Are Elk Native to the Blues?

[Roperfive88]

I always thought that the elk in the blues were brought on train cars from Yellowstone. Is that true or were they native to the area?  I had another member think they were native.

[Woodchuck]

I am under the impression that the elk from Yellowstone were brought here to help the native herds recover. 

[Curly]

Distribution
A.
Historic Distribution:
Much discussion has occurred about the origin of the Blue Mountains elk herd. Elk have been present in the Columbia Basin and adjacent areas for at least 10,000 years, and were an important source of food for Native Americans (McCorquodale 1985). Unregulated subsistence and market hunting by Euro-American immigrants, along with habitat changes resulting from livestock grazing and land cultivation, nearly extirpated elk from the Blue Mountains by the late 1880's (McCorquodale 1985, ODFW 1992).

To help recover elk populations in the Blue Mountains, sportsmen’s groups in southeast Washington initiated transplants of elk from Yellowstone National Park. Twenty-eight elk were released from Pomeroy in 1911; 50 elk from Walla Walla in 1919; and 26 elk from Dayton 1931 (Urness 1960). The first season for branched-antlered bull elk was held in 1927, and the first either-sex season in 1934 to reduce elk numbers and control damage on private lands in the Charley and Cummings Creek drainages.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/00452/bluemtn.pdf

[Woodchuck]

wow, I got one right. Miracle

[jackelope]

wow, I got one right. Miracle

Congrats, Jimbo.
 

[724wd]

wow, I got one right. Miracle

  

[Woodchuck]

Awe shucks, thanks guys.

[270Flat]

Yeah... But the wolves and Bigfoot ate them all!! No more elk in the Blues...
Sorry

[Woodchuck]

  Well of course, that goes without saying.

[400out]

It appears we need Nor Folkn Way  to make another drop!!!

[mtncook]

The elk arrived here (Pomeroy) on a train and spent the winter in the livestock pens at the rail yard.    When spring came and the grass started to grow some locals on horseback drove the bunch to the foothills and onto Abels ridge.   THe elk beat the guys back to town where they were used to being fed.   Again they were drivenbut held there.   I've been fortunate to live  here all but 7 years of my life and have close connections with families that were involved in the elk drive.   Some of them were even known to rope a bull or two  for fun.


mtncook

[270Flat]

Well of course, that goes without saying.

[jackelope]

The elk arrived here (Pomeroy) on a train and spent the winter in the livestock pens at the rail yard.    When spring came and the grass started to grow some locals on horseback drove the bunch to the foothills and onto Abels ridge.   THe elk beat the guys back to town where they were used to being fed.   Again they were drivenbut held there.   I've been fortunate to live  here all but 7 years of my life and have close connections with families that were involved in the elk drive.   Some of them were even known to rope a bull or two  for fun.


mtncook

Pics or it didn't happen.

Hah!! Do you know when that happened, Dave?

[mtncook]

I've been gone for a couple of days,  I'm sure the elk reive was from the arrival of the 1911 shipment.  I've only heard of the one bunch that was shipped here.

mtncook

[yelp]

Here are some of my relatives helping to drive the elk from the quarantined area in Pomeroy into the Wenaha.  My Grandmother handed down these postcards to me.  I was fortunate to draw and harvest a 346" 7x7 in 2001 the Mountain view unit in 2001.  At that time I made a video of the family grave markers in Pataha Flats Cemetary.  It was neat to see family markers and the historical significance of my hunt.  I wanted to share these with all of you.  Maybe there are family members on here?