearing about in our state over the last few years that make me wonder if there is a common group of influencers involved in all of them.

 

[jbowlin]

https://nesportsfnd.com/file_download/d5a4a48f-1653-469d-b887-bf0f180e090f

A little more backstory and information

 

[sbhooper]

https://nesportsfnd.com/file_download/d5a4a48f-1653-469d-b887-bf0f180e090f

A little more backstory and information

Interesting. Part of the problem, is that in most areas, G and P has never figured out a way to count the total number of elk in the area. We have a growing herd just south of me, and all they do is guess, as to how many are actually in these hills. They just throw out some permits, not really having any management plan, due to lack of true numbers.

I can see why the landowner wanted something done. They do a real special job on a corn field. It is a real dilemma, as to what to do. Elk in Nebraska really have no specific wintering grounds per se, and they have actually got a lot of habitat to move around in. Elk are wonderful animals, but if it was my corn field, I sure would not want fifty of the working on it.

My friends south of here, just tolerate them, because they are able to draw land owner tags every once-in-a-while. One shot a 416 bull a couple years back, which is the new state record typical. They grow big eating that corn, beans and alfalfa!

 

[jbowlin]

I can really see the landowner wanting something done as well. He/She has attempted working with G&P the last few years per the second story/link posted, and sounds like it hasn't necessarily helped the crop damage side. What I find discouraging is that the NSF and G&P have tried to get legislation that would help both hunters and landowners get something done, and the State Legislature continues to do nothing to help.

 

[Sytes]

My friends south of here, just tolerate them, because they are able to draw land owner tags every once-in-a-while. One shot a 416 bull a couple years back, which is the new state record typical. They grow big eating that corn, beans and alfalfa!

Has to be one incredibly tasty backstrap - even for a bull of that age feasting off that smorgasbord... Bet a prime 3-4 year aged cow elk would host premium cuts of flavor.

I recalled this bull when you mentioned a bruiser, 416 typical.

This sure looks like a typical, however it scored non typical. I believe her smile is larger then the bull's rack!

“The official score was 430 and 6⁄8 of an inch,” Hannah said. “It’s amazing. I just can’t believe that happened to me.”

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I can see why the landowner wanted something done. They do a real special job on a corn field. It is a real dilemma, as to what to do. Elk in Nebraska really have no specific wintering grounds per se, and they have actually got a lot of habitat to move around in. Elk are wonderful animals, but if it was my corn field, I sure would not want fifty of the working on it.

I can't blame you, I wouldn't either. But this sentiment is why we will never recover elk across the US not to mention other critters. RMEF has looked a various states for reintroduction, and one of the biggest if not the biggest hurdles is landowner tolerance. This is also the primary reason for the state of Montana's herd. People blame wolves, landowner tolerance is a far bigger issue.

 

[sbhooper]

I can't blame you, I wouldn't either. But this sentiment is why we will never recover elk across the US not to mention other critters. RMEF has looked a various states for reintroduction, and one of the biggest if not the biggest hurdles is landowner tolerance. This is also the primary reason for the state of Montana's herd. People blame wolves, landowner tolerance is a far bigger issue.

The ONLY way that this issue goes away, is if it becomes a financial plus for the land owner. Without that, they are far more interested in protecting their livelihood, than saving some elk. I understand both sides of this, as I am friends with a lot of folks around here that deal with deer and elk damage. I do depredation work in the summer, for my neighbor, on a deer damage permit. They destroy lots of corn. He also has an outfitter that takes bucks and some does and pays well for it. What he pays and the deer he takes, does not equate to the damage, though, most of the time.

 

[sbhooper]

Has to be one incredibly tasty backstrap - even for a bull of that age feasting off that smorgasbord... Bet a prime 3-4 year aged cow elk would host premium cuts of flavor.

I recalled this bull when you mentioned a bruiser, 416 typical.

This sure looks like a typical, however it scored non typical. I believe her smile is larger then the bull's rack!

This was the state non-typical record for awhile-429 net. I think it was beaten last year by a 450 something. The kid in this pic is 14.

 

[bklotthor]

The ONLY way that this issue goes away, is if it becomes a financial plus for the land owner. Without that, they are far more interested in protecting their livelihood, than saving some elk. I understand both sides of this, as I am friends with a lot of folks around here that deal with deer and elk damage. I do depredation work in the summer, for my neighbor, on a deer damage permit. They destroy lots of corn. He also has an outfitter that takes bucks and some does and pays well for it. What he pays and the deer he takes, does not equate to the damage, though, most of the time.

In your opinion do you feel there are ways that it could become a financial plus for landowners? Whether that's through access programs or some other means. I suspect that current programs like Nebraska's Open Fields and Waters and the Canyon Access Initiative do not put a dent in crop depredation losses. Theoretically, do you feel like there are currently landowners who would jump at the idea of enrolling their land in an access program if it made sense for them financially and there were enough funds to support such programs? Obviously obtaining funds for something like this would be a really tall task.

Is there an actual growing concern about wildlife populations and crop damage in the western part of the state or is it more of a vocal minority thing? I've heard of concerns with deer populations in the state's Mule Deer Conservation Areas before this elk depredation story came up and since I'm not familiar with the area I haven't been able to have an opinion either way on the issue. In the south central part of the state where I'm from and where I hunt I rarely hear of any concerns like this, and the landowners who do have those concerns typically grant permission to those who ask because they are not hunters themselves. There will always be landowners who wont allow any access either because they are hunters themselves or they have concerns about people they don't know roaming around on their land.

 

[sbhooper]

It is a difficult problem to address. My buddy, for example, would rather have the deer, than a bunch of hunters. He allows me and only a handful of others to take deer off of his place. The bucks are saved for his grand kids. He complains a bit about the deer, but also enjoys them. A friend of mine from Arizona has come up two years in a row and killed mulie does with me. We took 15 off my buddy's place last January and made no difference at all. He is in a wintering area, so there are literally hundreds around. Most are mulies. Game and Parks has made money available to fence out feed piles, etc., and most guys do not even take advantage of it. In the winter, the deer do very little damage, as the crops are done, anyway. Bale piles and distillers piles take the worst whipping.

There were lots of land owners whining about excess numbers, but few experience any real crop damage in the MDCA. The problem is that some land owners see tons of wintering deer, and just assume that they are eating everything in sight. They really do not understand, nor care, what is going on. In the summer, it is mostly irrelevant, as the deer are spread to the winds.

Many land owners south of here will grant permission to hunt during the January doe season. Most places are either leased, or have family hunting them during the regular season.

I don't think that, overall, the western part of the state has the population issues that we have here, but I am not really familiar with it, either. I do know that there are leased areas, where there are tons of deer that never get touched, except a for a few during regular center-fire season. The rest of the time, they are eating the neighbors' crops.

The canyon access program south of me is apparently not too bad for the land owners. The walk-in areas, for the most part, have not had any complaints of damage etc., from hunters-at least not that I have heard. It is a coop between Game and Parks and the Wild Turkey Federation. I think there is something like 12,000 acres total, now, in the hills south of me. I know that people do get some pretty good deer, an occasional elk, and lots of turkeys off of the walk-in. Most of that land is not in an area where depredation is an issue, anyway. It is strictly there for the hunter access.

Some land owners want it both ways. They want the deer controlled, but do not want hunters running around all over their property. That is where a lot of the depredation stuff comes in. My neighbor tries to do it both ways. He has more than enough deer to keep the outfitter happy, has me take does in the summer and then also lets some hunters in for the late doe season. It is helping, but the habitat is so good, that the voids in numbers just fill in every year-at least that is my observation. It is a problem that will never totally go away for him, but can only be slightly mitigated.

Like everything else in life, there is always two sides to the story and you can never please all parties involved.

 

[bklotthor]

It is a difficult problem to address. My buddy, for example, would rather have the deer, than a bunch of hunters. He allows me and only a handful of others to take deer off of his place. The bucks are saved for his grand kids. He complains a bit about the deer, but also enjoys them. A friend of mine from Arizona has come up two years in a row and killed mulie does with me. We took 15 off my buddy's place last January and made no difference at all. He is in a wintering area, so there are literally hundreds around. Most are mulies. Game and Parks has made money available to fence out feed piles, etc., and most guys do not even take advantage of it. In the winter, the deer do very little damage, as the crops are done, anyway. Bale piles and distillers piles take the worst whipping.

There were lots of land owners whining about excess numbers, but few experience any real crop damage in the MDCA. The problem is that some land owners see tons of wintering deer, and just assume that they are eating everything in sight. They really do not understand, nor care, what is going on. In the summer, it is mostly irrelevant, as the deer are spread to the winds.

Many land owners south of here will grant permission to hunt during the January doe season. Most places are either leased, or have family hunting them during the regular season.

I don't think that, overall, the western part of the state has the population issues that we have here, but I am not really familiar with it, either. I do know that there are leased areas, where there are tons of deer that never get touched, except a for a few during regular center-fire season. The rest of the time, they are eating the neighbors' crops.

The canyon access program south of me is apparently not too bad for the land owners. The walk-in areas, for the most part, have not had any complaints of damage etc., from hunters-at least not that I have heard. It is a coop between Game and Parks and the Wild Turkey Federation. I think there is something like 12,000 acres total, now, in the hills south of me. I know that people do get some pretty good deer, an occasional elk, and lots of turkeys off of the walk-in. Most of that land is not in an area where depredation is an issue, anyway. It is strictly there for the hunter access.

Some land owners want it both ways. They want the deer controlled, but do not want hunters running around all over their property. That is where a lot of the depredation stuff comes in. My neighbor tries to do it both ways. He has more than enough deer to keep the outfitter happy, has me take does in the summer and then also lets some hunters in for the late doe season. It is helping, but the habitat is so good, that the voids in numbers just fill in every year-at least that is my observation. It is a problem that will never totally go away for him, but can only be slightly mitigated.

Like everything else in life, there is always two sides to the story and you can never please all parties involved.

Thanks for the detailed response. I enjoy learning about this sort of stuff that is close to my home yet different than what I grew up with. Hope to keep learning and if in anyway contribute to improving things in the future.