Idaho depredation elk kill

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Anybody hear of this?

https://www.kmvt.com/content/news/Hundreds-of-elk-killed-Fish-and-Game-explain-depredation-study----566957481.html?fbclid=IwAR1HuSSEe04ObGh4B-NTOJV-kMfO0jsts0yt7XfuiwfjWzPYpiCJXBbgEZE

[nwwanderer]

Would be nice to see the data collected for the research project, have seen a bunch of claims on changing elk behavior, this might be of great interest.  The producers in the Skagit area could use the help

[birddogdad]

guess that is why license cost are on the rise, need to fund this program? limit hunting as there at capacities? 

[cbond3318]

Here is another  article that offers little more info.



https://www.capitalpress.com/ag_sectors/grains/researchers-look-for-better-ways-to-keep-elk-out-of/article_ca72c59e-a325-11e9-9834-a38a2fc12bf2.html

I hadn’t heard of this until now but I’ll hold my  judgement until I research a little more....

[theleo]

I guess the 5,000 cow tags they added between the Smokey Bennett and Pioneer zones didn't produce the effect IDFG was hoping for.

[idaho guy]

That’s a mess down there. They paid a farmer a million dollars in crop damages in 2018 and fish and game went crazy on the elk in some of those units. Tons of new hunts and tags were created. I had a new early season tag that was part of this elk depredation overreaction. It seemed to make the problems worse as everyone was hunting the public and ALL the elk hit the private ranches who for the most part wouldn’t let anyone hunt. But they still got their crop damage payments. I was told by a rancher that fish and game had killed a bunch of elk on private during my hunt but I never saw it. I think they need to work out more public hunting in exchange for crop damage payments.

[elkboy]

That’s a mess down there. They paid a farmer a million dollars in crop damages in 2018 and fish and game went crazy on the elk in some of those units. Tons of new hunts and tags were created. I had a new early season tag that was part of this elk depredation overreaction. It seemed to make the problems worse as everyone was hunting the public and ALL the elk hit the private ranches who for the most part wouldn’t let anyone hunt. But they still got their crop damage payments. I was told by a rancher that fish and game had killed a bunch of elk on private during my hunt but I never saw it. I think they need to work out more public hunting in exchange for crop damage payments.

Hmm, sounds like a case of the farmers "having their cake and eating it, too"... Ironic how the greatly increased tags greatly increased the problem (spatial response on the part of the elk...). 

[idaho guy]

I talked to one landowner who has 600,000 plus acres and he gets a stupid number of tags and crop damage payments but never lets the general public hunt. It’s a strange situation down where I was.

[Skyvalhunter]

Did you offer him some green backs?

[idaho guy]

Did you offer him some green backs?

   

I asked him if he lets anyone on for a trespass fee and he said no. I was hoping to get access for no cost since I was told the hunt was added in response to depredations. Most of the ranch owners were super wealthy and a trespass fee wasn’t even pocket change to them.

[Whitpirate]

Without public access and a demand for crop damage I’d require elk fencing and other methods to show effort if the hunting options are not pursued.  Allowing USDA sharpshooters instead of licensed hunters and charging market premium for damage is nothing but willful double dip.

[elkchaser54]

The blue mountains here in Washington experience the same problem. With little to zero public wintering land. They are forced on to private land and the farmers get tags to slaughter them. 

[OutHouse]

Without public access and a demand for crop damage I’d require elk fencing and other methods to show effort if the hunting options are not pursued.  Allowing USDA sharpshooters instead of licensed hunters and charging market premium for damage is nothing but willful double dip.

Completely agree. I have seen this in central WA as well. The farmer does nothing to protect the crops. Animals eat the crops. Farmer gets a ton of dep deer tags some for "any animal", then farmer and his friends hunt the animals while excluding anyone else from helping them with their "problem". Personally, I don't think the government should be giving any money to farmers for a problem that existed before they even started farming, i.e., the presence of animals that forage. They should deal with it by investing in fences as opposed to taking government handouts.