2010 Game Status and Trend Reports

[colockumelk]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01159/wdfw01159.pdf scroll to page 78 for Yakima and Colockum

Well its nice to know and see that the WDFW FINALLY updated this for the Yakima and Colockum elk herd.  The previous 6 years other than the exact numbers all they did was cut and paste the report.  Its nice to see that they FINALLY mentioned the affect that the Tribes are having on our elk herds and the affects that the ORV/snowmobile crowd is having on wintering elk.  All in all I thought it was a really good report.  Definately the best they have done in the past 10 years.  If you don't want to read the whole thing here is their conclusions.

Management conclusionsBased on the available information, the Colockum bull
ratio is below objective and the Yakima bull ratio is
declining.
Hunter opportunity and harvest have been reduced in
both herds. Achieving bull escapement in the
Colockum is problematic. Recruitment of spike bulls
through the hunting seasons has typically been low.
High road density is likely contributing to elk
vulnerability during damage and regular hunting
seasons. A change in regulation (True-spike) is being
tried in an attempt to increase bull escapement.
However, without a significant increase in calf
recruitment, achieving the objective of 12 to 20 bulls
per 100 cows is unlikely in the short term.

Yearling bull escapement in the Yakima herd has
averaged 35% over the last 10 years and has never been
below 30%. In 2009, <20% of yearling bulls survived
the season, despite a decrease in hunters. The season
was slightly later than in previous years, but only by 3-
6 days. For some reason, elk migrated out of the higher
elevations, with greater security, to open winter range
areas during the season. Even in years with significant
snow, bull escapement had been much higher.

[Killmore]

Page 82 Says the Yakima herd is at 8,589 that's not what they were saying when the article came out in the Yakima paper. Back then they were saying 10550 head ..I quess they want to make sure we bought plenty of permit's...

[rtspring]

They don't have a clue on how well the herd is doing. I don't know where they get their information but it is very misleading. The elk heards in the Yakima are doing way better in the last fews years.

[Rainier10]

I have been seeing bears cruising the calving areas of the clockum and was wondering if they would open the area up for baiting of bears to help the calf recruitment.  They did it with cougars on a limited basis so why not with bears to help the elk herd?  It wouldn't help this year but there are getting to be quite a few bears in the area and they put the hurt on the calves.  If it got introduced for the next three year cycle of rules it might increase the number of calves getting through the spring.

[Jburke]

I have been seeing bears cruising the calving areas of the clockum and was wondering if they would open the area up for baiting of bears to help the calf recruitment.  They did it with cougars on a limited basis so why not with bears to help the elk herd?  It wouldn't help this year but there are getting to be quite a few bears in the area and they put the hurt on the calves.  If it got introduced for the next three year cycle of rules it might increase the number of calves getting through the spring.

I would bet money that they will not open it to baiting.  Spring bear permits maybe, but not baiting.   

[Matt]

They don't have a clue on how well the herd is doing. I don't know where they get their information but it is very misleading. The elk heards in the Yakima are doing way better in the last fews years.

I haven't hunted the Nile in the early season for about 5 years but I know that in the area that I hunt for late season the numbers aren't anywhere near what they were just 10 years ago.

[Skyvalhunter]

That can pretty much be said for all areas.

[d-rock]

decrease in elk and deer numbers......increase in problem bears and cougars......but the laws that govern how the predators are hunted by us have no connection?  Why do these guys spend so much time and money on reports from experts, but not use common sense to put it all together.  I don't know much but it seems pretty simple to me.