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State takes action to cut elk population
By Perry Backus of The Montana Standard - 02/13/2004
HELENA — After struggling for years to control burgeoning elk numbers in southwest Montana, the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission opted Thursday to allow hunters to harvest either a cow or a legal bull elk in selected locations.
The new regulations will be in place in the majority of hunting areas in southwest Montana.
Elk numbers have been climbing in many hunting districts in Region 3, despite attempts to liberalize seasons by adding additional cow permits, extending the time hunters could harvest an elk and allowing hunters to shoot either sex during portions of the season.
Even with those efforts, elk numbers in the areas like the Gravelly Mountains, the Madison Valley and Bridger Mountains have continued to grow in part because of poor hunting conditions brought on by drought and lack of snow.
Too many elk create problems for private land, where many of the animals choose to spend the winter.
On Thursday, FWP Commissioner Tim Mulligan of Whitehall said it is time for the commission to "try something out of the box" in an effort to get elk numbers closer to state objectives. He admits even those efforts might fall short.
"I think it's going to be a challenge even with these new regulations," said Mulligan.
The "real ticket" to ensuring hunters will be able to help pare down elk numbers in problem areas will be access, Mulligan said. To make that work, landowners and sportsmen must work together, he said.
"It's imperative that we not back off what we need to do," Mulligan said. "Our credibility is at stake. Elk hunting in this state is at stake. I'm committed to do whatever it takes to get elk herd numbers closer to those objectives."
The final regulations differed dramatically from the tentative proposals for elk hunting in Region Three. Initially, FWP officials recommended either a split season or an early season be open for either sex hunting in problem areas. Some hunters would also be able to purchase a tag which would have allowed them to harvest a second elk.
Following 10 hearings around the region, the agency decided to back off from the idea of offering that second tag to hunters.
Opposition arose from people who attended the meetings concerning that second tag, said Kurt Alt, FWP's Region 3 wildlife manager. Many didn't think it was fair that a person might kill two elk when others couldn't kill one, he said.
The other issue the department faced was the potential for hunter congestion.
In those hunting areas, Alt said the department decided to keep the traditional hunting season for any bull or brow-tined bull (depending on existing regulations) for the first eight days of the general season. The balance of the season would be open to either-sex, although hunters would still be limited to harvesting on a brow-tined bull in areas where that regulation is already in place.
Those hunting districts include 300, 319, 321, 322, 323 (except in the Wall Creek WMA vicinity), 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332 and 341. Those hunting districts are found the Big Hole, the Centennial Valley, south of Lima, the Pioneer Mountains, the Gravelly and Snowcrest ranges, and portions of the Madison Range.
Historically the first week of hunting season is the most popular and Alt said by waiting to open the season to either-sex hunting, officials hope that the area won't attract many new hunters.
In hunting districts 311 (Gallatin Range), 314 (north of Yellowstone Park), 315 (near the Crazy Mountains), 317 (south of Livingston), 360 (south of Ennis Lake) and 362 (north and west of Hebgen Lake), 312 (Bridger Mountains), 390 and 393 (south and west of Ringling), the full five weeks of the general season will be either-sex or brow-tined bull hunting.
Alt said mechanisms will be in place to close the season should the harvest become excessive.
"I really don't foresee that happening in one year's time," he said.
Elk populations have continued to grow in places like the Gravelly Range, where the herd is about 1,500 over state objectives, said Alt. There are close to 8,000 elk in that complex, which is mostly on public lands, he said.
In the past, the agency has given as many as 5,000 antlerless permits to hunters for the Gravelly/Snowcrest complex.
"That hasn't been effective in bringing those populations down," he said.
In the Bridger Mountains, which is a mixture of public and private lands, elk numbers are close to 1,500 over objectives despite the fact the season was extended for two weeks.
"We decided to try simplifying the season so that anyone who wants to shoot an elk will have a better chance during either a four- or five-week season," Alt said.
There are areas in Region 3 where elk numbers are close to objectives, including the Elkhorn, Tendoy and Tobacco Root ranges. The seasons will remain the same in those areas, he said.
Reporter Perry Backus may be reached via e-mail at [email protected]
I don't think this is going to have the effect they are looking for... people would rather shoot a rag horn than a fat cow! It may increas the take by a small percentage though.
Maybe if the fat a's would get off thier ATV's an hike a little they may kill a few more elk. The havest stats prove that ATV areas don't have as high of harvest as non ATV areas, even though they have more elk and in some cases fewer hunters...
By Perry Backus of The Montana Standard - 02/13/2004
HELENA — After struggling for years to control burgeoning elk numbers in southwest Montana, the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission opted Thursday to allow hunters to harvest either a cow or a legal bull elk in selected locations.
The new regulations will be in place in the majority of hunting areas in southwest Montana.
Elk numbers have been climbing in many hunting districts in Region 3, despite attempts to liberalize seasons by adding additional cow permits, extending the time hunters could harvest an elk and allowing hunters to shoot either sex during portions of the season.
Even with those efforts, elk numbers in the areas like the Gravelly Mountains, the Madison Valley and Bridger Mountains have continued to grow in part because of poor hunting conditions brought on by drought and lack of snow.
Too many elk create problems for private land, where many of the animals choose to spend the winter.
On Thursday, FWP Commissioner Tim Mulligan of Whitehall said it is time for the commission to "try something out of the box" in an effort to get elk numbers closer to state objectives. He admits even those efforts might fall short.
"I think it's going to be a challenge even with these new regulations," said Mulligan.
The "real ticket" to ensuring hunters will be able to help pare down elk numbers in problem areas will be access, Mulligan said. To make that work, landowners and sportsmen must work together, he said.
"It's imperative that we not back off what we need to do," Mulligan said. "Our credibility is at stake. Elk hunting in this state is at stake. I'm committed to do whatever it takes to get elk herd numbers closer to those objectives."
The final regulations differed dramatically from the tentative proposals for elk hunting in Region Three. Initially, FWP officials recommended either a split season or an early season be open for either sex hunting in problem areas. Some hunters would also be able to purchase a tag which would have allowed them to harvest a second elk.
Following 10 hearings around the region, the agency decided to back off from the idea of offering that second tag to hunters.
Opposition arose from people who attended the meetings concerning that second tag, said Kurt Alt, FWP's Region 3 wildlife manager. Many didn't think it was fair that a person might kill two elk when others couldn't kill one, he said.
The other issue the department faced was the potential for hunter congestion.
In those hunting areas, Alt said the department decided to keep the traditional hunting season for any bull or brow-tined bull (depending on existing regulations) for the first eight days of the general season. The balance of the season would be open to either-sex, although hunters would still be limited to harvesting on a brow-tined bull in areas where that regulation is already in place.
Those hunting districts include 300, 319, 321, 322, 323 (except in the Wall Creek WMA vicinity), 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332 and 341. Those hunting districts are found the Big Hole, the Centennial Valley, south of Lima, the Pioneer Mountains, the Gravelly and Snowcrest ranges, and portions of the Madison Range.
Historically the first week of hunting season is the most popular and Alt said by waiting to open the season to either-sex hunting, officials hope that the area won't attract many new hunters.
In hunting districts 311 (Gallatin Range), 314 (north of Yellowstone Park), 315 (near the Crazy Mountains), 317 (south of Livingston), 360 (south of Ennis Lake) and 362 (north and west of Hebgen Lake), 312 (Bridger Mountains), 390 and 393 (south and west of Ringling), the full five weeks of the general season will be either-sex or brow-tined bull hunting.
Alt said mechanisms will be in place to close the season should the harvest become excessive.
"I really don't foresee that happening in one year's time," he said.
Elk populations have continued to grow in places like the Gravelly Range, where the herd is about 1,500 over state objectives, said Alt. There are close to 8,000 elk in that complex, which is mostly on public lands, he said.
In the past, the agency has given as many as 5,000 antlerless permits to hunters for the Gravelly/Snowcrest complex.
"That hasn't been effective in bringing those populations down," he said.
In the Bridger Mountains, which is a mixture of public and private lands, elk numbers are close to 1,500 over objectives despite the fact the season was extended for two weeks.
"We decided to try simplifying the season so that anyone who wants to shoot an elk will have a better chance during either a four- or five-week season," Alt said.
There are areas in Region 3 where elk numbers are close to objectives, including the Elkhorn, Tendoy and Tobacco Root ranges. The seasons will remain the same in those areas, he said.
Reporter Perry Backus may be reached via e-mail at [email protected]
I don't think this is going to have the effect they are looking for... people would rather shoot a rag horn than a fat cow! It may increas the take by a small percentage though.
Maybe if the fat a's would get off thier ATV's an hike a little they may kill a few more elk. The havest stats prove that ATV areas don't have as high of harvest as non ATV areas, even though they have more elk and in some cases fewer hunters...
