Forced to Creston

[rogerb]

so if we go back to Oct 1 to Oct 20 for elk in the west kootenays like it was in 2010-2011 then presumably the bow only season for elk will also be eliminated (no elk archery season 2010-2011 in the wk). something to think about for all those pushing for the rollback in the elk season here.

and the last I heard the real problem with the wk elk herd was calf survival, hard to see how dramatically reducing the harvest of six point bulls is going to rectify that situation.....

[Fisher-Dude]

so if we go back to Oct 1 to Oct 20 for elk in the west kootenays like it was in 2010-2011 then presumably the bow only season for elk will also be eliminated (no elk archery season 2010-2011 in the wk). something to think about for all those pushing for the rollback in the elk season here.

and the last I heard the real problem with the wk elk herd was calf survival, hard to see how dramatically reducing the harvest of six point bulls is going to rectify that situation.....

Bingo!

Let's all hope science trumps agenda-based decisions, in all situations.

[backcountry99]

Bingo!

Let's all hope science trumps agenda-based decisions, in all situations.

Would really like to see some of your scientific facts on the current situation in the WK?

[HarryToolips]

Your arrogance continues to amaze me fd!

You keep throwing around your science based response but my response is evidence based! We had these ariel survey results presented to us and never once did I blame it on a GOS 6 pt season. I for one would like to keep a 6 pt season in the WK, which is not what the majority feel. These numbers are a culmanation of the predator cycle being near the top of the cycle, a very hard winter and very heavy hunting pressure, among other issues.

So like it or not the WK animal populations are in bad order and extra heavy hunting pressure do to the EK closure is the last thing needed.

Take your arrogant know it all opinions and blow them out your ass FD!

The culmanation of problems you listed are definitely problems that will impact numbers...how will reducing the 6 pt season help with those real problems??

[Everett]

Well the usual WK nimby crowd is screaming like usual, holy crap its hard to even read your drivel without laughing myself sick. Maybe Elk should go back on LEH so you can have your Elk hunting holidays away from your wives in the EK again.
The solution to protect the herd is not allow any west kootenay hunters to harvest elk since they shoot %80 percent of the elk we cut them out we will have a healthy population. Pretty simple shit.

[J_T]

Have fun here boys. You've gone down the path of silly. Real work needs to be done.

We make demands for informed decisions by Government. They step up (somewhat) and provide an analysis of what is happening and Government move a recommendation forward.
The wildlife groups that sit on committee are working 'together' and are not seeking personal agendas, but rather requesting Government to work efficiently and analyze decisions. These groups do not necessarily agree with the solution Government is proposing.

Yet, you won't accept it when Government starts to do their job.
Jump to conclusions.
Accuse others of killing all the animals
Blame others of being on personal agendas.

Help me understand again, where is the problem?

[backcountry99]

The culmanation of problems you listed are definitely problems that will impact numbers...how will reducing the 6 pt season help with those real problems??

Think you better read it again! I want to keep the 6 pt season just the way it is. I like that having a 6 pt season in the ek and wk and region 8 spreads out the pressure. Heck i hunt region 8 for elk now anyhow because they are on the upswing there.
This was about the WK elk being in a bad situation and not needing the extra pressure of the EK being shutdown.

[Fisher-Dude]

Well the usual WK nimby crowd is screaming like usual, holy crap its hard to even read your drivel without laughing myself sick. Maybe Elk should go back on LEH so you can have your Elk hunting holidays away from your wives in the EK again.

Seems people think they'll be able to go hunt elk on 100:1 draw odds.

The only published elk survey we have on the WK post-GOS implementation shows terrific bull:cow ratios of between 42:100 and 58:100, with protected <6 point bulls making up 21:100 to 40:100 of those ratios, further illustrating that we could kill every single 6 point and not drop sex ratios below the 20:100 management target. Even if we dropped to 10:100 we would still experience 90%+ pregnancy rates.

There's zero conservation concern with the current season.

The concern with the composition survey is the low calf:cow ratios. Mid-winter ratios range from 21:100 to 37:100, with the highest ratio being barely sufficient to hold the population steady.

With high pregnancy rates from a ridiculously high bull:cow ratio, but low calf:cow ratios, the problem certainly won't be addressed by altering a 6 point bull elk season. In fact, removal of single adult bulls from winter range may actually help calf survival on winter range by ensuring food supply for calves.

Calf survival is the only way to grow an elk population. Keeping adult bulls around when you have overflowing buckets of sperm already is counter-intuitive, and will not increase the elk population nor stabilize any declines over time.

We have bowhunters cheering on closure of rifle hunts. We have NIMBYs cheering on closure of bull hunts thinking they'll have the bush to themselves but don't realize they'll die before they get an LEH draw. Neither of these social agendas will address poor calf recruitment or do anything whatsoever for elk populations, but they don't seem too concerned about that.

[J_T]

Seems people think they'll be able to go hunt elk on 100:1 draw odds.

The only published elk survey we have on the WK post-GOS implementation shows terrific bull:cow ratios of between 42:100 and 58:100, with protected <6 point bulls making up 21:100 to 40:100 of those ratios, further illustrating that we could kill every single 6 point and not drop sex ratios below the 20:100 management target. Even if we dropped to 10:100 we would still experience 90%+ pregnancy rates.

There's zero conservation concern with the current season.

The concern with the composition survey is the low calf:cow ratios. Mid-winter ratios range from 21:100 to 37:100, with the highest ratio being barely sufficient to hold the population steady.

With high pregnancy rates from a ridiculously high bull:cow ratio, but low calf:cow ratios, the problem certainly won't be addressed by altering a 6 point bull elk season. In fact, removal of single adult bulls from winter range may actually help calf survival on winter range by ensuring food supply for calves.

Calf survival is the only way to grow an elk population. Keeping adult bulls around when you have overflowing buckets of sperm already is counter-intuitive, and will not increase the elk population nor stabilize any declines over time.

We have bowhunters cheering on closure of rifle hunts. We have NIMBYs cheering on closure of bull hunts thinking they'll have the bush to themselves but don't realize they'll die before they get an LEH draw. Neither of these social agendas will address poor calf recruitment or do anything whatsoever for elk populations, but they don't seem too concerned about that.

haha, good work. And you don't seem to be worried about truth or reality. You can continue to make up anything you want and work to inflame a situation to suit your confrontational desires. Internet Drama Queen. I'm just not sure what happened to you that you have such a need to create conflict and be the centre of it. Most of us in the spirit of wildlife are putting the sword and shield down and working together. Perhaps you should give some of your 'buddies' in the EK who we both know, are working with everyone else in the spirit of wildlife and good, sound decisions.

Let's put our effort into focusing on the real issues. Your Princess needs are not serving wildlife any good.

[HarryToolips]

Think you better read it again! I want to keep the 6 pt season just the way it is. I like that having a 6 pt season in the ek and wk and region 8 spreads out the pressure. Heck i hunt region 8 for elk now anyhow because they are on the upswing there.
This was about the WK elk being in a bad situation and not needing the extra pressure of the EK being shutdown.

Ah k sorry read ya wrong...totally agree with what you are saying.......I read that reg 8 elk are on the upswing as well, very good to hear.. according to the MOE the elk pops in reg 8 is only 2500-3500, and quite a few 6 pointers are taken every year I hear, and yet our elk pops is still on the upswing..hmm..