Hoof Rot!!!Not Good!!

[Elkpiss]

  I was hunting with my buddy and his kid on a special cow tag in the Boisfort Valley, and i about puked when i seen the first heard! We seen a heard of 40 head and every one of those critters were limping and had Hoof Rot!! It was nasty, they were dragging the legs leaving a blood trail from it!  Every heard we seen dam near was limping with it. We talked to a game warden and he said they cant really do anything for it, they said a penicilin shot helps but they dont have the funding.  It could wipe them out!! I heard its south west already to the willipa hills!!   It could be the plague for these critters!!! i

[chad s.]

Is hoof rot really caused from the chemicals that tree farms spray on their trees. I don't really know much about it, but I didn't notice any of these signs when hunting the margeret this year.

[Curly]

Here is a quote from the WDFW website:

Hoof Rot: District Biologist Miller, Biologist Prince, Officer Martin, Officer Holden, WDFW veterinarian, and WDFW veterinary assistant toured the Boistfort Valley in preparation for the upcoming elk hoof rot study. Over multiple years, landowners in the area and Officer Martin have observed many limping elk in the valley. An agency study of the causes and type of hoof rot affecting these elk will begin in January of 2009. This study will involve the collection of infected elk as well as a control group of uninfected animals. During the tour, staff identified potential collection sites and talked to local landowners about what they have observed in the local elk herds. The wildlife program would like to thank Officer Martin for all of his assistance and knowledge with this project

http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/regions/reg5/reg5wild.htm

Some more discussion here:  http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,14946.0.html

[BrushChimp]

There was a herd in downtown Pe Ell a few days ago. Eighteen out of 20 had hoof rot. A bull came down off the hill into our fields during the snow and he too had it. They all have it. This may sound outrageous, but the way things look around here there won't be an elk left in the Willapa Hills in 5 years time. Maybe less.

[Elkpiss]

From what i saw i wouldnt eat it, they looked mutated!  If you eat it you might be walking with a limp next year! lol,  I will tell you this though if your a searious elk hunter in the area you should be worried cause it for real and it is a searious and scary thing that these critters are going through and you just frown when you see it first hand!!! If the Game Depatment dont have the funding to help stop it, it would be cool to see the Elk Federation get involved!!!

[RPM]

Is hoof rot really caused from the chemicals that tree farms spray on their trees. I don't really know much about it, but I didn't notice any of these signs when hunting the margeret this year.

it seems to be a lower elevation thing. lot :'(s of them on the westside of i-5. but not so many on the eastside. we find several dead ones each spring here near castlerock.i shot a 4pt. bull this yr. just starting to get it. he was only 3 yr old at the most... 

[Basket Rack]

Just my oberservations from working out in that area alot. It seems to be worse with the elk that spend alot of time down in the fields.  The elk up out of the valley do not seem to have it as much although fish and game says they will probably all get it eventually.  Especially in times like now when deep snow has the higher elevation elk pushed down lower in the valley.  Overall it is very bad situation and sad to see the ones that can hardly go. 

[bobcat]

Kinda weird it's so bad in the Boistfort Valley and surrounding areas. I wonder if the flooding last year has anything to do with it?    Does anybody know how long this has been a serious problem? First time I ever heard of hoof rot was a couple months ago.

[Curly]

WDFW had an article on their website from 2006about it in SW WA.

[chester]

Its already all over the willapa hills. most of the elk on the south side of hwy 6 are limping everywere. odd though all the bulls i seen killed on the north side didnt have it this year. i dont think its spread all the way to the coast .most of the elk close to Raymond seem to be ok but more east of Frances.

[bobcat]

Looks like it is time to seriously consider hunting out of state next year.   

[Michelle_Nelson]

They don't have the funding?  Their going to have less funds if they don't do something about it.

[JPhelps]

Yeah the herd that BrushChimp mentions was in my yard for a couple of weeks.  18 out of 21 have hoof rot (even some of the calfs).  Blood trail the whole way through my yard.  I don't know what we are going to do as far as hunting.  ALOT of the elk up in the hills have it as well, which leads me to believe it has nothing to do with the fields.

I say get rid of them and plant Rocky Mountain elk.  Just kidding, I wish there was a solution though.

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

Maybe some of the farmers could let hunters willing to help, hunt there farms.

[chester]

Its getting bad...it seemed like most of the elk shot in the area this year were more of mercy kills then anything. a couple had the whole hoof gone. Its gonna be slow going the next few years.