WDFW STILL CLUELESS ON HOOF ROT

[Mfowl]

It will be interesting to see the decrease in the number of west side elk tags that were sold this year.

I have not hunted the east side for elk since 2005, but I bought an east side tag this year, partially due to the access fees, but the primary reason being the elk hunting in SW Washington is not that good anymore. And even if you do kill an elk, you don't know if it will be fit to eat.

It just might take a dramatic drop in elk tag sales for the WDFW to really begin taking this seriously.

But then I don't really know, maybe they are doing all they can to solve this issue. They've definitely stepped it up a notch since last year, no doubt about that.

I wonder how many other hunters share your thoughts on this. I'm curious/dreading what the crowds will be like on the eastside during the general seasons. I am also wondering with the increased draw tags in many of the Yakima GMU's for this season if the number of hunters putting in for those tags has swelled.

[bobcat]

Yeah, I'm hoping not too many applied for the east side muzzleloader cow elk permit that I applied for!

[billythekidrock]

Yeah, I'm hoping not too many applied for the east side muzzleloader cow elk permit that I applied for!

Same here. Maybe I will go with you next year.

[bobcat]

Yeah, I'm hoping not too many applied for the east side muzzleloader cow elk permit that I applied for!

Same here. Maybe I will go with you next year.

We will have to wait and see if there are any elk left on the east side for next year. After the enormous number of cow permits this year, along with the Yakama tribe slaughtering them all winter, I don't have high hopes. Might have to head to Idaho next year.

[t6]

As a wetsider, we've lost access, and game numbers.  No way to justify buying a hunting license in WA.  Next year I will be out of state. 

[motg9_6]

it really surprises me the lack of drive to solve the issue. its seems a few autopsies and and couple live samples the worlds best scientists/vets/etc could easily figure out the issue. It seems to me there is something political going on here with WDFW and we are all going to suffer. (my theory, if there's not game to hunt then there's no reason for us to have guns, just another way to make us dependent on the government.)

i was really optimistic when i herd RMEF was getting involved but they seem to be just going along with WDFW. If you are a RMEF member i suggest sending emails letting them know the disappointment, i blow up there facebook page every once i awhile also. they are the only group with the pull and backing to get anything done.

[bobcat]

I think it's about time to get the Sierra club involved. I'll be writing some letters this weekend when I have time.

[motg9_6]

I think it's about time to get the Sierra club involved. I'll be writing some letters this weekend when inhave time.

i have really mixed feelings about the Sierra Club, i think they have their own agenda and may not be interested in protecting our elk to let the hunters get a chance and tagging one. i think they would rather see no hunting at all.  at this point i think their pressure to wdfw would be great but im not sure they are the kind of group that we want taking the lead on this issue. i would rather see Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Mule Deer Foundation or a foundation supported by hunters and conservatives together tackle this issue.

[pianoman9701]

it really surprises me the lack of drive to solve the issue. its seems a few autopsies and and couple live samples the worlds best scientists/vets/etc could easily figure out the issue. It seems to me there is something political going on here with WDFW and we are all going to suffer. (my theory, if there's not game to hunt then there's no reason for us to have guns, just another way to make us dependent on the government.)

i was really optimistic when i herd RMEF was getting involved but they seem to be just going along with WDFW. If you are a RMEF member i suggest sending emails letting them know the disappointment, i blow up there facebook page every once i awhile also. they are the only group with the pull and backing to get anything done.

RMEF is willing to give money to help elk, which is a good thing. They are unwilling to get involved in a political battle, which is what is necessary for anything to happen on this. It was the same with the wolf issue in our state. When I wrote to Mr. Allen about them being completely absent during the wolf plan hearings, he voiced concerns about butting heads with the the DFW and closing any open doors they already had there. I understand and I'm disappointed.

There's been very compelling evidence provided from a CDC scientist and another farrier who's consulted with scientists. Yesterday, Dr. Mora was supposed to give a presentation to the DFW in Vancouver. If anyone was there, please give a recap. Up to this point, I believe they've been largely ignored and I'm afraid that the only reason they're listening to Dr. Mora at all is that so many of us have screamed at them for not doing so previously. This has to do with bags and bags of money to politicians, long time relationships with powerful corporations, and people who'd possibly like to fix but have their hands tied. It's very frustrating.

[pianoman9701]

It will be interesting to see the decrease in the number of west side elk tags that were sold this year.

I have not hunted the east side for elk since 2005, but I bought an east side tag this year, partially due to the access fees, but the primary reason being the elk hunting in SW Washington is not that good anymore. And even if you do kill an elk, you don't know if it will be fit to eat.

It just might take a dramatic drop in elk tag sales for the WDFW to really begin taking this seriously.

But then I don't really know, maybe they are doing all they can to solve this issue. They've definitely stepped it up a notch since last year, no doubt about that.

They just increased damage tags for two units in this area at the request of the timber company who owned the land. They had previously reduced them by 15 each (30 total) for a couple of years. I have plenty of MH points and would've drawn something this year. No way I'm putting special permit applications into that area.

[t6]

it would be nice to see them use sound scientific practice to determine the cause rather than picking a cause and attempting to explain it with poor jumbled up garbage. 

I would like to see independent research done by someone without  any skin in the game.  I think thats the only way we are going to see honest answers. 

[motg9_6]

 

[jongosch]

Sorry for the delay, guys, but I should have a full report finished soon.  So much going on!!  For now here's some snippets of the TAG meeting.  I think we can officially put WDFW's treponema theory in its grave after this meeting.  There's no doubt that the bacteria are present, but they are not the underlying cause.  Repeat.  TREPONEMA IS NOT THE CAUSE OF ELK HOOF DISEASE.  FYI: Kristin Mansfield is WDFW's epidemiologist.  The rest are members of the Technical Advisory Group.

Besser  – “The non-consistent thing is there’s lots of dairy farm areas with elk with treponemes without elk hoof disease.”
Kristin Mansfield – “Which areas?”
Besser – “Whatcom County.”

Parros – “It seems like we’re building a case for treponema, but I’m a little concerned about the way it’s presented.  It seems as if dairy cattle are transmitting the disease.  I’m a little cautious because we’ve made the case that treponema occurs in cattle and sheep, and cattle and sheep have this disease that looks similar to the one in elk, that a lot of the public will interpret that as direct transmission.  And I’m a little concerned about using that.”

Fairbrother – “I also have a little bit of a concern because the treponema hypothesis still requires an initiating event… Until you figure out what that triggering event was you’re not going to be able to really understand the disease.”

Dale Brown – “This is going to sound really bizarre and I’ll just throw it out there because I don’t really care what you think about me.  The first time you showed me those pictures, I thought, this looks like toxic shock syndrome.”

 

[t6]

Be careful Mr. Brown.... they may bar you from future meetings for thinking like that.     

[jongosch]

I just found this.  It may prove to be our magic bullet:

"Roundup herbicide, for instance, was found to be 125 times more toxic than its active ingredient glyphosate studied in isolation."

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/roundup-herbicide-125-times-more-toxic-regulators-say

At the TAG meeting in Vancouver, Anne Fairbrother, an ecotoxicologist, said that glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide.  The elk nutrition study conducted by researchers from the University of Alberta said the same thing. 

And now, once more, here's the quote from Dale Moore, a clinical professor from WSU, and a member of WDFW's Technical Advisory Group, "This is going to sound really bizarre and I’ll just throw it out there because I don’t really care what you think about me.  The first time you showed me those pictures, I thought, this looks like toxic shock syndrome.”