Too Many Elk

[BuzzH]

Ha thanks man. You seem like one unhappy dude!

I'm tired of correcting dumb ideas from people who aren't involved or know what they're talking about.

Its ridiculous, there are workable solutions, but punishing the cooperators that allow hunting by cutting off damage claims is NOT a good idea.

I actually agreed with Magagna that actual crop damage claims, by those allowing access, should be made.

When your neighbor doesn't care about making a profit from his cattle and harbors a couple thousand elk that jump the fence and eat your grass, they should be compensated for the lost forage (again if they allow access).

Its one thing to pay for broken fences, its another when you have to reduce your herds because elk are eating your forage.

 

[Treeshark]

Quick reminder- I’m just a stranger on an internet forum. This isn’t life or death (to normal people, anyway).

 

[BuzzH]

Quick reminder- I’m just a stranger on an internet forum. This isn’t life or death (to normal people, anyway).

It is to those impacted by neighbors that harbor elk. Its also pretty important to those that want to keep elk on the landscape and have access to those private owners willing to allow it.

Their options become limited, as in, selling out to their rich neighbors who are going to NOT allow hunting access and harbor even more elk.

That's why it's easy for you to say, "just cut off paying damage"...its not your bottom line being impacted. Its not your hunting access that is being threatened.

I want to see continued positive work with agreeable landowners, keeping them profitable, and also helping to control elk via public hunting.

If that means increasing my license fees to pay damage claims...I take that deal, all, day, long.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

I really like @BuzzH idea about special access to private land for those hunters that can get it done. That will certainly decrease my competition and make it easier for me and the rest of the dipsh!t's on my side of the state.

 

[S-3 Ranch]

I really like @BuzzH idea about special access to private land for those hunters that can get it done. That will certainly decrease my competition and make it easier for me and the rest of the dipsh!t's on my side of the state.

Special access, poisons, starvation, I don’t care , just reduce the herds, I am definitely more concerned about the devastation of mule deer in the USA, heck Mexico does a better job management wise comparEd to any Western state
elk hording is nuts

 

[madtom]

I like the idea of additional access for hunters who are somehow vetted to be respectful of private land and are willing to hunt hard and responsibly. I’m not sure how to accurately sort them from the riff raff, but it would be cool and hopefully make a meaningful difference with harbored elk.

 

[ccc23454]

Special access, poisons, starvation, I don’t care , just reduce the herds, I am definitely more concerned about the devastation of mule deer in the USA, heck Mexico does a better job management wise comparEd to any Western state
elk hording is nuts

Move to mexico then... adios, this conversation is about wyoming elk

 

[lifesupport4u]

Making money guiding elk hunts is incentive to keep the elk on their property… then the government pays them damages for the elk they profit from. Not saying it’s easy to be a rancher but there has got to be a better way.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

Special access, poisons, starvation, I don’t care , just reduce the herds, I am definitely more concerned about the devastation of mule deer in the USA, heck Mexico does a better job management wise comparEd to any Western state
elk hording is nuts

Survival of the fittest! All signs in the West point to now is the time to grow elk. MD are getting their ass kicked everywhere. I say bet on the winning horse.

 

[S-3 Ranch]

Survival of the fittest! All signs in the West point to now is the time to grow elk. MD are getting their ass kicked everywhere. I say bet on the winning horse.

Yep, Darwinisem . MD and bighorn sheep are getting their butts handed to them here by aoudad Sheep.
aoudad once were considered a nuance and shot on sight, then became a popular trophy and cash source, = no bueno for BH & mulie

 

[jtm307]

I also talked with Ralph Brokaw my GF Commissioner about getting more elk killed. What we discussed is that there are a few hunters that are just flat killers, they know how to get elk killed. They're efficient and they can get it done without blowing the elk out of places that elk are accessible. We talked about a higher level hunters education type deal and/or partnering good hunters with good landowners. Many times its a trust issue, where landowners wouldn't mind the right people hunting, they just don't want to fling the gate open. We even thought about partnering good elk hunters and mentoring less experienced hunters (essentially guiding) them so that elk can again be killed without blowing them out of accessible country.

I like this idea. I volunteer.

 

[BuzzH]

Making money guiding elk hunts is incentive to keep the elk on their property… then the government pays them damages for the elk they profit from. Not saying it’s easy to be a rancher but there has got to be a better way.

No, that's not how it works in Wyoming.

 

[TN_Rifle_Junkie]

I gladly volunteer to acess these private lands to reduce the population by harvesting an elk cow, calf, spike, or young bull. It still fills the freezer and is wholesome food. I get that it is really tough that the ranches have the best habitat and there are too many hunters in the region. Therefore, they go to private to seek sanctuary. If it was really a big problem, the ranches would allow a lot of hunters on the ranch and pressure the elk off the ranch.

 

[Cheesehead]

Quick reminder- I’m just a stranger on an internet forum. This isn’t life or death (to normal people, anyway).

Buzz is just an old gadfly.
He’ll pass before long from decades of resentment and anger, and the rest of us will pause wistfully…but only for a moment. Then move on

 

[Wildabeest]

I’m not sure how to accurately sort them from the riff raff,

Base it on how many “likes” one has on HuntTalk.

 

[JAG]

Y'all need to listen to BuzzH. He does a great job of separating the informational chaff from the wheat. Even if he called your idea dumb, I'm glad you voiced it, because he takes the time to explain why it doesn't work.

If you still think your idea works, then explain why it should work.

 

[JAG]

Buzz is just an old gadfly.
He’ll pass before long from decades of resentment and anger, and the rest of us will pause wistfully…but only for a moment. Then move on

He might be a gadfly, but if you choose to value or at least consider his information over form, there is much to learn.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Dont worry the "Task Force" is all over it! lol

Is that BuzzH leading the march?

 

[WYelker]

Buzz,

I agree... Many people seemed to miss the best part of your post. How do we get the stock growers and hunters together and incentivize the others?

As mentioned Sy is all about bottom line and commercialization. He really does not care at all about landowners, ranchers etc. The wealthy landowner who is absent from the land is a major part of the issue. How do we get that person involved?

In the local lander area we have one ranch that allows cow elk hunting but the hunter must be escorted by Fish and Game employee(s). It keeps working and they are getting the desired results.

I am a little hesitant to support the idea that we select special hunters to hunt the herds. I get the point of the suggestion, but that feels like one step removed from the state hiring professional sharp shooters etc. On the flip side if they want to do a special elk reduction hunt and have people apply and those lucky enough to draw can shoot 5 elk etc. Then count me in. I would gladly hunt and give that meat away to others...

 

[samuel_284Win]

I like this idea. I volunteer.

Montana has a neat program called the "Master Hunter Program" that is run by the 'One Montana' non-profit. The goal of the program is to equip and educate hunters that were picked out during a rigorous application process and then hopefully pair them with landowner partners that have elk damage issues or resident herds that are say hanging out in alfalfa fields. Wyoming could start a similar program I think very easily.

Master Hunter Program

www.mtmasterhunter.com

How To Apply — Master Hunter Program

www.mtmasterhunter.com