Article in Yakima herald today. Elk trampling Indian site in kittitas.

[kirkl]

http://www.yakimaherald.com/home/2010947-8/lawsuit-aims-to-make-state-stop-elk-damage

[Grizzly95]

The elk are seeking revenge!

[northwesthunter84]

Holy crap, wow.  Ok somebody help this make sense to me.  People buy a home/ranch in the country and don't expect to have to share land with wildlife.  I understand that she draws income from cattle grazing.  Then she should put up a fence.  WDFW is not responsible for this kind of stuff.  The elk were here long before that homestead.  I find it weird because I was raised to charish and respect the wildlife.  Oh and people shouldn't plant tasty food that animals like.  As far as the Native Heritage site it too should be blocked off.  If they are so worried about it the tribes should put up a fence.

[bowhunterforever]

Holy crap, wow.  Ok somebody help this make sense to me.  People buy a home/ranch in the country and don't expect to have to share land with wildlife.  I understand that she draws income from cattle grazing.  Then she should put up a fence.  WDFW is not responsible for this kind of stuff.  The elk were here long before that homestead.  I find it weird because I was raised to charish and respect the wildlife.  Oh and people shouldn't plant tasty food that animals like.  As far as the Native Heritage site it too should be blocked off.  If they are so worried about it the tribes should put up a fence.

[RELV]

Thse elk were not there long before the homestead.  They were introduced in the twenties by the state.  I think of them as an invasive species that need to be harvested/killed/butchered/eaten (whichever term is in vogue now).

Being a landowner in elk country with a large herd, I am sympathetic.  My fences get torn down, I can't grow corn.  I didn't mind it when I could hunt the elk, but since the state changed the GMU boundaries I need a draw permit to hunt my land.  Changed my attitude about the elk trampling my stuff.

[JJB11B]

Build a fence

[dreamunelk]

Elk were part of the landscape prior to European arrival.  Market hunting and homesteaders who needed the meat and viewed them as competition for resources wiped them out.   Elk were then reintroduced. 

[northwesthunter84]

There have been elk on this land mass for thousands of years.  They were reintroduced because settlers who didn't respect the animals/market hunted, killed most if not all of them along with many other game species throughout the US.  I understand that they affect farmers land and lively hood.  I get that I truely do.  I come from a farming background.  The only issue that should involve the WDFW is to allow less stringent regulations for hunting in the area.  Landowners should allow hunting on private land (with specific permissions), otherwise you create what people back east like to call a haven.  When the pressure is high, weather is bad or best feed is available these places are the first place animals go.  Try decoys or human hair.  I have had it work in the past.

[bowguy]

I think the state should not have dropped the lawsuit they broke the rules period. We all know if it would have been any of us that you just kissed your hunting rights goodbye and hello jail time. She bought the property knowing that elk were there and that that is their winter range. I completely agree with the game department on this open it up to hunters instead of allowing land owners to charge for these hunts. If she wants them off the property then she should pay to have done not the state. Here is an idea how about the wdfw closes down the free range cattle in the colockum because of what they destroy. I've hunted that unit for over 20 years and I've seen more damage by cattle in that gmu than all the wild game in there put together. Sorry for the rant guys but it just makes me mad with people moving out in the country knowing that there is wildlife on the property and then turning around and complaining about them.

[northwesthunter84]

no need to apologize bowguy, and I agree about the cattle thing. 

[buckcanyonlodge]

So the elk trample the "Indian site" but the cattle don't?? Seems she (the 72 yr. old landowner) would be in violation of disturbing an "Indian site" by leasing the land to cattle grazing where the "Indian site" is located.

[headshot5]

Build a fence.

Yeah that wouldn't be cost prohibitive...  1100 acres, that is only a 27,000 or so foot fence (permiter fence).  At 8 feet hight to keep elk, out I'm sure it would be extremely cheap for a 72 year old woman to afford...  

[boneaddict]

Begs the question....what came first the indian or the elk.   Pick the elk and its an obvious answer.  Since we all know the answer that the whiteman brought the elk here, then the WDFW should take care of this lady, but the Yakamas shouldn't be able to harvest elk as part of their treaty, since they really should have no ceremonial right to elk.   

[time2hunt]

The true be told all she want was the master hunters to check in on a  daily basis so she knew who was in her property and the game dept. Told that wasn't required!! She was tired of people driving in and not checking with her.

[returnofsid]

Yakima vs. Yakama...which is it?  The article seems to use both forms of spelling...lack of spelling ability or is there actually difference in spelling, between the name of the town and the name of the tribe?