Colville Antelope

[MtnMuley]

Seriously, who in their right mind would turn the antelope loose in the middle of the worst winter we've had for years in the middle of nowhere in 2ft of snow in country where there are several fences??   More power to their efforts if they want to reintroduce the lopes there, but at least give a little better thought and have a little better place .....at least for the animals sake.

[buglebrush]

I was thinking of the agricultural area around Moses Lake. Not really suitable for antelope. And where there are cattle there are fences, which antelope don't do well with.

But it sure will be interesting to see how much they spread. Hopefully I live long enough to see the first hunting season for antelope in Washington.

Really wonder what you are talking about with fences?  Everywhere I've seen Antelope there has been lots of ranching and fences.   

[buglebrush]

Maybe wolves will be beneficial for mule deer too- I hear the wolves have been killing a lot of cougars. 

No.  Not even close.   

[jkthomps]

http://phys.org/news/2016-02-colville-tribes-risky-pronghorn-antelope.html

"The Washington State Game Department, which preceded the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, tried and failed three times to reintroduce pronghorn to Washington: once at the Yakima Training Center in the 1930s; in 1950 in Asotin County near Ritzville; and then again in 1968, with a release in Kittitas and Grant counties."

 Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-02-colville-tribes-risky-pronghorn-antelope.html#jCp

Was Asotin County near Ritzville in the 1950s? I don't recall Asotin County being close to Ritzville.

[Bob33]

Ooops.

[C-Money]

http://phys.org/news/2016-02-colville-tribes-risky-pronghorn-antelope.html

"The Washington State Game Department, which preceded the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, tried and failed three times to reintroduce pronghorn to Washington: once at the Yakima Training Center in the 1930s; in 1950 in Asotin County near Ritzville; and then again in 1968, with a release in Kittitas and Grant counties."

 Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-02-colville-tribes-risky-pronghorn-antelope.html#jCp

Was Asotin County near Ritzville in the 1950s? I don't recall Asotin County being close to Ritzville.

Adams County, Asotin County, one of those "A" counties....

[jackelope]

Hey maybe those couple speedgoats that were down on the Alpowa a couple years ago were remnants of the asotin county relocation project.

[C-Money]

Hey maybe those couple speedgoats that were down on the Alpowa a couple years ago were remnants of the asotin county relocation project.

  You might be on to something!!

[NWWA Hunter]

Seriously, who in their right mind would turn the antelope loose in the middle of the worst winter we've had for years in the middle of nowhere in 2ft of snow in country where there are several fences??   More power to their efforts if they want to reintroduce the lopes there, but at least give a little better thought and have a little better place .....at least for the animals sake.

Because when antelope are transplanted they get so worked up that their body temperature rises and there is a high mortality. Unless, there are low temperatures the entire distance of the trip to keep their core temperature lower.  Additionally there is high mortality if it takes too long to transport them. So in order to safely transport them it has to be cold from Nevada all the way through to Washington.  This is why there has only been one transplant to the Yakimas.  It is very difficult to trans locate them due to their fragility and you need perfect conditions.

[bearpaw]

Seriously, who in their right mind would turn the antelope loose in the middle of the worst winter we've had for years in the middle of nowhere in 2ft of snow in country where there are several fences??   More power to their efforts if they want to reintroduce the lopes there, but at least give a little better thought and have a little better place .....at least for the animals sake.

Because when antelope are transplanted they get so worked up that their body temperature rises and there is a high mortality. Unless, there are low temperatures the entire distance of the trip to keep their core temperature lower.  Additionally there is high mortality if it takes too long to transport them. So in order to safely transport them it has to be cold from Nevada all the way through to Washington.  This is why there has only been one transplant to the Yakimas.  It is very difficult to trans locate them due to their fragility and you need perfect conditions.

The long trip may have had an impact, no way around that to get them there. I doubt there was much snow where they were released, there are already bear coming out on the reservation.

Glad they are doing this!

[Sumpnneedskillin]

Hmm... what's faster- an antelope or a wolf?

Wolf speedgoat interaction in Yellowstone caught on video

Last year I watched a lone wolf chase antelope in the Lamar Valley.  It was almost as if the antelope were teasing the wolf.  They'd run for a bit and then let up so the wolf could catch up and then take off and they'd let the wolf catch up.  This went on for several minutes.  Finally the wolf gave up. 

[nwwanderer]

Good report NWWA, details, details

[MtnMuley]

Seriously, who in their right mind would turn the antelope loose in the middle of the worst winter we've had for years in the middle of nowhere in 2ft of snow in country where there are several fences??   More power to their efforts if they want to reintroduce the lopes there, but at least give a little better thought and have a little better place .....at least for the animals sake.

Because when antelope are transplanted they get so worked up that their body temperature rises and there is a high mortality. Unless, there are low temperatures the entire distance of the trip to keep their core temperature lower.  Additionally there is high mortality if it takes too long to transport them. So in order to safely transport them it has to be cold from Nevada all the way through to Washington.  This is why there has only been one transplant to the Yakimas.  It is very difficult to trans locate them due to their fragility and you need perfect conditions.

The long trip may have had an impact, no way around that to get them there. I doubt there was much snow where they were released, there are already bear coming out on the reservation.

Glad they are doing this!

They were released on January 27.  Where they were released, there was 2+ feet of snow during an extended period of below freezing weather.  This was near the furthest western boundary of the rez.  I can assure you there were no bears coming out of hibernation on January 27 there.