Free: Contests & Raffles.
I could be wrong, that's only happened once before, but I would dispute the 9000 head.
Quote from: logger on December 26, 2010, 02:19:47 PMI could be wrong, that's only happened once before, but I would dispute the 9000 head.In February/March 2009, the Yakimaherd was estimated at 9,133, according to the WDFW.............................The survey data for the Yakima herd matches theharvest data fairly closely. A high antlerless harvest since1999 has probably reduced the population. Historicharvest indicates the Yakima population has gone throughcycles. Relatively low cow harvest in the mid-1980s resulted in an increasing population that was reduced inthe early 1990s. The population likely peaked 1999-2000and decreased in recent years.
SurveysPost-hunt aerial surveys were conducted in Februaryand March 2009. Survey units were stratified andrandomly selected. About 100% of the Colockum and70% Yakima units were surveyed. Surveys wereweighted toward high-density units so >95% of the herdwas surveyed. Feedlots for the Yakima herd were groundsurveyed. PMU 34 was surveyed as a separate area inJanuary. All survey units on the Hanford ALE site and arandom selection of units on the Central Hanford,southeast Yakima Training Center and surroundingprivate land to the south and west of ALE were surveyed.Calf recruitment in both the Colockum and Yakimaherds was down substantially from the previous year(Tables 2 and 3). Historical harvest data has not alwaysfollowed trends seen on surveys. When dramatic shifts incalf ratio were observed in the 1990’s, harvest oftenshowed the opposite trend. There is some late springmortality after surveys are completed butmisclassification is also a potential problem, especially inlarge groups. In recent years, no attempt has been madeto classify calves from large groups, during aerialsurveys. Ratios from ground counts and smaller groupsare applied. This change has increased confidence in theratios and appears to be a better indicator of recruitment.The observed bull ratio in the Yakima herd waswithin the objective of 12-20 bulls per 100 cows. Thereare a large number of raghorns from the large yearlingbull recruitment in 2007.The high 2007 yearling bullrecruitment did not show up as raghorns on the winterrange in 2008 or 2009. Some aerial and ground surveyshave been conducted outside normal winter range, butsignificant numbers of young bulls have not been found.Bull recruitment has not been keeping up with mortality.