Tule Elk: To Cull Or Not To Cull.

[Sytes]

Why the National Park Service wants to cull unique California elk

Point Reyes National Seashore in has long been a flashpoint for the debate over how to balance livestock and wildlife.

www.nationalgeographic.com

Where ranching meets wild elk at Reyes Point NP.

But to keep ecosystems in balance at Point Reyes and across California, elk must be culled, says Kristin Denryter, coordinator of the elk and pronghorn program for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

If to be done, as other NP's with culling, wonder if this would be available to hunters. Tule look to be a pretty amazing breed of elk.

 

[2rocky]

This is in my backyard....

The discord dates from the establishment of the seashore in 1972, when the National Park Service bought out dairy farms and cattle ranches, then leased the land and homesteads back to the families who now live in the park at favorable rates.

The existence of commercial livestock and dairy operations is rare in the national park system. But at Point Reyes, their existence was enshrined in the federal enabling legislation. Congress intended agriculture to remain in the park, a landscape normally set aside for day-use tourism and sightseeing.

National parks are strictly managed. During the last four decades farmers and ranchers have been subjected to rules that govern nearly every aspect of their operations. They have long complained of feeling the tug of the park’s short leash.

The Farmers were part of the group actually sought out the Park service to prevent subdivision of the Peninsula.

https://www.ptreyeslight.com/article/look-back-creation-point-reyes-national-seashore

Those ranchers are limited on stocking levels, while the elk are not. Thus you get elk coming into the pastoral zone and feeding on improved pastures that the farmers planted and maintained. There is no check on the elk population and the NPS culled the remaining Fallow Deer 10 years ago with a NZ company of nighttime sharpshooters. Ironically some of the ranchers objected to that cull....

We as hunters know you have to manage species and with no hunting allowed on NPS, and limited predation it has to be done.

Tule elk have had a tremendous comeback state wide. Relocation and introduction programs have pretty much run out of places to release elk.

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=2630&inline=1

 

[Mule man]

This is in my backyard....



The Farmers were part of the group actually sought out the Park service to prevent subdivision of the Peninsula.

https://www.ptreyeslight.com/article/look-back-creation-point-reyes-national-seashore

Those ranchers are limited on stocking levels, while the elk are not. Thus you get elk coming into the pastoral zone and feeding on improved pastures that the farmers planted and maintained. There is no check on the elk population and the NPS culled the remaining Fallow Deer 10 years ago with a NZ company of nighttime sharpshooters. Ironically some of the ranchers objected to that cull....

We as hunters know you have to manage species and with no hunting allowed on NPS, and limited predation it has to be done.

Tule elk have had a tremendous comeback state wide. Relocation and introduction programs have pretty much run out of places to release elk.

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=2630&inline=1

Bring them up North,thousands of acres of habitat. Several big wilderness areas.

 

[Rainer]

You would think a relocation project may be better, though it will be costly.

 

[LuketheDog]

Wow, I never knew there were tule elk at Pt. Reyes, much less north of the Bay area...

 

[jryoung]

You would think a relocation project may be better, though it will be costly.

No with Johne's disease present. Not to mention, there aren't many places elk would be welcome in CA.

 

[Redman]

This one is under fire again..

Lawsuit: Point Reyes elk, ranch plan violates federal laws

Three environmental groups want a court order forcing the National Park Service to rescind its new land management policies.

www.marinij.com

 

[Zach]

Interesting. I saw a photo this morning of a bull with fence wire on his antlers from Pt. Reyes, from a photography group I follow. Was doing a little searching about the conflict there between ranchers/nps/animal rights activists & this thread popped up.