I got this in a newsletter this morning.
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May 19, 2013 - 3:01 pm EDT
HAMILTON, Montana — An aerial survey by Montana officials has found an increase in the number of elk in the Bitterroot Valley.
The Ravalli Republic reports (http://bit.ly/12ESDiD) that this year's spring count found 7,373 elk in the five hunting districts surrounding the Bitterroot Valley.
Mike Thompson of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks said it's the fourth highest number of elk counted in the 48-year history of the annual survey. It follows a series of disappointing surveys, including last year's that found 6,238 elk.
"We've had a pulse this year," he said. "It's a hopeful sign. We've seen that kind of variation in elk populations before. You achieve that kind of bump in population numbers with higher calf production and survival."
Biologists said they counted 25 calves per 100 cows in the Bitterroot Valley, the highest number since 2008. Calf survival was especially good in the southern part of the valley.
Bull elk numbers, meanwhile, have remained at about 11 per 100 cows since 2008.
"It's OK biologically," Thompson said. "There are enough bulls to take care of the breeding, but it's not really good. The reason the bull numbers are low is the problem with low recruitment over the past years. If calves don't survive, bull elk numbers won't grow."
Wildlife officials have been trying to increase elk numbers by restricting hunting of elk and increasing hunting of bears, wolves and mountain lions. He noted the drop in elk calf survival wasn't tied to hunting.
"Those cow/calf ratios went to low levels that we had never seen before," he said. "It was a trigger. We made a conscious decision after that to really restrict hunting because there was not enough surplus to support it. We wanted to keep as many maternal cows on the ground as we could."
An "Elk Summit" is planned Tuesday at the Bitterroot River Inn where Thompson said information about elk in the valley will be shared.
He said the agency's future strategy is to continue building the area's elk herd, which could eventually lead to allowing more opportunity for hunters.
"At first blush, we're seeing the elk population can respond," he said. "We want to conserve that pulse just in case we end up with a bad summer or winter before we take another jump forward.
"We do all of this with the goal to try to reintroduce more hunting back into the Bitterroot eventually," Thompson said. "We want to get it back to the way that it used to be so we can hunt in a sustainable fashion that we can count on year after year."
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Information from: Ravalli Republic, http://www.ravallirepublic.com
*********************************************************
May 19, 2013 - 3:01 pm EDT
HAMILTON, Montana — An aerial survey by Montana officials has found an increase in the number of elk in the Bitterroot Valley.
The Ravalli Republic reports (http://bit.ly/12ESDiD) that this year's spring count found 7,373 elk in the five hunting districts surrounding the Bitterroot Valley.
Mike Thompson of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks said it's the fourth highest number of elk counted in the 48-year history of the annual survey. It follows a series of disappointing surveys, including last year's that found 6,238 elk.
"We've had a pulse this year," he said. "It's a hopeful sign. We've seen that kind of variation in elk populations before. You achieve that kind of bump in population numbers with higher calf production and survival."
Biologists said they counted 25 calves per 100 cows in the Bitterroot Valley, the highest number since 2008. Calf survival was especially good in the southern part of the valley.
Bull elk numbers, meanwhile, have remained at about 11 per 100 cows since 2008.
"It's OK biologically," Thompson said. "There are enough bulls to take care of the breeding, but it's not really good. The reason the bull numbers are low is the problem with low recruitment over the past years. If calves don't survive, bull elk numbers won't grow."
Wildlife officials have been trying to increase elk numbers by restricting hunting of elk and increasing hunting of bears, wolves and mountain lions. He noted the drop in elk calf survival wasn't tied to hunting.
"Those cow/calf ratios went to low levels that we had never seen before," he said. "It was a trigger. We made a conscious decision after that to really restrict hunting because there was not enough surplus to support it. We wanted to keep as many maternal cows on the ground as we could."
An "Elk Summit" is planned Tuesday at the Bitterroot River Inn where Thompson said information about elk in the valley will be shared.
He said the agency's future strategy is to continue building the area's elk herd, which could eventually lead to allowing more opportunity for hunters.
"At first blush, we're seeing the elk population can respond," he said. "We want to conserve that pulse just in case we end up with a bad summer or winter before we take another jump forward.
"We do all of this with the goal to try to reintroduce more hunting back into the Bitterroot eventually," Thompson said. "We want to get it back to the way that it used to be so we can hunt in a sustainable fashion that we can count on year after year."
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Information from: Ravalli Republic, http://www.ravallirepublic.com
