Pluvius elk with hoof rot

[PLUVIUSWAPITI]

Went out today just to look around, found a small herd of seventeen elk on the pluvius off hwy 6. I was only .40yds from them before I noticed the herd, I was down wind. Sad thing was there were four that had hoof rot. Those four could hardly make it up the hill when they spotted me watching them. First time that I have seen elk in that area with that disease. Other than that great day hiking. Saw five grouse and three deer and found out how far out of shape I am.

[bobcat]

Sounds like we need some wolves in the Willapa Hills to get those elk herds healthy again.   

[SkookumHntr]

thats the farthest west I have heard of it , not good!

[BrushChimp]

First time? Farthest west? Elk in the Willapa Valley have had hoof rot for the past 10 years and now it is really prevalent. I've seen pretty much every herd from Vader to Willapa along the highway. I would say 90+% of the herds have hoof rot. Kinda used to seeing it now. This year, it seemed a lower percent of bulls killed had it though. The year before last, some locals got together with 15 kills just in rifle season and 12 had hoof rot. Two weren't even dealt with as far as meat is concerned. Disgusting and sad...

[SkookumHntr]

I was hoping it was mostly from Pe ell east and south but apparently not. Bad deal!

[grundy53]

ya i hunt in willapa valley and this past season wasn't too bad but '08 was terrible. it seamed like half the bulls you heard about being killed had it. our crew has been lucky we have killed 9 bulls the last 2 years and none have had it. its getting to the point where when you kill one you look at the hooves before the horns...

[AKBowman]

I've hunted Wayyy SW corner of the Willapa 506a and never seen one elk with hoof rot. Hunted 4 straight years. I've asked others that hunt in the area and no one has seen a single case of it. Maybe things will change this year.

Does the meat go bad when they get HR?

[grundy53]

if they have it really bad it ruins the meat... probably cause they have a fever or somthing.

[AKBowman]

Sounds like we need some wolves in the Willapa Hills to get those elk herds healthy again.   

Worse idea EVER!!!! Dont even think it!!!!! 

[bobcat]

I was just guessing that's what somebody in the WDFW is going to be thinking.

[AKBowman]

I was just guessing that's what somebody in the WDFW is going to be thinking.

Yeah thats what I got from it.

Please, please, please say they wouldnt even think of doing something like that. If they did those things would be TOTALLY out of control within 3 years and would eradicate pretty much everything with no way to control them in all that thick stuff.

NIGHTMARE!!!!!!

[grundy53]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/wildlife/management/gray_wolf/draft_plan/05oct2009_draft_plan_deis.pdf
 
here is their proposed wolf management options. yes it includes sw washington.

[deerhunter_98520]

i hate to say this but there already in north river...i made a cast of a print from a year ago...it was chasing a deer

[BrandonWatts]

hey grundy didnt know you were on here   i saw 4 bulls down opening day last year none with hoof rot. i have seen a could herds here in the last couple of weeks and have seen no sign of hoof rot but they were mainly towards south bend. it hasnt made it that far yet hoping it wont. 2008 season was really bad for the willapa hills about 80 percent of the bulls taken had hoof rot bad. i remember one bull basically had just a bloody stub no hoof left on it at all.

[mrgoodwrench]

i hate to say this but there already in north river...i made a cast of a print from a year ago...it was chasing a deer

I seen em too man!!!! There are wolves all over the North River!! WTF.....you ever heard of a dog chasin a deer??

[grundy53]

hey brandon.  . yea i saw some in '08 that just had nubs. but last year was alot better. i was just down there the other weekend and saw 5 heards and no limpers.

[BrandonWatts]

well that is always good to here. i havnt spent much time around that area i am bow hunting towards south bend next year. i have been doing most of my scouting up there.

[woodswalker]

i hate to say this but there already in north river...i made a cast of a print from a year ago...it was chasing a deer

I seen em too man!!!! There are wolves all over the North River!! WTF.....you ever heard of a dog chasin a deer??

Wolf or dog...be one DEAD critter...Seen dogs running deer up my way...end of dog if I could make the shot.

[grundy53]

 

[nontypical176]

What a sad deal.  I live up the Coweeman river, Cowlitz county area and what I seen yesterday made me sick.  Last year there were over 30 head in my yard and only 2 had hoof rot that I could see from about 20 yards and they really weren't very bad, slight limping and only a little club footed.  Yesterday the same heard shows up in the yard and I got an up close look at all of them again.  I counted 28 Elk, there was probably more, but I'd say 2/3 of them had hoof rot and it was bad.  A couple of them had hooves that were 18 inches or better.  There were only 3 mature elk that didn't have it.  One rag horn would only walk a little ways before layin done, looked like he had clown shoes.  The difference in the number of affected animals this year to last is staggering.  I started researching it today, thats how I found this site in fact, but this stuff is spooky.  Unreal how much difference a year can make.  Some things I noticed, the cows still had calves, the biggest bull and cow were fine, and it was almost always on the hind legs.

[ICEMAN]

How sad to hear. I always felt that they should put them down, but maybe letting mother nature deal with it is best...?

[grundy53]

It's really bad when you find ones with a hoof dang near completely rotted off

[bobcat]

This will be their justification for bringing wolves to Mt. St. Helens.   

[carpsniperg2]

This will be their justification for bringing wolves to Mt. St. Helens.   

probaby right with how messed up there thinking is remeber there is only one breeding pair in wa so far and they need 15 or so

[BrandonWatts]

i havent seen any elk this year with hoof rot but i have been up pretty high in 506. we saw about 15 elk this weekend and all were healthy a good sign for sure.

[spottedhand]

We hunt the SW areas as well and have seen quite a few, mostly cows,  none of our bulls had it.  The first time I saw it was in the Ryderwood in '08.  Out of a heard of 12 cows six were limping, my first thought some A-holes were just shooting them up with small caliber rifles.  Interestingly, they were all limping on the right side.  I contacted WDFW and got a quick response. 

Here is the reply,

You and your companions are correct, the elk in that area are suffering from
Hoof Rot.  Unfortunately there is no practical treatment for wild animals.

"Region V of the Wildlife Program has proposed to submit samples for pathology
exam to determine which of the 40 types of hoof rot the elk are experiencing.
We hope to begin that study soon.  There has been some suggestion that this
may be related to a mineral deficiency (selenium) versus the normal bacteria
cause".

Thank you for your interest in our animals health, I regret there is not more
that I can tell you at this time.

Pat Miller

IMOP I think the problem with the meat would be if the animal had it so severe that it was unable to feed properly and started to get sick from malnutrition.

Spottedhand

[grundy53]

IMOP I think the problem with the meat would be if the animal had it so severe that it was unable to feed properly and started to get sick from malnutrition.

Spottedhand

[/quote]

The problem with the meat is when they get a fever from the infection.

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

Ive hunted Ryderwood all my life.  Some of the heards have it really bad & some don't.  Ive seen heards where none of the elk have it and Ive seen other heards where 6 are limping.  Ive seen elk in unit 667 limping also.