elk capture

[zia]

[video=youtube_share;qqRA85xUi5U]https://youtu.be/qqRA85xUi5U[/video]

darting elk for the game dept last week for several research projects. We caught 30 some animals, gps collars, ultrasound for pregnancy and rump fat measurement, placed transmitters in the birth canal of the pregnant cows so we can tag the calves at birth for mortality studies, ear tag , remove a corner incisor for aging and release

 

[zia]

[video=youtube_share;EI_cBDL7III]https://youtu.be/EI_cBDL7III[/video]

This is what it looks like when we make a run to shoot one with the dart gun, you can hear the dart gun towards the end of the clip

 

[zia]

End result

 

[fishing4sanity]

placed transmitters in the birth canal of the pregnant cows so we can tag the calves at birth for mortality studies

The videos don't work for me, says they're private. Do the transmitters let you know when they give birth and then you go find the calf, or how does this work? I always enjoy your photos and research work.

 

[zia]

Thank you, please let me know if they work now, I tried updating the videos from private to public. But yes Fish, these vaginal transmitters have a temperature sensor..... they are expelled during birthing, exposed to the colder outdoor temperature and send a signal that can be tracked by the grad students who then collar the calf. If the calf later dies the collar gives a mortality signal and the kill site can be investigated...tracks, scat, dna etc and the cause of death determined. Excellent data that can be used to manage the elk and their predators.

 

[Festus]

The videos are working now (for me).
Very, very cool stuff!
Thanks for sharing.

 

[zia]

OK thanks Festus, glad you liked them.

 

[teamhoyt]

It's nice to see New Mexico still cares about researching elk. In mt some would say we ask the ranchers what they think then have open season! I'm Sure if we don't get all these elk killed soon they will be shooting them out of choppers too only with a different gun. Keep up the good work

 

[zia]

We have some excellent projects coming this winter for elk, bighorn sheep and antelope research. Good stuff happening in NM for sure.

 

[theat]

It's nice to see New Mexico still cares about researching elk. In mt some would say we ask the ranchers what they think then have open season! I'm Sure if we don't get all these elk killed soon they will be shooting them out of choppers too only with a different gun. Keep up the good work

Not that I disagree with your sentiments about the elk shoulder seasons, but I helped catch around 250 elk in Montana last winter for disease testing and collaring. Montana does quite a bit of wildlife research.

 

[zia]

I agree with Theat, Montana, Wyoming Arizona, Nevada and most western states do lots of research into managing their game populations.

 

[bobbydean]

Lot of respect for New Mexico Game and Fish. Impossible job and they handle it. They just will not give me a tag. I still wonder who I cussed out when I was young and stupid.

 

[hank4elk]

Lot of respect for New Mexico Game and Fish. Impossible job and they handle it. They just will not give me a tag. I still wonder who I cussed out when I was young and stupid.

Ditto BD, cept the draw part.Been pretty lucky there,minus the prime units.lol

Zia,are you with NMG&F? Volunteer? Contract for/by with who? UNM? RMEF?
Just curious.

 

[nuevo_eph]

Where you in the east 16s or north 21s? I was hunting cows in the very southwest corner of 17 and was wondering why a helicopter was so just off to the west and after watching through my binos I even thought it looked like that one.

Very cool.

 

[zia]

Hi Hank,
I am a veterinarian and have been contracted by the game dept since 1992. You are right though I have contracted projects for RMEF ( elk capture in NM moving to Kentucky), NPS and DOD ( Oryx at White Sands), many different universities ( on this elk project NMSU and Texas Tech were involved). As I sit here with a sore shoulder and hurt knee I wonder how much longer a 57 year-old should tackle partially sedated elk....seemed like such a good idea at the time.

Nuevo, This was on the Caldera. They were flying elk surveys earlier which is probably what you saw, it was the same helicopter...good eye!

 

[idnative1948]

Very interesting. Thanks for posting this.

 

[MT_elk]

Thanks for posting.

 

[schmalts]

Rump fat testing....if these cows were women you'd be in big trouble Mike.

 

[zia]

I like big butts I cannot lie.......

 

[hank4elk]

Cool Zia! on the butts & the work.LOL
The last time I helped CA DFG relocate some Tules, was the last time. Got kicked real good.

Had a nice fat butt gal hop the fence 1/2 hr before daylight here this morning. Hopefully the stars are aligning and their back in regular pattern. Couple tags to fill yet.

Zia,PM sent. Hank