Elk die-off in NM

[Dave N]

Horrible stuff. The video is a must watch. Hope they figure this out soon.

http://www.krqe.com/news/local/elk-...heastern-nm?hpt=us_bn10#.Uh9VxNPPhF4.facebook

 

[npaden]

Bad news. Worse news for me since I think that is in the hunting unit that I have a tag for this year.

 

[bjtc_brian]

Dang, that sucks! That was a big bear too!

 

[npaden]

That was a big bear.

 

[Jorgy]

I am guessing lightning or some other freak weather occurrence. If they weren't shot, then disease would be the next logical choice, but I would think with disease the elk would have been a lot more spread out over miles and miles unless they were at a water source or really deep timber.

Maybe aliens, it is New Mexico of course. Just ask the History channel, aliens are everywhere.

 

[DBear]

Same hemorrhagic fever hit the area I hunt whitetail here in the nc mountains last year. Devastated the numbers. Found over a hundred dead on the property. Will take several years to rebound, especially with all of the yotes in the hills.

 

[npaden]

Press release from NMDGF.

http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/publications/press_releases/documents/2013/082813deadelk.html

Looks like it's not my unit, but right next door to it.

 

[RUT JUNKEY]

if it is EHD, that stuff is nasty and kills them within a day or so. The county south of me lost tons of whitetails last year to it. Sad. . .and it takes years for the population to bounce back.

 

[RUT JUNKEY]

if it is EHD, that stuff is nasty and kills them within a day or so. The county south of me lost tons of whitetails last year to it. Sad. . .and it takes years for the population to bounce back.

i will add that if they were found near water, blue tongue could be a possibility too. I actually think it was this and not EHD that killed all the deer south of me last year.

 

[sbhooper]

EHD and blue tongue are the same type of disease. They are no big deal, just mother nature doing its thing. Maybe this thing is the same thing that killed a bunch of elk in Wyoming a few years back.

 

[RUT JUNKEY]

the same" type" yes. . .but they are different. I agree with mother nature thing, but, its still a big deal if you were planning on hunting this area for sure.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

We had it on our lease and it was bad, but sometimes it has some awesome results. It will allow habitat to recover and also allow some monster animals to be produced. You just have to go with the way Mother Nature does things....and yes that was a nice Yogi!!!!!!!!!!!! John

 

[sbhooper]

the same" type" yes. . .but they are different. I agree with mother nature thing, but, its still a big deal if you were planning on hunting this area for sure.

Sometimes you have to look past what your own plans are. The benefit is great for the overall health of the deer and habitat. The hunting in any area that has had an outbreak is only interrupted for a year or two and then is usually better than before, as the herd has been culled back. It is only a short-term problem with white-tailed deer, as they are so prolific. It is something that will happen whenever there is a hot, dry period. The longer that period is, the worse the die-off. It cannot be avoided, so you just have to work accordingly.

 

[blb078]

If it was EHD then it'd have to be a very, very severe strain of it for them to die over night like that. Which it could be, but typically death from EHD happens around 4 days to a week after being bit. They lose their appetite, they'll get ulcers, have a fever, and start salivating. And every animal will have different tolerances to it, some can even survive it. Hopefully it was just some freak accident though.

 

[sweetnectar]

Not likely EHD but could be a mutated form....read a study where elk were injected with EHD and they fared fairly well.

 

[sweetnectar]

My guess is check the water for arsenic or.... and the range conditions....look for mushrooms or injestion of poisonous plants as well. I'm interested in the cause.

 

[Jorgy]

My guess is check the water for arsenic or.... and the range conditions....look for mushrooms or injestion of poisonous plants as well. I'm interested in the cause.

I want to change my guess to sweetnectar's answer

 

[Ben Lamb]

My guess is check the water for arsenic or.... and the range conditions....look for mushrooms or injestion of poisonous plants as well. I'm interested in the cause.

Yep. Remember something similar to this happening in WY a few years ago:

http://trib.com/news/state-and-regi...cle_22cc3d00-b5a8-5bd8-877e-7e6dca45797e.html

 

[Dave N]

Yep. Remember something similar to this happening in WY a few years ago:

http://trib.com/news/state-and-regi...cle_22cc3d00-b5a8-5bd8-877e-7e6dca45797e.html

Interesting. The one thing that makes me wonder is the fact they were concentrated in a small area. I would THINK (not really knowing seeing how I live in Illinois) that they would have different reaction times to a poison, thereby making the herd more strung out than they were. Unless they ingested it shortly before bedding down and then it took effect. Time will tell, I guess.

 

[Dave N]

We've finally got an answer.

http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/publications/press_releases/documents/2013/102213elkfinding.html