Hanford Bulls

[Woodchuck]

Dude hush, remember you are not hunting elk in the blues because there are none there. I thought we talked about this. 




 

[igotbigbulls]

dang it. i forget man. we need to chat so you can fill me in on the BMM stuff. regardless i ll be up in the colored forest this weekend. 

[Woodchuck]

I drive a red chev duramax, channel 4 on the hand held, just ask for woodchuck, we can chat about the family over a cold one. 

[PlateauNDN]

Seems this discussion got really interesting after I went to bed last night.  Huntbear, North American (Rocky Moutain) elk are native to this area pre-dating the Treaties.  They were decimated beyond recovery by Tribal and Non-Tribal hunters during the late 1800's and reintroduced during the early 1900's.  Roosevelt Elk were not a native species and were introduced into the Western Side of the State.

As I stated previously the Yakama Nation has rights to hunt Hanford and it has been acknowledged by the Department of Energy which oversees the Hanford Site.  They have done their homework when it comes to Tribes in this area and they have spelled it out in their reports regarding hunting on Hanford. 

Here is a direct quote from the D.O.E. from June 15, 2009 to the Law Office of Thomas Zeilamn. 

Page 1-"you requested,...documents regarding any decisions made by the U.S. Deparment of Energy (DOE) to prohibit hunting or trapping of the Rattlesnake Hills Elk Herd within the Fitzner-Eberhart Arid Lands Ecology Reserve at the Hanford Reach National Monument/Saddle Mountain National Wildlife Refuge..."

Page 2-"Weapons Policy-Arid Lands Ecology Reserve (ALE) Controlled Hunt"

Reference is made to your memorandum dated Nov. 3, 1998.  Your memo indicated a possible controlled hunt(s) at the ALE, which would involve weapons (both firearms and bow and arrow) as a means to control the elk herd.  In your memo, you requested that the Safeguards and Security Division revise the no weapons policy for ALE. 

I believe the best approach in this matter would be not to change the current policy addressing weapons but to provide a blanket approval authorizing the possession, transport, and use of weapons on ALE for controlled hunt(s)....and would be contingent on compliance with whatever further parameters that your organization or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service feel are appropriate.

Page 3 to the Director of Safeguards and Security Division.

"It has come to my attention that the landowners adjacent to Hanfords ALE are being visited by the Rattlesnake hills elk herd.  these ranchers contend that these elk are U.S. DOE, Richland Operations Office (RL) elk and that we must control them or eliminate them.  THEY ARE NOT RL's ELK, but are considered property of the State.  We have been watching the number of elk grow over the years and now have about 766 animals.  This is about 500 more than what the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has determined to be an optimum number for this area.  It has been determined that the best policy for control of this herd, which is outstripping the carrying capacity of the land, would be to have a controlled hunt on ALE and adjacent private lands....Hunting could be considered a significant land use change and a review may have to be conducted to satisfy the requirements.  After these actions are complete, WDFW could implement a hunting season for ALE and adjacent landowners."

The last 2 pages were actions taken back in 1998 and resurfaced again prior to 2009 with implementation.

The DOE recognized the Ceded Lands rights by the Yakama Nation and also brought them to the table to discuss the ALE and the exercising of the Tribes rights to hunt, gather and fish the ALE. 

The ALE is the only portion of Hanford that we are allowed to exercise our Rights.  If we are caught in any other area then we are subject to Federal Laws not Tribal because of the sensitive materials in those areas.

[PlateauNDN]

Hears another one for you HUNTBEAR.  Quote from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Strategic Plan for Management of Hanford Elk.

Under the section titled-"History and desciption of the problem"

In Wa. the Roosevelt elk is indigenous to the Pacific coastal region of Wa. and the Rocky Mt. elk reside primarily in eastern WA....

2nd paragraph-Zooarchaelogical evidence suggests elk historically inhabited the arid shrub steppe habitats of the Columbia Basin, but were hunted to extinction by 1850...Elk were reintroduced to various locations throughout the State.  The re-establishment of the Yakima herd occurred in 1913 with 50 elk transplanted from Montana.

The re-establishment of the Blue Mts. and the Colockum elk occurred between 1913 and 1930.

The Hanford elk have shown a dramatic and continuous increase during its history...it is speculated that these animals came from the Yakima population directly...From 1999 to 2007 the population has increased from just under 900 to estimated at over 2000 elk residing in the ALE.

[igotbigbulls]

well said. plat. good research

[Yak-NDN]

i guess i ll be thanking the "white guys" as you put it when im hunting for elk this weekend in the blues

I Might see you i am also headed that way.

[Huntbear]

As long as the tribes sanction the slaughter of the elk and deer and specifically the big bull elk, so that members can sell the antlers to the highest bidder, this topic and others like it will go on forever..

By sanction, I mean defend and allow members to continue the wanton destruction of a valuable resource.  Instead of working with sportsmen, and the wdfw to manage the herds, and grow them, so there are even more elk for everyone.

Plat, you and Yak and others seem to be upstanding and well spoken.  I have nothing against you or your families... It just disgusts me to see what happens when the tribes go hunting killing elk, and deer with total disregard. 

You gentlemen have a great day.

Yep, I called you gentlemen.... 

[Yak-NDN]

As long as the tribes sanction the slaughter of the elk and deer and specifically the big bull elk, so that members can sell the antlers to the highest bidder, this topic and others like it will go on forever..

By sanction, I mean defend and allow members to continue the wanton destruction of a valuable resource.  Instead of working with sportsmen, and the wdfw to manage the herds, and grow them, so there are even more elk for everyone.

Plat, you and Yak and others seem to be upstanding and well spoken.  I have nothing against you or your families... It just disgusts me to see what happens when the tribes go hunting killing elk, and deer with total disregard. 

You gentlemen have a great day.

Yep, I called you gentlemen.... 

I am far from well spoken I'm rough on the edges and kinda the outcast in my family for not been all proper, and PC. Thanks Hunt

[Maverick]

They shouldnt be allowed to go shoot bulls just for the horns and sell them. I think they should have to use bow and arrows when hunting at all times as well. They shouldn't be allowed to sell the fish they net either. They should take what they need to feed there families. Not just go around shooting everything in site and being greedy.

[spookgus]

Another thing that always get brought up in the hunting section is the selling of salmon first of all what the yakamas catch is drop in the bucket compared to what sportsmen catch, so keep the salmon selling in the fishing thread

Sportsmen catch. I didn't bring it up, but allow me to retort. There seems to be a lot of tribal set nets between Bonneville and McNary at certain times and I have watched semi trucks being loaded with salmon there. I acknowledge there is also a commercial drift net fishery below Bonneville. Maybe it's not just the dams.

[jackelope]

Lets not get off track again...

[colockumelk]

Plateau on the elk here history you are mistaken.  You had it backwards.  The Roosevelt elk are native, the rocky mountain are not. 

There has always been elk in the Yakima and Kittitas valleys.  Biologists believe they would wander back and forth over the cascade crest and often times some would migrate down during the inter. But....  every article and scrap of evidence (while they agree there were SOME elk there). They also all agree the elk numbers or herds east of the Pacific Crest Trail was nothing like we have now.  Because of the open terrain and the these elk were the first to be killed off.   Because these elk were migratory they likely also didnt return.  This also happened west of the Pacific Crest trail.  Soon the only elk that remained were holdouts in the Olympics and in the wilderness areas west of the pct. 

In the 1910's private sportsman paid to have elk transplanted from Yellowstone to an area west of Naches, an area north of Ellensburg and an area just east of Eatonville.  These were all Rocky Mountain elk.  (This is why the only true Rossies are west of I-5. The current elk between the pct and I-5 are the result of the planted Rocky Mountain elk and the few Rossies that were still alive.)

As far as the Blues goes those elk migrated north from Oregon and also from transplants.  On a sidenote by 1998 all the elk that were desended from the elk planted north of ellensburg ( known as tje colockum herd) were finally killed off.  So unfortunately there isnt any elk in the colockum.

[Austrian Hunter]

The WDFW planted about 100 elk from Hanford to NE WA a few years ago and it really helped our herd. The fact that occurred tells me that Hanford might be willing to work out some opportunity for hunters.

There is very controlled limited hunting allowed on the missille range in New mexico, I think if WDFW would pursue some opportunity it might occur. The tribe has been smart for pursue for some hunting opportunity. I think if you guys want some permits there, you need to start pressuring WDFW to negotiate for some hunting opportunity. There will be no opportunity unless WDFW pursues the issue. 

I like that!!!!  Yea, relocate them, few at a time. Hopefully Pend Oreille Country 

[PlateauNDN]

Colockum, I know you are good at researching and so am I.  But maybe you overlooked what it was I posted.  All that information I directly quoted from WDFW and D.O.E.  I have the documents and have read them prior to posting the quotes.  All I'm stating is what WDFW and D.O.E stated for the record in THEIR reports from zooarcheologists, you know THEIR scientists.  It's THEIR reports not mine and it's THEIR info. that I'm quoting so please don't say I'm wrong, if anybodies wrong then it's THEIR people who conducted the research. 

The info. in these reports are THEIR official reports to the US Fish and Wildlife and other Government Agencies.  If this is THEIR OFFICIAL REPORT to the US GOVT. then it's good for me and as long as this is what the US GOVT. accepted as THEIR OFFICIAL REPORT then it's good for me and I will use it.

As long as our Tribal History shows there were elk, deer, bighorn sheep, antelope, black and brown bears, even wolves   ,  and an assortment of other wildlife species pre-dating the Treaty then I will accept that as well since it's our Tribal Elders that I have heard it from and I for one do not question OUR Elders when it comes to history.  Especially ones as old as my grandmother and my grandfather when he passed away almost a decade ago. 

Austrian, in DOE's plan they mention they are going to attempt to relocate a few hundred over the course of 5 years or something like that, with primary reduction of the herd still comprised of hunting.