Hoof rot

[kibber]

I'm a new member to Hunting Washington and was review some posts back in 2008 about hoof rot. Shot a cow in Ryderwood late season (2010) that had hoof rot. Is there any new info on hoof rot and what the Game Department is doing about it. I would assume they are saying they don't have the funding to find a solution. I also do not understand why they would shorten the season if they are attempting to thin the elk with hoof rot. Sorry if I'm behind the curve and introducing a dead subject on the forum.

[fishcrazy]

This is an intresting subject I have seen little on.

They do have a plan to deal with hoof rot. I don't think you will like it. WDFW is talking about planting wolves in the Willipa hills. They shouldn't have any problem finding and killing any elk with hoof rot.
Or any other game sick or not.

Kris

[bobcat]

I don't think there is anything that CAN be done about it, except as fishcrazy said- wolves. The only other solution would be to greatly reduce the number of elk, most likely by giving out more antlerless elk permits on those areas with the hoof rot problem.

I'm not sure what you mean by "why they would shorten the season"?  I wasn't aware that it had been shortened.   

[runamuk]

Hoof rot is spreading in an outward patter from the research I did on this.  They have known about its existence and OSU has done a little research but it was aimed at the hoof rot in the deer near the columbia river.  What I have learned is it is probably not bacterial and is more likely genetic...similar to certain breeds of sheep that are prone to hoof rot in the right conitions....wet being one of those conditions.  Controlling it is probably not feasible in some areas it may be too late.  This topic is one that bugs me because they just do not consider it important....where are all those anti's who love little animals.....the elk suffer with this its painful but seems there is no way torofit from it so it is not a worthwhile endeavor to help olve the problem

[fishcrazy]

Alot of units had a shorter late archery season this year.

I don't understand how they are going to reduce the size of the St Hellens herd when they reduce the seasons.

Kris

[bobcat]

Oh ok, I'm not an archery hunter so I didn't realize that. I think the St Helens herd has already been reduced substantially from what it was a few years ago. Do you not agree? They've been giving out hundreds of antlerless elk permits for some of the GMU's and from what I saw in the Toutle in 2009 while hunting with my brother on his muzzleloader cow elk permit, the elk numbers are way down. At least we saw way less elk in the same areas that we hunted two years prior.

[fishcrazy]

Bobcat.
I read something about 1 year ago maybe more that said even though they had been harvesting all those extra elk the herd was still growing in size. We also thought we had seen fewer animals in places but in others we see just as many or more.

I just hope this hoof rot don't get going on the other side of I-5 and end up spreading across the Cascades.

Kris

[bobcat]

From what I've read on the subject, hoof rot is only a problem in wet areas, so hopefully it will never be a problem further east.

[jumpin]

This year with the snow during the 530 late hunt we saw hundreds of elk, thosands of elk track.
It seemed like there was alot of blood in the tracks. Im not sure if the cows were still in rut. I did hear a few bugles
while stirrin them up with my reed.  4 elk in camp, no rot, didnt see to many limpers up high  

[HntnFsh]

Bobcat.
I read something about 1 year ago maybe more that said even though they had been harvesting all those extra elk the herd was still growing in size. We also thought we had seen fewer animals in places but in others we see just as many or more.

I just hope this hoof rot don't get going on the other side of I-5 and end up spreading across the Cascades.

Kris

Its already on the other side of I-5.Just not as prevalent....Yet!

[kibber]

Its seems no info. has been pasted done from the game department in regards to his issue. This is what I have been complaining to my hunting partners about for years. The game department seems to do what they want when they want with out input from those that are in the woods year round.

[blackveltbowhunter]

I dont have any scientific data to back this up. Different reports turn up different data as whether its an infection they spread between themselves and becomes more prevalent when the elk " yard up" usually in wet lowland grazing areas. Or an actual birth defect, genetic in nature.  The results are the same, elk with limited mobility. This leads to my other observation, I think the problem will resolve itself. Over the past couple years I have noticed less and less elk with the affliction than 2-3 years ago, yes I still see them but overall there are less of them. The biggest reason being hunter predation. The afflicted elk simply dont move as far or as fast as the healthy ones. Of the elk I have observed or seen killed with hoof rot all have appeared healthy in body size and weight, forage is plentiful and elk dont have to move alot to get adequate feed. They do to escape, or move distance in response to hunter pressure. So as the infected ( or defected) ones are harvested there is less and less spread.

[bow4elk]

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed so ignore this if you don't want to deal with my attitude  

Hunters will ALWAYS PAY THE STATE to reduce any game specie, for any reason assuming it is beneficial to the overall herd/ecosystem balance, or in this case, to thin or cull affected animals.  To be clear, paying for hunting opportunity is money for the state's wallet.  Stating the obvious here since our "leaders" are just driving our debt to new all-time levels of irresponsibility.  Dare I say, idiots?  Yes, that fits.

Wolves are not an appropriate solution to the targeted issue of hoof rot or any other ailment.  Period.  This logic is highly flawed because wolves don't operate in a way that solves this specific issue.  Sure, they will kill a lot of hoof rot affected animals but so do coyotes and bears already.  They are the appropriate "level" of predator for this, along with allowing hunters the additional responsibility - one they will gladly PAY for.  I've not seen anything official about the further expansion of wolves in Western WA.  I haven't looked either.  Dale?

As for Mt. St. Helens elk, the state has a much larger emotional issue to deal with as compared to the ecosystem issue.  Hunters have always stepped up and will continue to step up to fund wildlife projects that put the species best interests first, as opposed to letting bureaucrats fumble around trying to coddle the emotional ignorance of...well, every ignorant animal lover in this state and beyond.  As a national monument, it's a Federal concern and as as such, the emotional tidal wave of ignorance will demolish the WDFW if handled "incorrectly" (meaning allowing hunters to PAY the state for the FREE help and EFFECTIVE reduction of elk in critical areas). Pretty simple solution if anyone had the political BALLS to enact it.

Anyone remember the Olympic Peninsula goat issues and the public battle between the USFS and WDFW (flowers vs goats)?!  Meanwhile hunters were standing by with open wallets to PAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.  Well, that option didn't sit well with the public so it wasn't a viable option.  Pathetic waste of money resulting in something like $9,000 per goat for relocation.  Genius.  Hunters spent the same money in AK, B.C., CO to hunt goats.  Keep the money here or spend it out of state?  Political suicide or political clout?

[rock]

 

[kibber]

Well said. Being new to this site maybe you could point me in a direction to more involved.