shoots-straight
Well-known member
Just for the record, prior to the wolf explosion and poor elk management by our previous biologist, these areas that you are showing were tremendous elk hunting areas. Their elk density was way beyond what most wilderness areas carry. Multiple use doesn't mean poor elk hunting any more than wilderness guarantees good elk hunting. There are a lot more factors involved.
Just for the record also, The West Fork of the Bitterroot HD 250 is next to the largest Wilderness area's in the lower 48. Bordered on it's entire West Edge. That's also it's downfall. You could wipe out every predator in one year, and the next it would be right back where it was before. The West Fork has thousands of inventoried roadless lands (The Allen Mountain area is just one) that kept the elk hard to get.
The East Fork, up until the Fire's of 2000 had some great cover, and with the Anaconda Pintler , the Big Hole , and the upper Rock Creed elk herds all migrating to HD270 was an outstanding district. The last Bio caused this slide, but he got his ideas and direction from the State Legislature.