Biology Paper Poll: Look at my post for the question

[colockumelk]

Sorry I mess up the question.  This is what it should have said:  I am doing a paper on why the Colockum herd is hurting while across the street (I-90) the herd in PMU 33 (GMU 336,346,340 and 342) are doing exceptionally well.  The core reason for the Colockums "plight" is that it can not retain enough spikes through the hunting season to offset the amount of branch bulls that die every year.  So what would you like to see happen in the Colockum?

Sorry again I know this is just   but I'd rather poll you guys who are real hunters than a bunch of peacnik hippy college kids.  My professor says I need at least 50 polls for it to count.  Thankyou again. 

[bearpaw]

vote cast good luck...

[luvtohnt]

What biology class, and who is the teacher?

Brandon

[Curly]

Hope you get enough votes on here.

[jackelope]

vote cast ^^^^

[Sawbuck]

If you kill them when they are spikes or kill them when big bulls they are just as dead. You will have a bigger problem if you end up with just a bunch of cows and spikes running around, and not enough mature bulls to do the breeding. The true spike thing doesn't seem like a good move just because opens the door to more wasted elk if hunters are shooting 1x2 on accident. The numbers from Table 2 pg 78 of the Status report show a good increase in elk numbers in the years following the spike only change. It also appears like there are already enough spikes being "retained" to "offset the amount of branch bulls that die every year." I'm not saying nothing needs to be done, just that the CE permit only plan might not be the best. I copied the table below for reference only, and didn't copy all of the foot notes.
Table 2. Colockum elk winter composition 1990-2009.

           Antlerless             Bulls             Total   (per 100 cows)
Year   Cow   Calves    Spike    Branched     Elk    Calves   Bulls
1991   559    213                   23             795     38       4
1992 1,314   309        16        9             2,099    23       2
1993 1,439   607        22        6             2,074    42       2
1994 NO DATA
1995 1,197   409        14       36            1,656     34      4
1996 1,597   486        88       66            2,237     30     10
1997 1,581   467        16       75            2,139     30      6
1998 2,807   854        88       60            3,809     30      5
1999 3,871 1,061       84       242           5,258     27      8
2000 2,697   570        60      130            3,457     21     7
2001 3,464   719       100      170            4,453    21      8
2002 2,800   829       119      391            4,172    30     18
2003 3,060   526         96      238            3,920    17     11
2004 2,388   782         63      209            3,442    33     11
2005 3,084   770         46        86            3,986    25     4
2006 2,244   873         73       116           3,306    39     8
2007 2,829    843       130      116            3,918    30     9
2008 2,859    917         43       72             3,890   32     4
2009 3,000    590         70       85             3,745   20     5

[Curly]

Maybe they should go to the Unicorn plan......you can only shoot if it has 1 antler....

[colockumelk]

Sawbuck the problem stems from this.  On average only 17% of spikes live through that hunting season.  On average only 81 spikes live through the hunting season.  From this number subtract 7% which will die of natural causes and woundings.  So now we've recruited 76 spikes.  On average another 34 branch bulls are killed in the Colockum.  So now we have only recruited 42 bulls for that year.  Plus the Yakama's go up and kill 30-40 bulls themselves.  So now we've only recruited 2-12 bulls for the year.  Then if you add poachers into the mix you have a negative recruitment number. 

If you want to look at 2008 where there were only 43 spikes.  If you plug in all the numbers you come to a recruitment of negative 20-30 bulls without counting poaching.  If you do this over a period of ten years which has happened then you can see where you can quickly go from 391 bulls to 85 in 7 years. 

And if it was permit only you could control the amount of bulls killed.  You could scientifically manage the amount of permits to control the bull to cow ratio and get it back where it's supposed to be.  And as far as the Yakama's go:  I hate it just as much as any of you do.  But.....  We kill 10 times more bulls than they do so we don't have a leg to stand on at the moment.

[Special T]

You mean the heard woudl actually be managed?

[colockumelk]

Sweet I only need 17 more and then I'll have enough.  I'd like 75 but I guess 50 will do.  Thankyou for those that have voted already.  For those that havn't please let your voice be heard.  VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!!!

[bonkellekter]

Sweet I only need 17 more and then I'll have enough.  I'd like 75 but I guess 50 will do.  Thankyou for those that have voted already.  For those that havn't please let your voice be heard.  VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!!!

Vote cast - looks like I am on board with the vast majority

[colockumelk]

thanks bonekellekter

[bearpaw]

would vote again to help you out if I could....

[Elkaholic daWg]

   Bearpaw i really wish that more people thought as you do...... Signature says it all


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[NWWABOWHNTR]

voted!  Tag only