wdfw To slaughter mt saint helens elk herd

[bbarnes]

  You better look at the new game proposal's, if the wdfw has there way there will be no elk left.Just got home from the meeting in  ellensburg, with the wdfw commission. I was shocked to see the proposal's,its not bad enough they want to starve them all to death but with these regs there will be complete elimination.

[RUTNBULL1]

  You better look at the new game proposal's, if the wdfw has there way there will be no elk left.Just got home from the meeting in  ellensburg, with the wdfw commission. I was shocked to see the proposal's,its not bad enough they want to starve them all to death but with these regs there will be complete elimination.

So what kinda crap are they suggesting to propose and finalize Now?

[gasman]

Come on, give us the scoop............

[InsideWDFW]

Come on, give us the scoop............

Yes please, last I heard we were working with the tribes to slaughter the Colockum herd.  I'll let people know that we can only slaughter one herd at a time. \end sarcasm

To the "starve them all to death" all comment, hey you give us the money to feed them and we'd do it in a heartbeat.  I know of 100 or so coworkers who will be looking for work in a month or two.  I'm sure they may need something to do. \end snarky comment.

Seriously while I'm learning that you guys don't believe me when I say that protecting wildlife is the number one priority of WDFW, it truly is.  There is a very good reason why the winter kill around St. Helen's is so great, it's because the habitat can not handle the herd size.  Would you rather come across a carcass in the spring while shed hunting or when you open your freezer to grab that TV dinner?

[bucklucky]

Ive been saying that for a long time WDFW, there needs to be less elk period, about like what was there pre-euruption. Then there wouldnt be the winter kill.

[huntnphool]

Seriously while I'm learning that you guys don't believe me when I say that protecting wildlife is the number one priority of WDFW, it truly is.

 There are those of us that realize you are doing what you can with the resources and manpower given, maybe it should read "SOME of you guys dont believe"

 On another note, think of the whining that would be going on if the state hired shooters to come in and thin the heard At least hunters will be able to take advange of the extra harvest rather than just hired guns Come on guys, which would you honestly rather see happen?

[runamuk]

  You better look at the new game proposal's, if the wdfw has there way there will be no elk left.Just got home from the meeting in  ellensburg, with the wdfw commission. I was shocked to see the proposal's,its not bad enough they want to starve them all to death but with these regs there will be complete elimination.

I thought that the elk were starving due to lack of habitat??  Which must mean there are more elk than the area can carry??  Thus opening more tags in that area would be proper management if you ask me.....reduce the herd and it will do better.......

Of course I wasn't at the meeting but that is one of the suggestions I have supported is reduce the numbers so the habitat can support the ones that remain....

WDFW does what it can within the parameters of the bureaucratic BS that they have to deal with I feel for the people losing jobs who have tried to manage wildlife with an administration that talks a big line about "green" and environment but really does diddly *censored* to actually manage wildlife/habitat/environment and greenspaces...

[Diehard0123]

the in Olympia would rather see the elk starve because they have been watching too many damn Disney movies and think that the elk starving is better for the circle of life.

[270Shooter]

So are they opening it up for general season or somthing like that? Or are they just giving out a bunch more tags?

Maybe I should consider a wet side tag.

[Wacenturion]

Come on, give us the scoop............

Yes please, last I heard we were working with the tribes to slaughter the Colockum herd.  I'll let people know that we can only slaughter one herd at a time. \end sarcasm

To the "starve them all to death" all comment, hey you give us the money to feed them and we'd do it in a heartbeat.  I know of 100 or so coworkers who will be looking for work in a month or two.  I'm sure they may need something to do. \end snarky comment.

Seriously while I'm learning that you guys don't believe me when I say that protecting wildlife is the number one priority of WDFW, it truly is.  There is a very good reason why the winter kill around St. Helen's is so great, it's because the habitat can not handle the herd size.  Would you rather come across a carcass in the spring while shed hunting or when you open your freezer to grab that TV dinner?

The key statement...."There is a very good reason why the winter kill around St. Helen's is so great, it's because the habitat can not handle the herd size."

Absolutely true......but what is a shame is that WDFW would rather meet and discuss problems like this than actually do something on the ground to improve it.  It's like your yard isn't going to mow itself.....you have to get off your butt and do it it.  Oh...and don't tell me all those thousands of dollars worth of seed aerial dropped on the old river bed of rocks and some sand years ago was doing what I would call habitat improvement.  What a joke.  The problem exists because WDFW doesn't know how to manipulate habitat...oh perhaps ...some may know, but just to lazy to want to get dirty doing it.  Easier to keep discussing it in meetings and writing new plans from decade to decade.

[billythekidrock]

The key statement...."There is a very good reason why the winter kill around St. Helen's is so great, it's because the habitat can not handle the herd size."

Absolutely true......but what is a shame is that WDFW would rather meet and discuss problems like this than actually do something on the ground to improve it.  It's like your yard isn't going to mow itself.....you have to get off your butt and do it it.  Oh...and don't tell me all those thousands of dollars worth of seed aerial dropped on the old river bed of rocks and some sand years ago was doing what I would call habitat improvement.  What a joke.  The problem exists because WDFW doesn't know how to manipulate habitat...oh perhaps ...some may know, but just to lazy to want to get dirty doing it.  Easier to keep discussing it in meetings and writing new plans from decade to decade.

How is F&W supposed to improve the habitat when they don't own it? Most of that land down there is owned by private timber companies that are in for the money.

I know on the coast DNR/F&W are doing something about elk habitat on state land, but how are they supposed to do anything on private land?

[bucklucky]

The key statement...."There is a very good reason why the winter kill around St. Helen's is so great, it's because the habitat can not handle the herd size."

Absolutely true......but what is a shame is that WDFW would rather meet and discuss problems like this than actually do something on the ground to improve it.  It's like your yard isn't going to mow itself.....you have to get off your butt and do it it.  Oh...and don't tell me all those thousands of dollars worth of seed aerial dropped on the old river bed of rocks and some sand years ago was doing what I would call habitat improvement.  What a joke.  The problem exists because WDFW doesn't know how to manipulate habitat...oh perhaps ...some may know, but just to lazy to want to get dirty doing it.  Easier to keep discussing it in meetings and writing new plans from decade to decade.

How is F&W supposed to improve the habitat when they don't own it? Most of that land down there is owned by private timber companies that are in for the money.

I know on the coast DNR/F&W are doing something about habitat on state land, but how are they supposed to do anything on private land?

 Great point Willie.

I dont think even working on making better habitat will help keep the elk all alive in the St helens heard. It would have to be a seriousely widespread habitat fix, like burning the whole unit    There is just too many elk there right now. They need to be hunted If you ever go up there , elk will be all over the freshly seeded areas eating the grass. I say clearcut the whole unit 

[logger]

In my uneducated opinion, I see miles and miles of reprod that produce little to no benefit as far as food. then you get over the lewis river unit, mostly f.s. owned and lots of mature timber with not much browse in it . log it and they will come.

[billythekidrock]

I agree. It would be a major production to modify/improve enough habitat to save them all.
Many people have been able to enjoy the booming population thanks to the eruption and many public and private entities. Now it seems as if we are faced with the population bust due to declining habitat.

It is what it is. There are too many elk for the habitat and the private/timber industry is not going to provide much help for a herd that is over capacity.

[Sneaky]

The elk have exceeded the carrying capacity of the land. Either alter the environment by increased logging, or reduce the number of elk. It's fairly simple and I agree with the decision to offer more opportunity for washington elk hunters.