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[bucklucky]

more area for feeding.less concentration of elk

Exactly.

[JoeVon]

more area for feeding.less concentration of elk

Do you think that the accumulation of sand above the sediment dam is whats keeping the elk from migrating lower?  Wouldn't they go around it?...

[bucklucky]

more area for feeding.less concentration of elk

Do you think that the accumulation of sand above the sediment dam is whats keeping the elk from migrating lower?  Wouldn't they go around it?...

That is a question I have also, you would think they would but maybee the weeker ones would not? Maybee they would just settle for the mud flows??

[JoeVon]

I think they settle for the mudflows and the surrounding areas.  I was up there a couple days ago and saw alot of elk where they were feeding them last year, but didn't see any dead elk from my vantage point with the spotter...

[heavy hauler]

well this is just my opinion  but i think the snow gets deep on both sides of the valley.so the elk head down hill.then they run into the quicksand down by the dam and cant go down hill and cant go up the hill and around because by then the snow is deep and they are weak.  true its nature running its course , but man has been removed from the equation  and we ARE part of nature. either feed them hay or feed them lead.dont let them starve.its ridiculous

[bucklucky]

Exactly curtis, but I want to see them feed em lead  I dont see them feeding them in the years to come so either way way more permits need issued or open up some general hunts up, maybee sell a certain number of tags for a general hunt? I dunno. There will never be a perfect answer.

[JoeVon]

I see what you are getting at... Just for fun I looked to see what the elevation of the mudflow/sand accumulation was, and it was around 950 to 1000 ft.  Where they feed them is 1500ft.  

[JoeVon]

Exactly curtis, but I want to see them feed em lead  I dont see them feeding them in the years to come so either way way more permits need issued or open up some general hunts up, maybee sell a certain number of tags for a general hunt? I dunno. There will never be a perfect answer.

I wouldn't mind seeing them turn the Margret and Toutle into Spike Only general hunts and still do the Branch Bull Draw.

[bucklucky]

I wouldn't mind seeing them turn the Margret and Toutle into Spike Only general hunts and still do the Branch Bull Draw.
[/quote]
That may be a good alternative , with also a archery cow or spike hunt maybee to help thin a few more of the cows?

[JoeVon]

Bucklucky, whats the bull to cow ratio over where you shot your bull this year?

[heavy hauler]

give out more youth , handicap and 65+ tags. maybe reseed the valley, plus some fertiliser( seen it before).but in the meantime  what do you do?

[bucklucky]

I'm not positive but it almost seemed 1:1 , I'm sure its not but there is a High density of bulls.

[bucklucky]

give out more youth , handicap and 65+ tags. maybe reseed the valley, plus some fertiliser( seen it before).but in the meantime  what do you do?

If there was a definate plan in place like you stated Curtis, I would say you Have to feed the elk .

[JoeVon]

I think if they could get the river to run in one channel up there that a lot of problems would be solved.

[heavy hauler]

true, one channel would help. but i dont expect to see any backhoes digging anytime soon