Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

SPOKANE, Washington --(Ammoland.com)- A draft plan for managing elk in northeast Washington will be the subject of three public meetings Jan. 26- Feb. 2.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is holding the meetings to discuss and take public comment on the plan, which has been revised in response to hunter input regarding elk numbers in northeast Washington.

The proposed elk management plan is referred to as the “Selkirk Elk Herd Plan” because it includes elk in the Selkirk Mountains of Pend Oreille County.

Under the plan, the elk are considered as two distinct sub-herds-the Pend Oreille sub-herd and the Spokane sub-herd. The plan covers elk management in Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Ferry, Lincoln, Whitman, and eastern Okanogan counties of northeast Washington (Game Management Units 101 – 142 and 204.)

The meetings will take place from 7-9 p.m., on the following schedule:

• Jan. 26, at the Okanogan County Public Utility District (PUD) #1 Main Office, 1331 2nd Ave. N., in Okanogan.
• Feb. 1, at Center Place, 2426 N. Discovery Place, in Spokane Valley.
• Feb. 2, at the Northeast Washington Fairgrounds Building, 317 W. Astor Ave. in Colville.

Sportsmen’s groups and others have long expressed an interest in elk numbers in some parts of northeast Washington, said Kevin Robinette, WDFW’s regional wildlife manager in Spokane.

“We have managed elk in this part of the state-where elk groups are small and scattered-with liberal hunting rules to keep elk numbers low and minimize agricultural damage,” Robinette said. “But we have heard from hunters that they want to see more elk.”

Robinette said game managers are trying to address hunters’ interest through the proposed plan, which should result in greater elk numbers by shifting from ‘any elk’ hunting seasons to restrictions on antlerless elk hunting in the Pend Oreille sub-herd areas, including units 101, 105, 108, 121 and 204.

“If agricultural damage problems should arise, we would address them through a variety of tools we use throughout the state,” Robinette said.

The draft plan is available for review at http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01350/ , where a link provides opportunity to submit comments through Feb. 10.

The elk plan must be finalized before changes in Selkirk elk hunting seasons and regulations could be made. The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission is scheduled to review proposed new hunt rules in March and to consider adoption in April. If adopted, those rules would become part of 2012-14 state hunting rules package.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have notified the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation that the “experimental” status of the park’s restored elk herd has been officially lifted, clearing the way for permanent management of elk in and around the park.

RMEF is the largest financier of the park’s 10-year elk restoration project, with more than $800,000 in contributions.

Kim Delozier, RMEF conservation program manager, said, “This is important because it’s a formal federal declaration that our elk restoration efforts in the North Carolina section of the park have been deemed a success.”

Prior to joining the RMEF staff, Delozier was the longtime supervisory wildlife biologist in the park. He worked closely with RMEF and others to make reality of a common dream–returning a wild elk herd to the native but long-empty habitat of the Great Smoky Mountains. He says that without the efforts of RMEF, especially its volunteers, wild free-ranging elk would not be in North Carolina today.

Elk were extirpated from the region some 200 years ago.

“Local RMEF members approached me about elk restoration as far back as 1990, so this has been a long process and a tremendous amount of work by many people,” said Delozier.

“During my time in the park, we had a number of restoration projects for other species. Some were controversial. Others were relatively quiet. But the elk project was really a people project. This was an effort and animal that everyone wanted to support. The people made it happen. People love to see large wild animals and elk fit that need.”

In an “experimental release,” the first elk were reintroduced into Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2001. Today the herd is healthy at about 140 animals.

Elk have been a popular addition to the park and are associated with significant economic benefits through tourism. Cataloochee Valley, where elk were originally released, now receives approximately twice the visitation than it did prior to elk restoration.

The herd’s experimental status was lifted when National Park Service officials on Oct. 20, 2011, approved a “finding of no significant impact” of the environmental assessment on a proposed plan for managing a permanent herd of elk in the park. Research indicates that the population is sustainable, has minimal impacts on the park’s resources and the human-elk conflicts are manageable.

Going forward, the park’s objective is to maintain a permanent elk population within park boundaries that is self-sustaining and allows only acceptable impacts to park resources.

The park’s elk plan also transitions elk management responsibility outside the park to the appropriate tribal, state or federal agency with jurisdiction over wildlife on lands where elk occur. Delozier said some elk do currently inhabit areas outside of park boundaries. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has started discussions on developing its own elk management plan, which could bring limited elk hunting opportunities to the state in the future.

David Allen, RMEF president and CEO, said, “The possibility of additional elk hunting opportunities for the public in the eastern U.S. is one more reason to celebrate. The more people can connect through hunting with the land, elk, other wildlife and their habitat, the more folks we’ll have on board to help sustain America’s conservation movement.”

Allen added that RMEF has pledged continued support for area conservation agencies involved in elk management or habitat stewardship.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
RMEF is leading a conservation initiative that has protected or enhanced habitat on over 6 million acres–an area larger than Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain and Great Smoky Mountains national parks combined. RMEF also is a strong voice for hunters in access, wildlife management and conservation policy issues. RMEF members, partners and volunteers, working together as Team Elk, are making a difference all across elk country. Join us at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Montana Wildlife Federation

Montana --(Ammoland.com)- FWP is seeking 8-12 individuals to serve on a working group to collaboratively identify the central issues and fundamental objectives that define effective elk management, and potential alternatives for elk archery regulations in support of effective management.

Any “consensus” products could be directed into the 2012-13 biennial season-setting process starting in December 2011. The FWP Commission is not obligated to any adoption.

Interested Individuals:

• Must be able to travel and actively participate in multi-day meeting on July 25, 26, August 24-25, Sept 19-20, and Oct 17-18 in Miles City, Lewistown, Malta or Billings (to be determined). Mileage, lodging and meal costs associated with these meetings will be covered.
• Must be committed to collaboratively developing consensus on equitable potential refinements to the archery regulations in support of effective elk management (including crowding, equity, consistency, and effective population management) across private and public lands in the Missouri Breaks and 22 hunting districts outside the Breaks.
• Must be willing to think of and consider creative solutions to solving complex problems.
• Must be willing to actively participate in a facilitated structured decision-making process that incorporates effective elk management, as well as making specific recommendations concerning allocation of opportunity in elk archery regulations.
• Must be willing to support a model of conservation in Montana that incorporated different stakeholder values and results in effective elk management over time.

In pursuit of an effective and diverse group that is both representative and respectful, no automatic preference will be assigned any group or individual. Rather, individual nominations will be assessed for the perspective they represent and for their visible willingness and ability to comprehensively engage the discussion.

Written applications taken by FWP until Wed, June 29, 2011 and should include:

Name

Mailing Address

Phone

Email

• Please describe your interest in effective elk management and how archery regulations could and should contribute to effective elk management.
• Please describe your familiarity with Montana’s archery elk regulations and how you think you can effectively provide input into the regulation process and overall effective elk management.
• Please describe you experiences working collaboratively toward successful resolutions of contentious issues.

Please Answer the following;

On a scale of 1-10, 1 being “strongly opposed” and 10 being “strongly support” – how do you view the current elk archery regulations in the Missouri Breaks? (Question being asked to assist in providing a balanced representation)

Same…One a scale of 1-10….

How do you view the current elk archery regulations in the 22 districts outside of the Missouri River Breaks?

Please check all that apply to you on your application:

___Hunter-Archery

___Hunter – Rifle

___Outfitter – primarily private land

___Outfitter – primarily public land

___Landowner – primarily with leased or outfitted hunting

___Landowner – primarily without leased or outfitted hunting

___Others (business owner, local government, etc )

Applicant finalists may be interviewed before a final decision is made.

Larry Copenhaver
Conservation Director of Local Issues
Montana Wildlife Federation
406-458-0227 ext. 104
800-517-7256 ext. 104
Official Web-site:www.montanawildlife.org

This message brought to you by Montana’s largest statewide wildlife organization of more than 7,500 conservation minded hunters and anglers with a common mission ‘To protect and enhance Montana’s public wildlife, lands, waters and fair chase hunting and fishing heritage’.

Missouri Department of Conservation

SHANNON COUNTY, Mo --(Ammoland.com)- SHANNON COUNTY, Mo. — All 34 elk and five new calves at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Peck Ranch Conservation Area are sporting new jewelry, specifically radio collars, which are part of a cooperative research project with the University of Missouri.

According to MDC Resource Scientist and Elk Biologist Jason Sumners, the cooperative research project will provide critical information to help the MDC track the success of the elk restoration project, determine when management through hunting is appropriate, and guide future habitat and harvest management.

Sumners said the GPS (Global Positioning System)-enabled collars, provided by the university, may also assist MDC in deterring poachers.

Joshua J. Millspaugh, professor of Wildlife Management at the University of Missouri’s School of Natural Resources, said it’s critical that MDC has adequate information about what the elk do after their release from the holding pen.

“Close monitoring leads to effective management, and using radio collars is the most effective and efficient way to do this,” Millspaugh said.

He said the university hopes to gather a full spectrum of information on Missouri’s new elk herd. A big portion of that information will go toward a population model of the elk herd that researchers hope will assist in projecting the growth of the herd and potential harvest, document possible physiological stress responses after the release, and observe movement patterns and resource selection.

MDC Research Biologist Jason Sumners shows collars used to track adult elk (left) and calves (right) as part of a research project with U of M.

By resource selection, Millspaugh said he means to observe what management practices specifically attract or discourage elk population growth. This is where Geographic Information System (GIS) data layers will come in handy by showing researchers what vegetation types are preferred by the elk.

Millspaugh said information collected each day will help the biologists understand where the elk go during different times of the day and why.

Elk survival data will also be collected to help determine when, where, and why elk die, which will help in predicting the rate of growth of the restored elk herd.

Arial surveys to develop elk census techniques and fecal sample collections to assess stress levels will accompany the information gathered from the radio collars. The elk will wear the radio collars as long as the research project is active.

Millspaugh said it’s important to note that, although this sort of research has been done for other restored elk populations, it hasn’t been accomplished to the same scale or with this level of technology. Although radio-collars have been a component of other elk restoration programs, such as those in Kentucky, Tennessee and Wisconsin, this project is unique in that each and every elk in Missouri’s new herd is collared.

“The MDC should be given credit for their progressive and forward-thinking related to technology used in this project,” Millspaugh said. “It is not only the most efficient, but also the most cutting-edge available, and it will pay strong dividends in our ability to effectively manage the herd.”

Sumners said the MDC is fortunate to have a strong cooperative relationship with the university, and the experience and expertise that Millspaugh brings to the project.

Like others involved in the historic restoration of elk to Missouri, Millspaugh said his involvement has had a personal impact.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am thrilled to be involved,” he said. “Although I’m involved in many other wildlife projects around the country, the opportunity to study elk in my backyard is special and exciting.”

The 346-square-mile elk restoration zone covers parts of Shannon, Carter and Reynolds counties and is home to Missouri’s newly restored elk herd. Sumners said catching sight of elk in the vast restoration zone may be a challenge for the public.

“These several dozen animals have more than 221,500 acres of habitat in the rugged terrain of the restoration zone,” Sumners said. “As we learn more and as the herd grows, public viewing opportunities will increase.”

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation provided funds for the initial purchase of radio collars, and the entire research project is supported by the Wildlife Restoration Program, administered through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

For more information on Missouri’s elk restoration efforts, visit www.MissouriConservation.org and search “elk restoration.”

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- With wildfire burning through some of Arizona’s renowned elk country, and with media reporting “devastated” wildlife and habitat, concerned citizens are calling for an emergency feeding program for elk that survive the blaze.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation says elk mortality from wildfire is typically low, making supplemental feeding unnecessary.

“Elk are extremely mobile and adaptable. In a fire event, they simply get out of the way and move to other areas with adequate food, water and cover,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “We’ve seen elk return to burned areas very quickly, sometimes within days. Fire releases nutrients and rejuvenates decadent grasses and forbs. Burns are usually quite fertile and when they begin to green up, elk really prosper.”

When fire burns very hot, such as in overgrown or undermanaged areas of a forest, soils can be damaged. But wildfires typically burn in a mosaic pattern that creates a diversity of habitat favorable to elk and many other species.

Biologists say Arizona’s Wallow Fire is burning in a similar fashion to the massive Rodeo-Chedeski fire of 2002, which brought very little direct mortality to elk. Most that died were at the base of the Mogollon Rim where they became trapped in box canyons. The Wallow Fire started on top of the rim, so biologists speculate that direct mortality to elk may be even less.

Even in the great Yellowstone fires of 1988, fewer than 100 elk died.

Both the Rodeo-Chedeski and Yellowstone fires proved beneficial to elk in following years. Biologists will assess impacts following the Wallow Fire, but at this time there’s no reason to expect a different outcome.

By official policy, RMEF may support feeding of elk only in emergency situations and only when supported by state wildlife agencies.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.9 million acres–a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- An award honoring the science-based conservation legacy of Olaus J. Murie, the late biologist remembered as the father of modern elk management, has been presented by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to Dr. Michael Wisdom of La Grande, Ore.

The recipient of the 2011 Olaus J. Murie Award is a wildlife researcher at the Pacific Northwest Research Station, Forestry and Range Sciences Laboratory, at La Grande.

An expert in North American ungulate ecology and modeling, wildlife biology, vertebrate species and wildlife-habitat relationships, Wisdom also is a noted leader as these topics relate to disturbance regimes and anthropogenic risk factors.

Wisdom’s contributions to the science of wildlife management are extensive. He has been an author or co-author of 364 invited papers and posters and of 44 offered presentations and posters. Wisdom has 17 formal consultations with scientists both nationally and internationally regarding use of technologies and methods in ungulate research. He also has 118 publications to his credit in scientific journals.

“Everyone who has followed professional elk management since 1986 has heard of the ‘Wisdom Model,’ which was one of the first definitive attempts to predict habitat effectiveness,” said Tom Toman, director of conservation and staff biologist for RMEF.

“Newer modeling efforts are a collaboration of many biologists but Mike remains one of the leaders and the objective has never changed: Develop a tool to measure dietary digestible energy, distance to roads, distance to cover and slope to help direct habitat enhancement and watershed restoration work. Mike remains on the cutting edge of these advanced techniques in elk management.”

Along the way, Wisdom’s efforts also benefit other wildlife species that prosper in early and mid-seral successional habitats.

During his career, Wisdom has been a wildlife assistant at Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation, bird phase research leader, chemical lab technician and fisheries teacher assistant. He served as a wildlife and fisheries biologist and assistant district wildlife biologist for the Bureau of Land Management in Coos Bay, Ore. He also worked as a technology transfer scientist, a regional wildlife ecologist and a terrestrial scientist at the Forest and Range Science Laboratory in La Grande, Ore. Wisdom is now part of the Starkey Ungulate Ecology Team, Ecological Process and Function Program of the USDA Forest Service.

Wisdom’s academic achievements include a B.S. in wildlife management from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, an M.S. in wildlife science from New Mexico State and Ph.D. in forestry, range and wildlife from the University of Idaho.

The 2011 Olaus J. Murie Award was announced in May at the Western States and Provinces Deer and Elk Workshop in New Mexico. Wisdom was unable to attend, however, so a formal presentation to him will follow later this year.

The award is based on five criteria:

1. Relevance of work to the conservation of wild, free-ranging elk
2. Application of work “on the ground” to benefit wild, free-ranging elk
3. Dedication to his or her profession
4. Commitment to the conservation of wild, free-ranging elk
5. Credibility and respect among peers

Murie was educated at the University of Michigan. He was the first to conduct elk and habitat research at the National Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole, Wyo. His detailed work led to the classic book, The Elk of North America, published in 1951. He promoted sound stewardship and protection of wildlife habitat, receiving numerous honors and awards. Murie died in 1963.

The RMEF award honors Murie’s legacy while recognizing those who have become conservation leaders in their own rite. Past recipients include Jack Ward Thomas, Jim Peek, L. Jack Lyon, Valerius Geist, Robert D. Nelson and John Cook.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.7 million acres, a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- Conservationists have completed a deal to permanently protect 1,036 acres of elk winter range on the outskirts of Missoula, Mont.

A new conservation easement held by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation ensures wildlife habitat values by restricting development even if land ownership changes in the future.

The easement was partially donated by the Deschamps family of Missoula. City of Missoula and Missoula County open space bond programs provided support. RMEF brokered the deal and provided technical assistance to make the project happen.

Closing documents were officially recorded on Friday, June 3.

The property has been in the Deschamps family since 1908. The area is now under considerable development pressure with more and more houses dotting the landscape at lower elevations. The conservation easement guarantees a different fate for Deschamps land, and the family plans to continue its ranching tradition.

“This is an incredible parcel of land that’s been in the Deschamps family for generations. We’re grateful to them for their vision to protect it forever,” said Mike Mueller, lands program manager for RMEF. “The easement on this property covers a great diversity of habitat from forests and streams to native grasslands and wildflower meadows. About 75 elk spend each winter here, and there are deer, bear, songbirds, raptors and many other species of wildlife.”

He added, “You can see this property from up and down the Clark Fork River valley, Interstate 90, State Highway 93 and across the Missoula valley, so countless people will always be able to see and enjoy the open space and productive ranchland.”

Mueller thanked the Missoula County Commission, Missoula City Council and both city and county Open Space Citizen Advisory Committees for “using open space bond funds to save some of the area’s best elk country.”

Jackie Corday, open space program manager for the City of Missoula, said, “This beautiful property contributes significantly to the scenic views of the Missoula Valley and has important wildlife and bird habitat, and it presented a great opportunity for the city and county to jointly contribute to its preservation since it straddles the Missoula and Frenchtown Planning Regions. The generosity of Deschamps family in donating 50 percent of the value made the project possible.”

Director of Missoula County Rural Initiatives Patrick O’Herren said, “Missoula County and city residents are fortunate to have generous landowners who recognize the value of their land to current and future generations. This parcel hosts significant wildlife, plant and soil communities, which contribute greatly to the quality of life that makes western Montana such a desirable place to live, work and visit. The county’s Open Lands Committee and the county commissioners congratulate the landowners, RMEF and all the supporting people and organizations that made this project such a success.”

Monitoring conservation easement provisions is the permanent responsibility of RMEF.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.9 million acres–a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

The 34 adult elk and five newborn calves have been fitted with Global Positioning System (GPS) radio collars as part of a cooperative research project with the University of Missouri.

Missouri Department of Conservation

JEFFERSON CITY Mo --(Ammoland.com)- Missouri’s 34 restored elk, plus five new calves, were released June 1 from their three-acre holding site at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Peck Ranch Conservation Area.

The release followed final approval of stringent health-testing protocols by the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

The Peck Ranch Refuge Area will remain temporarily closed to the public to allow the adult elk and new calves time to acclimate to the area with a minimum of human disturbance.

MDC staff believe that additional cows remain pregnant with calving expected anytime.

The 34 adult elk and five newborn calves have been fitted with Global Positioning System (GPS) radio collars as part of a cooperative research project with the University of Missouri. The collars will help researchers track the elks’ health, movement patterns and preferred types of vegetation. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation provided funds for the collars. The research project is being partially funded by the Wildlife Restoration Program administered through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“Thanks to successful habitat restoration and citizen, landowner and partner support, elk are back in Missouri after more than a century,” said MDC Deputy Director Tom Draper. “Citizens deserve credit and should be proud. We will continue to keep the public informed as this project continues.”

For more information on Missouri’s elk restoration efforts, visit www.MissouriConservation.org and search “elk restoration.”

Among the 12 wild Wisconsin elk released from their "acclimation pen" this past week were cow number 277 and bull number 293, whose break-away color came off a couple weeks ago. Both are just turning two years old. The photographer, while not invisible to the elk, was sufficiently camouflaged to allow for this exposure. Wisconsin's wild elk are managed with minimal human contact, and they retain their natural wariness and fear of people. DNR Photo by Ed Culhane

Wisconsin DNR

HAYWARD, Wisc --(Ammoland.com)- This is the calving season for Wisconsin’s small but growing elk herd and biologists with the state Department of Natural Resources, joined by a small army of volunteers, are busy searching the woods for newborns.

The search is expanded this year because a dozen of Wisconsin’s wild elk, all young animals, were trapped this past winter and were moved to an “acclimation pen” 10 miles distant from the main herd as the crow flies.

That pen – a black plastic wall that surrounded 2.3 acres of forest around Clam Lake – was breached this past Wednesday by DNR biologists who quickly retreated after leaving piles of alfalfa outside the opening. This allowed the wary elk to wander out into their new territory, undisturbed by humans.

They’ll make quick work of the alfalfa and will then start in on the forest, concentrating on new growth along the edges of openings in the forest canopy. They may have a preference for large-leaf aspen, but for elk – an ungulate whose large rumen allows it to digest an even greater variety of plants than white-tailed deer – it’s all food.

“Elk are eating machines,” said DNR elk biologist Laine Stowell. “They eat almost everything.”

There are four young bulls in the group, all 2 years old, and eight cows, ages 2 to 4. Three of the cows are pregnant. This operation is an “assisted dispersal,” a way of encouraging the herd to expand its range, which may in turn help the herd grow and remain healthy.

The reintroduction of wild elk in Wisconsin, which began with the release of 25 transplanted animals in May 1995, is a wildlife success story that is still unfolding. Progress has been slow at times, and there have been difficulties, but the herd has grown to about 150 animals.

It now seems likely the autumn bugling of elk, like the call of the loon, will become emblematic of the wild beauty of Wisconsin’s Northwoods.

“I’m a lifelong resident of this area,” said Ed Metcalf, a large animal veterinarian who has provided invaluable assistance to the elk program. “I never thought I’d be able to drive 15 miles and see elk. I’ve gone out a few times when they were bugling and listened to them. It’s kind of special for people who get that opportunity.”

The return of wild elk to Wisconsin is a collaborative effort. Initiated by the University of Wisconsin, the effort is managed by the DNR with assistance from the U.S. Forest Service, the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and a large number of interested individuals, landowners and volunteers.

Stowell said that although the herd has grown to six times its original size in 16 years, it had not expanded beyond about 10 percent of the 1,112 square miles of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest originally designated as elk range.

Among the factors slowing herd growth is the presence of State Hwy. 77 and the vehicle collisions that result. A motorist elk warning system installed in 2006, featuring flashing lights activated by the proximity of elk collars, has reduced annual fatalities from 2.9 per 100 elk to 1.4.

Additionally, the wolf packs in the immediate vicinity of the herd have become expert elk hunters and have removed increasing numbers of animals in recent years. It will take years for wolves in the new area to develop the same level of expertise.

The animals most vulnerable to various forms of mortality are calves, which have about a 50 percent survival rate, and yearling elk, which experience a 23 percent rate of mortality. Most elk losses occur from January through mid May. The 12 young elk in the acclimation pen were protected during this period. This will allow them to acclimate to new surroundings under less dangerous conditions.

The elk were captured in corral traps. This is an enclosed pen 45 feet in diameter. It has a swinging door with a counter weight that is held open by a cable and triggering mechanism that is activated by a radio signal from a blind 100 yards away.

“We’ve caught as few as two elk and as many as 31 elk at one time,” Stowell said.

This past January, the DNR captured 95 elk, but with some being caught more than once, it worked out to 58 individual animals. Of these, 25 cows, eight bulls and one calf received new collars, which last about five years. Another six calves got their first collar. Some of the older elk have been collared two or three times.

Trapping is done with minimal human contact. Once corralled, elk are darted with immobilizing chemicals. Blood samples and other biological information are collected. Collars are replaced when necessary. The animals are hooded when handled and those being relocated were transported in livestock trailers with individual compartments.

The hope is that these young elk will adapt to their new surroundings. Learning how elk relate to various types of habitat is part of the ongoing project. A large lake and two rivers separate these youngsters from the main herd. It remains to be seen whether that will be enough.

“From what I’ve heard, people have seen them swimming across some of the smaller lakes,” Metcalf said.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Laine Stowell – (715) 634-9658 ext 3527 or Ed Culhane – (715) 839-3715

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- Thirty-four elk from Kentucky have arrived in Missouri to start a new herd–as well as a new chapter in an elk restoration saga still being authored by state conservation agencies in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

The elk made an overnight ride in a semi-driven livestock trailer and arrived near Winona, Mo., on May 5. The elk had been captured in Kentucky and held for a 90-day quarantine to ensure good health. They’re now in a holding pen on the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Peck Ranch Conservation Area in southeast Missouri. The elk will be released into the wild sometime in May following final health tests.

The Missouri Department of Conservation’s news release is posted at: www.mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/elk-return-missouri-after-150-year-absence

See video of elk arriving in Missouri in the player above:

Missouri joins Kentucky, Tennessee, Wisconsin and North Carolina’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park in restoring a native species missing for more than a century.

Virginia has committed to yet another elk restoration project in the near future.

“We’ve been proud to be a major partner in all of these efforts with financial and technical assistance, and we’re especially proud that a herd we helped start in Kentucky 14 years ago is now providing seed stock for restoring a herd in Missouri,” said Blake Henning, vice president of lands and conservation for RMEF.

In 2000, RMEF invested over $61,000 to help fund Missouri’s initial elk restoration study. A restoration plan was approved in October. RMEF gave $40,000 to help build a trapping and handling facility used to bring elk from Kentucky to Missouri. RMEF also pledged $300,000 to the State of Missouri to ensure the elk not only arrive, but thrive.

“We are very grateful to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation for its long-standing support of elk restoration in Missouri,” said Missouri Department of Conservation Director Bob Ziehmer. “Once we were ready to move forward, RMEF wasted no time putting resources behind the effort.”

Henning said, “RMEF is in this for the long haul. There is no higher calling in conservation than restoring a native game species to sustainable, huntable, balanced populations. Missourians have held to that dream and worked tirelessly for more than a decade to bring elk back. It goes to show what is possible when you dream big and never give up. To everyone who worked so hard for so long to make this possible, I offer a heartfelt ‘thank you.’ And to the elk I say ‘welcome home.’”

Missouri’s long-term plans call for hunting as a tool to manage the size of the elk herd. When hunting commences will depend on how quickly the herd grows, but officials say it could begin as soon as 2015.

The state’s elk restoration zone is a 346-square-mile area spanning parts of Shannon, Carter and Reynolds counties. The area was selected because of suitable habitat, extensive public lands, low road density, minimal agricultural activity and landowner support.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.9 million acres–a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- House Bill 115, introduced by Rep. Rodney Schad (R- Versailles), and Senate Bill 299, introduced by Sen. Brian Munzlinger (D- Williamstown), would make Missouri hunters pay for any damage caused by wild elk in the state by holding the Missouri Department of Conservation financially liable.

The bills would also allow property owners to kill an unlimited number of elk without any proof that the elk are actually causing damage.

Specifically, the bills hold sportsmen financially responsible for any damage caused by elk to a person’s property or for damage caused to vehicles. Additionally, the bill takes away the state’s management authority of wild elk by allowing anyone to kill an elk that has caused damage to their property, even if the damage is minimal.

“It is outrageous to hold sportsmen financially responsible for damage caused by wildlife which is owned by all people of the state of Missouri,” said Evan Heusinkveld, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance director of state service.

“The bill only gets worse by stripping the Conservation Department of its authority to manage the states wildlife. Allowing an unlimited number of elk to be killed without any oversight of the Department, or confirmation of damage, is unconscionable. Sportsmen need to call their legislators today and tell them to oppose this bill.”

Take Action! Missouri sportsmen should contact their state representatives and senators TODAY and ask them to oppose HB 115 and SB 299. Tell them it is outrageous for the state to pay for damage caused by wildlife and that authority of wildlife management should be left in the hands of wildlife professionals. To find your state legislators’ contact information, visit the USSA Legislative Action Center at www.ussportsmen.org/LAC.

About:
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organizations that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

RENO, Nev. --(Ammoland.com)- The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation on Sunday wrapped up its largest annual conservation fundraiser with gross revenues topping $2.5 million.

Those dollars will help support many RMEF initiatives to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife and their habitat.

RMEF is a major supporter of new elk restoration efforts in Missouri and Virginia. And, by the end of 2011, officials expect to top 6 million acres conserved or enhanced since the organization was founded in 1984.

RMEF’s 27th Annual Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo was held March 3-6 in Reno, Nev. Auctions, raffles, donations, exhibitors and attendees, new memberships and merchandise sales contributed to the total raised for conservation.

“Elk Camp always sets the tone for the coming year, and this year’s event had great energy and spirit. I believe we’re off and running toward a year of major milestones for our organization,” said RMEF President and CEO David Allen.

Other Elk Camp highlights included:

• • Staff Sgt. Patrick Zeigler honored during an emotional opening ceremony
• Sneak preview of the new television series “RMEF Team Elk” to air on Outdoor Channel
• RMEF/Leupold World Elk Calling Championships
• RMEF’s highest honor, the Wallace Fennell Pate Wildlife Conservation Award, presented to Dr. Terry Sweet of Grand Junction, Colo.
• Numerous awards and recognitions for RMEF volunteers and supporters
• Entertainment by Daryle Singletary, Easton Corbin, Bob Eubanks and Clay Walker

Event sponsors included Midway USA, Browning, Budweiser, Cabela’s, Danner, Hunter’s Specialties, Gerber, Leupold, North American Hunter, Realtree, Roper, Aflac, and Bill Barrett Corp.

Allen said, “We can’t say thank you enough to our sponsors, exhibitors and attendees for their continuing support. Together, we’re shaping the future of elk country.”

The 28th Annual RMEF Elk Camp and expo will be in Las Vegas, Feb. 2-4, 2012.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.9 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ – -(Ammoland.com)- The Arizona Game and Fish Department reports no detection of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in any of the 1,417 testable samples from hunter-harvested or road-killed deer and elk during Arizona’s 2010-11 hunting season.

Game and Fish has tested nearly 16,000 deer and elk samples since beginning its surveillance program in 1998.

To date, none have tested positive for the disease.

Although CWD has not yet been found in Arizona, it is present in the three neighboring states of Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico.

“We remain steadfast in our sampling efforts in high-risk areas, nearly tripling the number of tested samples compared to last year in Game Management Units 1, 27 and unit 28 (areas bordering Utah and New Mexico),” said Anne Justice-Allen, DVM, wildlife health specialist with the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Another improvement to the program is easy access to test results. A web-based online system at www.azgfd.gov/cwd allows you to enter your name, phone number, permit and hunt number to obtain results, rather than waiting for a mailed post card with those results.

“The online system is a great improvement to get individual test results out as quickly as possible,” said Justice-Allen. “This monitoring program is made possible by Arizona’s hunters, meat processors, and taxidermists who continue to provide the samples we need and we hope this new tool will make the process easier for them too.”

Each year, hunters who are successful in the Game Management Units bordering Utah and New Mexico, particularly Units 1, 12B, 27, and 28, are encouraged to submit heads for sampling because these units are closest to CWD positive areas. Arizona deer and elk from these areas have the greatest potential to have contact with an infected animal from these neighboring states.

While it is only mandatory to bring animals harvested from Units 12A East and 12A West to the Kaibab check station, hunters may also bring animals harvested from other units to the check station for CWD sampling during the regular hours of operation.

About CWD
CWD is a neurodegenerative wildlife disease that is fatal to cervids, which include deer, elk, and moose. Symptoms include loss of body weight or emaciation, excessive salivation, increased drinking and urination, stumbling, trembling, and behavioral changes such as listlessness, lowering of the head, and walking in circles or repetitive patterns.

No evidence has been found to indicate that CWD will cause disease in humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization.

CWD was first identified in captive deer in Colorado in 1967 and has since spread to both captive and wild cervids in 18 states and two Canadian provinces. It is a naturally occurring prion disease belonging to a group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Other TSEs are Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in domestic cattle and Scrapie in sheep and goats.

The department has had rules in place since 2002, which designate cervids as restricted wildlife and ban the importation of cervids in order to protect against the introduction of CWD to free-ranging or captive wildlife in the state (for details see R12-4-406 and R-4-430). Additionally, Game and Fish has a CWD Prevention, Detection, Response, and Management Plan that provides a logical process to manage issues related to CWD in Arizona.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department will continue to work in close coordination with other state and federal agencies to monitor for CWD.

For more information on CWD, visit these website resources:

* Arizona Game and Fish Department’s CWD program at www.azgfd.gov/cwd
* Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance at www.cwd-info.org
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/cwd

About:
The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Deputy Director, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Deputy Director as listed above.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- Nearly a thousand acres of elk habitat near Mt. St. Helens in Washington have been protected from development, secured for public access and will be managed for wildlife thanks to a partnership between a utility company, PacifiCorp, and a conservation organization, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

PacifiCorp purchased the land from Longview Timber to help fulfill terms of the Lewis River Hydroelectric Relicensing Settlement Agreement. RMEF identified the lands as an important acquisition and then negotiated the purchase.

The transaction closed and all documents were officially recorded Dec. 23, 2010.

Two tracts, both just under 500 acres and southwest of Mt. St. Helens, are involved. The first, north of PacifiCorp’s Swift Reservoir and west of Marble Mountain, adjoins Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The second lies along the Lewis River between Yale Reservoir and Lake Merwin in an area of extensive state lands and other PacifiCorp holdings.

Both tracts also are in areas of high-end residential and recreational development. The recent purchase ensures that these areas remain open space for the future.

Additionally, both tracts are used year-round by a significant number of Roosevelt’s elk—crucial habitat in a region where Mt. St. Helens’ national monument designation, attendant management restrictions and overgrown forests are causing the decline of a once-productive elk herd. PacifiCorp will manage both tracts, with input from RMEF, to emphasize intermediate-succession habitat and increased forage for elk and black-tailed deer. Black bears and cougars, along with species of concern such as bald eagles, bats, salamanders and turtles, also inhabit the area.

“Very seldom does RMEF help acquire lands that we can also help manage,” said Bill Richardson, RMEF lands program manager for Oregon and Washington. “Conserving and managing this habitat on the southwest slopes of Mt. St. Helens, where elk are threatened by forage loss from forest succession and habitat loss to development—all within 50 miles of Portland (Ore.) and Vancouver (Wash.)—is a major accomplishment.”

Kirk S. Naylor, principle scientist of wildlife and forestry for PacifiCorp, said, “RMEF not only helped make this transaction happen, but its staff and volunteers have been collaborating with us for years to enhance habitat for fish and wildlife. In fact, RMEF volunteer Bob Nelson attended one of the very first Lewis River relicensing meetings back in 1999. I have witnessed the energy and counted on the objectivity of RMEF folks ever since.”

Naylor added, “In my 24 years of working as a wildlife biologist for PacifiCorp, I have developed a keen interest in one of the properties that we just acquired. The tract near Yale Reservoir is only 490 acres of mostly second growth timber, but it lies adjacent to one of our most heavily used and well established elk foraging areas within the Lewis River wildlife habitat management area, which now totals over 11,000 acres. Had these 490 acres been developed or even logged aggressively as private timberland can sometimes be, it would have been a loss to a far greater area.”

PacifiCorp and RMEF worked together in 2009 to acquire and conserve 52 acres in the same area. The land is meadow habitat that also helps support Roosevelt’s elk from the Mt. St. Helens herd.

The Lewis River Hydroelectric Relicensing Settlement Agreement was approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission which granted new hydroelectric operation licenses in 2008. The licenses provide for 50 years of continued operation of four dams and hydroelectric facilities along the Lewis River. Included are plans to re-open up to 174 miles of potential salmon habitat, improve local flood management and boost recreational opportunities. Negotiators representing PacifiCorp, Native American tribes, federal and state resource agencies, three counties, RMEF and other conservation groups signed the agreement.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.8 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

About PacifiCorp
PacifiCorp is one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, providing approximately 1.7 million customers in the West with reliable, efficient energy. PacifiCorp operates as Pacific Power in Oregon, Washington and California, and as Rocky Mountain Power in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho. With a generating capability of more than 10,400 megawatts from thermal, hydro, and renewable wind and geothermal power, the company works to meet growing energy demand while protecting and enhancing the environment.

PA Game Commission To Discuss Hazards Of Illegal Elk Feeding

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- Dr. Walter Cottrell, Pennsylvania Game Commission wildlife veterinarian will discuss the harmful effects of winter feeding of elk at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 29, at the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Elk Country Visitor’s Center at 134 Homestead Dr., in Benezette Township, Elk County.

“While feeding elk is illegal any time of the year, as it causes problems by habituating elk to find food around homes and can be dangerous to those who attempt to feed elk by hand, those who violate this law during the winter also put the elk at risk,” Cottrell said.

“In 2009, there were four cases involving elk that died of rumen acidosis, which is directly related to artificial feeding.

“There were other deaths that we believed were caused by such feeding, but, in those cases the animal was either decomposed or other circumstances prevented us from obtaining the carcass in time for laboratory analysis to take place.”

As part of his 30-minute presentation, Dr. Cottrell will outline how elk, as well as white-tailed deer, adapt to a winter diet of primarily woody vegetation and can die of acidosis caused by a build up of lactic acid in the rumen, which is the chamber of its four-part stomach responsible for fermentation of food. If elk or deer consume too much highly-fermentable grain, such as corn – which is the most common artificial feed put out during winter – the pH level falls quickly and a shock-like syndrome can occur.

Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officers have cited residents in the elk range for the illegal feeding of elk. In one case, an elk was found lying dead on a pile of corn, and the resident dragged it into the woods in an attempt to conceal the situation.

“This presentation is geared to help local residents and camp owners understand that the well-intentioned individuals who are illegally feeding the elk are actually creating a situation in which they may be killing the elk,” Dr. Cottrell said. “For those who truly enjoy seeing elk it is best for them to stop artificially feeding elk and other wildlife. It would be far more beneficial if they were to implement some form of habitat improvement producing cover to reduce weather-related stress or food in the form of digestible native plants on their property.”

For more information on the problems associated with feeding deer and elk, please visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), put your cursor on “Self-Help” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage and click on “Living with White-Tails,” and then click on “Please, Don’t Feed the Deer” in the “Related Information” section.

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- Samples taken from the 41 hunter-killed elk during the state’s 2010 hunting season have all tested negative for chronic wasting disease (CWD) and tuberculosis, according to Dr. Walt Cottrell, the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s wildlife veterinarian.

Cottrell noted that sample collection was greatly facilitated by the tremendous cooperation of the elk hunters and taxidermists. He added that the Game Commission still is awaiting the results of CWD testing for the hunter-killed deer samples collected during the 2010 rifle deer season, and will announce those results once received.

“Currently, there are no confirmed or suspected cases of CWD-infected deer or elk in Pennsylvania,” Cottrell said. “Conducting these tests on hunter-killed deer and elk is one part of the Game Commission’s ongoing efforts to monitor wild deer and elk populations for the presence of CWD.

“We obviously need to keep a watchful eye on our wild and captive deer and elk. Working closely with the state Department of Agriculture and other agency representatives on the state’s CWD Task Force, we hope to protect our state’s wild cervids from this fatal disease.”

CWD tests on the elk samples were conducted by the New Bolton Center, which is the University of Pennsylvania’s veterinary diagnostics laboratory. Under a contract with Penn State University, the elk samples also were tested for brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis and found to be free from these diseases. New Bolton Center also is conducting the CWD tests on the deer samples. Results are expected later this spring.

To learn more about CWD, visit the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) and click on the “Wildlife” in menu bar in the banner, then choose “Wildlife Diseases” and click on “Chronic Wasting Disease.”

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- More than 10,400 acres of public land in Arkansas have been enhanced for wildlife as part of a slate of conservation and education projects receiving funding by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in 2010.

Two habitat projects affected the Ozark National Forest and Buffalo National River in Marion, Newton and Searcy counties. Two education projects had statewide interest.

Together, the grants from RMEF totaled $49,680

These grants were possible because of the successful banquets and fundraisers staged by our Arkansas volunteers, most of whom are elk hunters as well as devoted conservationists, said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. Since 1984, our annual grants have helped complete 66 different projects in Arkansas with a combined value of more than $3.3 million.

RMEF grants for 2010 helped fund the following projects:

• Bearcat Hollow Forage Enhancement: In Newton and Searcy counties, RMEF funds helped create 46 acres of forest openings to improve vegetative diversity and forage for elk and other species in the Ozark National Forest. This was the third year of this ongoing initiative.
• Buffalo National River Habitat Enhancement: In Marion, Newton and Searcy counties, RMEF funds helped with prescribe burning and treating invasive and non-native plants to improve 10,402 acres of habitat for elk on public lands. This was the tenth year of this ongoing initiative.
• Hope Outdoors Events; RMEF funds provided sponsorship for Hope Outdoors, which annually organizes hunting and fishing adventures for physically challenged citizens of Arkansas. The program, which caters to both youths and adults, also teaches hunting safety, ethics and skills.
• Youth Hunter Education Challenge: RMEF funds provided 2010 sponsorships and support for this annual program that offers Arkansas youths a chance to compete in shooting sports, orienteering, wildlife identification, hunter ethics and responsibilities, and elk calling.

Habitat projects were selected for grants using science-based criteria and a committee of RMEF volunteers and staff along with representatives from partnering agencies and universities. A committee of RMEF field staff and volunteers selected education projects.

Partners for 2010 projects in Arkansas included the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, other organizations and landowners.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.8 million acres?a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Texas Deer Association

AUSTIN, TX --(Ammoland.com)- The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) implemented a monitored elk herd program on January 1, 2010, to aid in the rapid detection of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

The program in its inception was intended to allow elk producers to continue to move their animals intrastate while working to achieve a monitored “herd status” under TAHC oversight. In an effort to encourage more participation in the surveillance program, the TAHC is now extending the original enrollment process for another year, until January 1, 2012.

“The program is intended to help protect the exotic wildlife and cervid industry of Texas from the possible introduction of CWD, by developing an effective surveillance system”, stated Dr. Dee Ellis, TAHC State Veterinarian.

“Enrollment will allow elk producers to continue to move elk with minimal restrictions, while “status” is achieved in their herd”, Dr. Ellis further added. After the newly extended January 1, 2012 deadline, elk will only be allowed to move after all “herd status” regulations have been met, which will include mandatory testing of recently deceased elk from the herd.

CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy known to affect elk, moose, white-tailed deer, black-tailed deer and mule deer. It is a fatal, degenerative brain wasting disease. The typical clinical signs of CWD are emaciation, behavioral changes and excessive salivation. CWD is not known to affect people, and has not been detected in Texas to date. Since it was first detected in Colorado in 1967 however, it has subsequently been diagnosed in 13 other states including New Mexico and Oklahoma , and continues to threaten the cervid industry in other parts of the US .

The TAHC enforces interstate movement requirements for elk and other cervids entering Texas . Out of state animals must originate from a herd which has participated for at least five years in a state-approved CWD herd certification program, and with no clinical signs of CWD in the herd. In today’s environment, the mobility and transportation of agricultural animals throughout the state and country has greatly increased the potential exposure to diseases.

Under the direction of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), all breeders of Texas white-tail deer are required to participate in a CWD Monitoring program through either TPWD or the TAHC.

“Adequate and timely surveillance testing is critical to detect a newly introduced or emerging disease as quickly as possible, so that it can be eliminated before potential spread to other animals”, explained Dr. Andy Schwartz, TAHC State Epidemiologist.

“Fortunately, CWD has not been detected in captive or free-ranging deer or elk in Texas , but elk producers must continue to be mindful of the disease, and take necessary precautions to ensure the safety of exotic livestock. Maintaining surveillance for CWD in Texas is critical for effective animal disease response and future trade opportunities,” Dr. Schwartz added.

By keeping appropriate records and sufficient sampling of animals as required by the program, a herd can achieve a recognized “herd status” for CWD. This status is essential if herd owners intend to sell or move animals out of state, and in-state after January 1, 2012. Under the TAHC’s elk enrollment program, elk would be test- eligible at 16 months of age or older, and tests conducted in a herd would be valid for one year. Animals tested must be euthanized or harvested, allowing for the collection of brain tissues for laboratory examination. Unfortunately, there is no valid live animal test currently accepted for CWD diagnosis.

Participants from major wildlife and cervid associations, stakeholder groups, and affected governmental entities worked closely with the TAHC to develop the current mandatory surveillance program. Participation in the program is strongly recommended and encouraged. Elk owners can enroll their herds in the CWD monitoring program by contacting their local TAHC regional office. For the local TAHC region office contact information, visit www.tahc.state.tx.us or call the TAHC headquarters in Austin at 800-550-8242.

Founded in 1893, the Texas Animal Health Commission works to protect the health of all Texas livestock, including: cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, goats, equine, exotic animals, and poultry.

The TDA is the only non-profit organization solely committed to improving the quality of Texas deer herds through better habitat practices, modern harvest strategies and use of superior deer to enhance the deer herds. We’re proud to bring you news for and about the deer industry.

Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Board Chairman Tom Baker Named to Outdoor Life 25

Congressional Sportsmen

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- Tom Baker, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), was recently named to the 2010 Outdoor Life 25 for the magazine’s annual recognition of men and women who have changed the face of hunting and fishing.

Baker has served the last two years of Chairman of the CSF Board and has been a member of the Board since 2005.

He formerly served as district commissioner and past chairman of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commission, a governor-appointed panel.

He also is a past director for the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and a member of the Boone & Crockett Club.

About:
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2009. Throughout this time, CSF has maintained a singleness of purpose that has guided the organization to become the most respected and trusted hunting and fishing organization in the political arena. Visit: www.sportsmenslink.org

Elk Research Headlines RMEF Grants in Kentucky

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- A habitat research project using radio tracking devices on 16-20 bull elk in Martin County, Ky., headlines a statewide list of conservation and education projects selected to receive grants from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in 2010.

All together, the new RMEF funding totals $43,250.

“These grants are possible because of the successful banquets and fundraisers staged over the past year by our Kentucky volunteers—most of whom are elk hunters as well as devoted conservationists,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “Since 1984, our annual grants have helped complete 69 different projects in Kentucky with a combined value of more than $6.3 million.”

RMEF also was, of course, heavily involved in the state’s historic elk restoration efforts.

The new elk research project, to be conducted in an area of reclaimed coalmines, will determine the animals’ preferred habitats, movement patterns and survival rates. Results will help refine future management strategies. Partners in the project include the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and the University of Kentucky.

RMEF grants also will help fund the following projects, listed by county:

• Barren County—Provide sponsorship for The Future of Bowfishing 2010 Youth Tournament to engage youths in outdoor recreation and conservation.
• Floyd County—Build an interpretive kiosk about elk at Jenny Wiley State Park.
• Franklin County—Provide sponsorship for National Archery in the Schools Program two-day archery camp for students in grades 4-12.
• Harrison County—In partnership with Licking River Outfitters, provide hunting opportunities for disabled veterans and terminally ill youths.
• Leslie County—Provide sponsorship for Hayes Lewis Elementary School involvement in National Archery in the Schools Program.
• Letcher County—Provide sponsorship for Letcher County Kids Day to engage youths in outdoor recreation and conservation.

Statewide—Conduct a literature review and publish a document including all existing research on wildlife responses to reclaimed surface mines in the eastern U.S. and Texas. Document will serve as a reference for regulators and wildlife managers; provide scholarships for need youths who would like to attend the Kentucky Conservation Camp, a program to engage students in outdoor recreation and conservation.

Webster County—Provide sponsorship for county schools’ involvement in National Archery in the Schools Program.

Habitat projects are selected for grants using science-based criteria and a committee of RMEF volunteers and staff along with representatives from partnering agencies and universities. A committee of RMEF field staff and volunteers selects education projects.

Partners for 2010 projects in Kentucky include Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Kentucky State Parks, University of Kentucky, University of Tennessee, other organizations, companies and businesses, schools and landowners.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.8 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Pennsylvania Elk Hunters Harvest 41 Elk In 2010

Pennsylvania Game Commission

Pennsylvania --(Ammoland.com)- Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that 41 of the 51 licensed elk hunters were successful during the 2010 elk season, which includes a possible new state record for the typical elk category.

Of that total, 18 were antlered elk and 23 were antlerless elk.

“Elk are one of North America’s premier big game animals,” Roe said.

“Pennsylvania is privileged to offer this unique hunting opportunity, a product of successful wildlife management that supports Pennsylvania’s rich hunting heritage. It’s an unparalleled experience for hunters, particularly those who can’t afford to go on an expensive one- or two-week guided elk hunt out West.”

The heaviest antlered elk was taken by John A. Murray Jr., of Grindstone, Fayette County. He took a 880-pound (estimated live weight), 7×7 on Nov. 1, in Benezette Township, Elk County.

Those hunters rounding out the top five heaviest (all estimated live weights) antlered elk harvested, were: Charles H. Stowman, of Westover, Clearfield County, took a 868-pound, 8×7 on Nov. 3, in Grove Township, Cameron County; Domenic V. Aversa Sr., of Woolwich, New Jersey, took an 867-pound, 7×7 on Nov. 1, in Jay Township, Elk County; Richard R. Lundgren, of Kittanning, Armstrong County, took a 852-pound, 8×9 on Nov. 1, in Jay Township, Elk County; and James F. Wolfe, of Mercersburg, Adams County, took an 823-pound, 7×7 on Nov. 1, in Covington Township, Clearfield County.

Roe noted that the antlers from Aversa’s elk green-scored at 389 and seven-eighths on the Boone & Crockett Club’s official scoring system. If that score holds after the required 60-day drying time, it will set a new record for Pennsylvania state typical elk taken with a firearm. The current record is held by John A. Polenski, of Meyersdale, Somerset County, who, in 2009, harvested a 6×7 antlered elk that scored 370.

The heaviest antlerless elk was taken by Mark E. Gowarty, of Johnstown, Cambria County, who harvested a 582-pound (estimated live weight) antlerless elk on Nov. 2, in Benezette Township, Elk County.

Those hunters rounding out the top five heaviest (all estimated live weights) antlerless elk harvested were: Nicholas J. Draghi, of Elmira, New York, took a 575-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 2, in West Keating Township, Clinton County; George R. Shupe, of Scottdale, Westmoreland County, took a 571-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 1, in Jay Township, Elk County; Russell P. Krut, of Beaver Falls, Beaver County, took a 555-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 3, in West Keating Township, Clinton County; and Timothy J. Conners, of Monroeville, Allegheny County, took a 549-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 4, in West Keating Township, Clinton County.

Roe also noted that Robert Ehle, of Orefield, Lehigh County, who was the successful bidder for the Elk Conservation Tag, harvested an antlered elk, as well. Ehle harvested a 5×6 on Oct. 7, in Shippen Township, in Cameron County. Ehle purchased the Conservation Elk Tag during the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundations’s national conference in early 2010, and was able to hunt from Sept. 1-Nov. 6.

Agency biologists extracted samples needed for chronic wasting disease testing. Results are expected in early 2011.

For more information on elk in Pennsylvania, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), choose “Hunting,” and then click on the photograph of an elk.

This illegally killed bull elk was recently discovered about six miles north of the community of Turner

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks Seeks Information About Illegal Killing of Bull Elk Near Turner

Information about this case could lead to a cash reward through the Montana Turn In Poachers (TIP-MONT) program. (FWP photo)

Havre, MT -(Ammoland.com)- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials are seeking information from the public about the illegal killing of a 6×7 bull elk on the Woody Island Coulee Block Management Area (BMA) north of the community of Turner.

Turner is located about 30 miles north of Harlem on Montana Highway 241. Havre-based warden Wes Oedekoven said it is believed the elk was shot on Oct. 2. The carcass, which was left to rot, was found on a section of state land within the BMA. The antlers were not removed.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Oedekoven at (406) 262-2407 or the Turn In Poachers-Montana hotline at 1-800-TIP-MONT (1-800-847-6668). Callers can remain anonymous and may be offered a cash reward if the information leads to an arrest.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- A trio of conservation education and hunting heritage projects in Virginia have been selected to receive grants from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in 2010.

The new RMEF funding, totaling $1,500, will help fund regional and statewide programs.

“Elk have always been an inspiration to our volunteers and members in Virginia, even before elk restoration was making local headlines.

Since 1996, RMEF banquets and fundraisers have supported many kinds of conservation projects all across elk habitat, in western as well as eastern states, plus some 30 different projects in Virginia with a combined value of more than $150,000,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO.

RMEF grants for 2010 have been awarded to:

• Virginia Sportsman Reward Fund (VSRF)–An RMEF grant will help fund rewards for individuals who call-in tips concerning wildlife crimes to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ Crime Line. The VSRF board of directors manages public donations for rewards, reviews reports from conservation officers and determines amounts to be rewarded. RMEF will have a seat on the board and a voice in this process. As Virginia moves forward with an elk restoration program, RMEF participation in this program will help to encourage protection of the developing resource.
• Virginia Hunter Education–A grant will support the Virginia Hunter Education Association and Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ Hunter Skills weekend at Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center in Appomattox, Va., October 1-3, 2010. The event offers a variety of classes from habitat management to rifle skills for both new and experienced hunters. The grant helps establish an RMEF scholarship program to allow disadvantaged individuals to attend.
• Virginia Hunters for the Hungry–This RMEF grant will assist with distributing venison to needy families, elderly citizens and children. In 2009, a record 405,340 pounds of venison was processed and distributed in Virginia, and demand has increased. The grant will offset the cost of processing and distributing venison across Virginia.

Projects were selected for grants by a committee of RMEF field staff and volunteers.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.8 million acres–a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- North Dakota’s Theodore Roosevelt National Park has opened the door to volunteers to assist in managing its elk herds.

Between November 1, 2010 and January 21, 2011, the park would like to use up to 20 volunteers each week to cull up to 250 cow elks.

Potential volunteers can apply as an individual or as a group of up to four. The applications will be accepted only through an on-line process. Click here for the application and instructions.

As the applications are received they will be put into a database and assigned a number. Successful applicants will be selected at random for each week of the planned reduction effort. Up to 240 people may be able to participate with volunteers receiving meat from up to one elk depending on the success of each week’s harvest.

According to Park Superintendent Valerie Naylor, there has been a lot of interest in a volunteer effort for some time and the online process has been designed to be as efficient and fair as possible in offering a chance to those that want to help.

Additional information about the reduction effort and elk management in general can be found at the park’s website, http://www.nps.gov/thro/naturescience/elk-management.htm.

About:
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organizations that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(AmmoLand.com)- Hunters who shoot .300 Win. Magnum or .300 WSM can now support habitat conservation in elk country by purchasing Federal Premium Ammunition.

Federal, a longtime partner of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, has added the two popular calibers to a special line of ammunition earmarked to supplement RMEF efforts in habitat enhancement and protection. Other Federal Premium Ammunition calibers in the program include .338, .270, .308 and .30-06.

Hunters should look for Federal big-game ammunition with the RMEF logo on the box, says Steve Decker, RMEF vice president of marketing.

“Purchasing RMEF-licensed ammo is a simple way to support the habitat projects that not only sustain elk and elk habitat, but also elk hunting,” said Decker.

“Federal has been a major supporter of RMEF since 1991, contributing an incredible $600,000-plus for our conservation projects all across elk country.”

“With all the modern pressures on elk populations, from wolves to habitat loss, it is critical that we invest in elk country now,” said Ryan Bronson, conservation specialist with Federal. “Hunter conservationists have another way to contribute to RMEF when they are standing at the ammo shelf.”

RMEF recently passed two key milestones of special note to elk hunters: 5.7 million acres of mostly public-land habitat enhanced or conserved, and 585,000 acres opened or secured for public hunting.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.7 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

New Mexico Game and Fish

CHAMA, NM --(AmmoLand.com)- As winter slowly draws to an end and people start thinking about outdoor activities such as hiking, horseback riding and shed antler hunting, the Department of Game and Fish is reminding everyone to give wildlife a break so they can rest and give birth.

Some state wildlife areas, including the Rio Chama Wildlife Area and the Humphries Wildlife Area in northern New Mexico, are closed to protect deer and elk until after they have their calves and fawns. The only exception is for hunters who draw for the special April 15-30 turkey hunt.

“Wildlife Management Areas are purchased to allow wildlife a safe place during crucial breeding and wintering times,” said Bill Taylor, Game Manager for the Northwest Area. “Deer and elk need a place where they can be free from human interaction during this time,” he said.

The Humphries and Rio Chama will reopen Memorial Day weekend for shed hunting, horseback riding and hiking. The areas are open to hunters and anglers who have a current Habitat Access and Management Validation with their license, and people ages 18 and older who have a Gaining Access into Nature (GAIN) permit. Permits are available at all license vendors and Department offices.

For more information, please call (505) 476-8000 or visit www.wildlife.state.nm.us.

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA –-(AmmoLand.com)- Samples taken from the 43 hunter-killed elk during the state’s 2009 hunting season have all tested negative for chronic wasting disease (CWD), according to Dr. Walt Cottrell, the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s wildlife veterinarian. Samples also tested negative for brucellosis and tuberculosis.

Cottrell noted that the Game Commission still is awaiting the results of CWD testing for the hunter-killed deer samples collected during the 2009 rifle deer season.

“Currently, there are no confirmed or suspected cases of CWD-infected deer or elk in Pennsylvania,” Cottrell said. “Conducting these tests on hunter-killed deer and elk is one part of the Game Commission’s ongoing efforts to monitor wild deer and elk populations for the presence of CWD.

“We obviously need to keep a watchful eye on our wild and captive deer and elk. Working closely with the state Department of Agriculture and other agency representatives on the state’s CWD Task Force, we hope to protect our state’s wild cervids from this fatal disease.”

CWD tests on the elk samples were conducted by the New Bolton Center, which is the University of Pennsylvania’s veterinary diagnostics laboratory. Under a contract with Penn State University, the elk samples also were tested for brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis and found to be free from these diseases. New Bolton Center also is conducting the CWD tests on the deer samples. Results are expected later this spring.

To learn more about CWD, visit the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) and click on the “Wildlife” in menu bar in the banner, then choose “Wildlife Diseases” and click on “Chronic Wasting Disease.”

Kentucky Non-Typical Bull Elk Record: New state record certified for bull elk with non-typical antlers; taken on public access land.

Kentucky Department Fish Wildlife

FRANKFORT, KY. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Kentucky has a new state record for a bull elk with non-typical antlers.

Harrodsburg resident Terrell Royalty’s 7×7 elk scored 372 6/8 in the Boone and Crockett Club scoring system, besting the old record of 367 7/8 taken in Harlan County in 2008. Royalty took his record elk from a wildlife management area in Knott County on Oct. 4, 2009.

“This new state record shows the quality elk hunting we have on our public lands,” said Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commissioner Jon Gassett. “In addition to the great elk hunting on private lands, Kentucky boasts world-class elk hunting on public lands as well.”

A non-typical rack means the tines are not located in a typical location. Royalty’s elk had seven tines each on either side of its rack. The score is the totaled measurements of the main beams, tines, width and mass. The trophy could not be officially scored until after a 60-day drying period.

“I’ve hunted all of my life, I’ve had buck fever and all, but this bull was by far the biggest adrenaline rush of my life,” said Royalty, 52. “Once it hit the ground, I felt like I was being stabbed with a million needles and it lasted two or three hours. I was almost in shock.”

Royalty said he scouted the area with help from his friend Paul Moore, who participated in the 2008 cow elk hunt. “We started scouting well before the hunt and found this bull,” Royalty said. “Paul and I grew up together, and he helped me a bunch.”

The first week of the 2009 bull elk season started Saturday, Oct. 3. Royalty’s hunt proved fruitless for a day and half. Then, about 2 p.m. Sunday, Royalty, who was hunting with his best friend, Brad Smith, and guide Bob Hunter, heard a bugle.

“After we heard that bugle, we moved to get out front and downwind,” he said. “We tracked and tracked to stay out in front of this bull. About 5 p.m. or so, a cow calf came out and we cow called back and forth. Then, the one cow calf turned into about nine. The cows came out in twos and got older and bigger as they came out.”

The trophy bull then appeared in the clearing around 6 p.m. and bugled at another bull in the distance.

“He turned broadside and everything was perfect,” Royalty said. “It took 15 minutes to get the right angle on him.”

Royalty, who estimated that he was 340 yards away from the bull, aimed his .300 Winchester Short Magnum rifle and shot only once.

Tina Brunjes, big game coordinator for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, was not surprised to learn the record had been broken.

“Kentucky continues to produce new state records with regularity,” she said. “Each year drawn hunters can reasonably expect a chance to beat the state record.”

Applications for this year’s hunt are now on sale online at fw.ky.gov, the official Web site of Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. It costs $10 to apply, and a hunter may apply only once. The drawing for the elk quota hunt is open to residents and non-residents. The deadline to apply for this year’s hunt is April 30.

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

Arkansas --(AmmoLand.com)- Arkansas elk harvest up from last year LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas’s 2009 elk harvest was up five animals from last year’s season. During last week’s short meeting of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, commissioners were provided a harvest report on the state’s recent elk season.

Cory Gray, the AGFC’s elk biologist, reported that a total of 21 elk were harvested during the state’s three seasons. In 2008, only 16 elk were harvested in Arkansas. On public lands this year, 16 elk were taken. Five elk were taken during the private land hunts.

During the September hunt, four bull elk were taken by hunters. In December, hunters took 17 elk. The largest bull harvested weighed in at a live weight of 800 pounds. The largest cow weighed a dressed weight of 370 pounds and the largest antlers were a 7×7. Since the modern Arkansas elk hunt began in 1998, a total of 275 elk have been taken by hunters.

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

LITTLE ROCK – -(Ammoland.com)- Arkansas’s 2009 elk harvest was up five animals from last year’s season. During last week’s short meeting of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, commissioners were provided a harvest report on the state’s recent elk season.

Cory Gray, the AGFC’s elk biologist, reported that a total of 21 elk were harvested during the state’s three seasons. In 2008, only 16 elk were harvested in Arkansas. On public lands this year, 16 elk were taken. Five elk were taken during the private land hunts.

During the September hunt, four bull elk were taken by hunters. In December, hunters took 17 elk. The largest bull harvested weighed in at a live weight of 800 pounds. The largest cow weighed a dressed weight of 370 pounds and the largest antlers were a 7×7. Since the modern Arkansas elk hunt began in 1998, a total of 275 elk have been taken by hunters.

Arkansas Elk Harvest UP

In other business, the commission:

*Approved a Fisheries Division recommendation to amend the reciprocal license agreement between Arkansas and Missouri for mussel harvest on the St. Francis River. Due to no reported mussel harvest in Missouri over the past several years, the state of Missouri is closing the harvest of mussels. Mussel harvest data since 2001 and harvest from the St. Francis River in water that borders with Missouri has been low. Harvest only occurred in 2003, 2004 and 2005 within Clay and Greene counties. Commercial mussel takers licensed in Arkansas can still harvest mussels in the Arkansas portion of the river. The agreement still allows anglers and commercial fishermen with Missouri or Arkansas licenses to fish in either state’s waters. The change in the regulation goes into effect immediately.

*Approved a grant in the amount of $625,624.15 for fines collected from game law convictions. The money goes back to the county where the fine was collected. The grant is used to fund educational programs focused on fish, wildlife and conservation in the counties where the offenses occurred.

New Mexico Game and Fish

Grants, NM - -(AmmoLand.com)- The Department of Game and Fish is offering a reward for information leading to the conviction of a poacher who killed a bull elk and left it to rot in a field near Grants.

The elk was found recently about a half-mile beyond locked gates on the Alfredo Mirabal Estate Ranch south of Grants. The elk, which has a set of unique antlers, was last seen alive before hunting season.

“Based on the evidence at the scene, the elk probably died sometime between October and November,” said Craig Sanchez, conservation officer for the Grants district.

Anyone who has information about this case or any other case is encouraged to call the Operation Game Thief Hotline at (800) 432-4263. A reward of up to $750 could be awarded if information leads to an arrest or charges being filed.

Additional reward money may be available from private interests.

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ --(AmmoLand.com)- The winter storms and accompanying deep snows that impacted Arizona this week may make it challenging for wildlife in the short term, but wildlife biologists do not expect significant impacts to most species, especially large animals such as elk, deer and antelope.

“Our biologists will continue monitoring the situation, but we don’t expect any catastrophic impacts to wildlife based on the weather events unfolding this week,” said Brian Wakeling, the Game Branch chief for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Wakeling said Arizona’s high country now has lots of deep snow which can make it challenging for elk, deer and other wild animals.

“But this has also been a fairly warm storm without prolonged cold conditions – at least not so far.”

Most wild animals are adapted so they can survive days without eating, possibly even a week or more if necessary.

“The key is the cold – how tough is it for them to break through the snow to reach their forage items and how long does the deep snow stay on the ground?” Wakeling explained.

However, he added, there may be localized instances where the department will step in to give wild animals experiencing trouble a helping hand.

“Probably the most common problem I can think of is animals like elk and deer being trapped along a fence line due to deep snow. In those instances, yes, we can and do step in to help out these animals.”

Older animals or those in poor condition can also succumb to the added challenges and stress caused by deep snow. “That’s part of the natural survival-of-the fittest process and is something we can’t change,” Wakeling said.

Wakeling added that many people have probably seen television programs where in other states such as Wyoming and Colorado, they have initiated wildlife feeding programs during severe winters, especially in areas already impacted by drought.

Arizona Elk

“Keep in mind that such drastic actions are taken because of prolonged winter conditions, especially freezing temperatures that are jeopardizing wildlife populations. Fortunately, that is not the situation we currently face here in Arizona,” Wakeling said.

In fact, supplemental feeding itself takes time to be effective for large ungulates like elk, deer and antelope. “These large animals are what we call ruminants – their digestive systems rely heavily on certain strains of bacteria to aid in the digestive process,” Wakeling explained.

When these animals are provided supplemental food that does not mimic their natural forage, it can take two or three weeks for their digestive system to adapt. “We have learned from mistakes in decades past, such as the 1967 storm. There were times when wild ungulates died from starvation with stomachs full of hay,” Wakeling said.

Wakeling reiterated that department biologists will continue to closely monitor the situation. “This is also the time of year when we do survey flights for deer and elk, which will also aid in our ability to keep abreast of the situation.”

On the bright side, he said, all this precipitation is certainly a blessing to help ease the impacts of drought. “There is indeed a silver lining to all these storm clouds despite the often temporary problems they cause.”

About:
The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Deputy Director, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Deputy Director as listed above.

Pennsylvania Elk Hunting Pic: www.lone-pineoutfitters.com

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA –-(AmmoLand.com)- Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that 44 of the 60 licensed elk hunters were successful during the 2009 elk season. Of that total, 20 were antlered elk and 24 were antlerless elk.

“Elk are one of North America’s premier big game animals,” Roe said. “Pennsylvania is privileged to offer this unique hunting opportunity, a product of successful wildlife management that helps to finance wildlife conservation and supports Pennsylvania’s rich hunting heritage. It’s an unparalleled experience for hunters, particularly those who can’t afford to go on an expensive one- or two-week guided elk hunt out West.

“This year’s overall success rate was 73 percent, which is down slightly from the past year, which I believe that this can be attributed to the improved food conditions this year throughout the elk range, thanks in large part to the decline in gypsy moth defoliation.”

Along with extracting samples needed for disease testing, the agency also collected samples necessary to examine food preferences and habitat use by elk. Also, hunters collected liver samples that will be evaluated for mineral contents.

The largest antlered elk was taken by Reed Bamburger, of Graysville, Greene County. He took a 652-pound (dressed weight), 8×9 on Nov. 2, in Covington Township, Clearfield County.

Those hunters rounding out the top five heaviest antlered elk harvested, were: Lisa Banasick, of Connellsville, Fayette County, took a 643-pound, 9×11 on Nov. 5, in Gibson Township, Cameron County; Ronald Werkheiser Jr., of Hellertown, Northampton County, took a 617-pound, 7×7 on Nov. 4, in Karthaus Township, Clearfield County; Kenneth E. Hunter, of Muncy, Lycoming County, took a 604-pound, 8×8 on Nov. 3, in Jay Township, Elk County; and Alvin Hubler, of Munson, Clearfield County, took a 589-pound, 6×7 on Nov. 3, in Benezette Township, Elk County.

The heaviest antlerless elk was taken by Larry Davis, of Fairborn, Ohio, who harvested a 474-pound (dressed weight) antlerless elk on Nov. 3, in Benezette Township, Elk County.

Those hunters rounding out the top five heaviest antlerless elk harvested were: Gary Weikert, of Arendtsville, Adams County, who harvested a 444-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 4, in Covington Township, Clearfield County; Randolph Maus, of Halifax, Dauphin County, who harvested a 413-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 5, in Gibson Township, Cameron County; Ronald VanDyke, of Harrisville, Butler County, who harvested a 403-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 2, in Gibson Township, Cameron County; Scott Hite, of Port Republic, Maryland, who harvested a 398-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 5, in Gibson Township, Cameron County; and Adam Palyo, of Jefferson Hills, Allegheny County, who also harvested a 398-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 6 in Grove Township, Cameron County.

Roe also noted that Jim Nyce, of Green Lane, Montgomery County, who was the successful bidder for the first-ever Elk Conservation Tag, harvested an antlered elk, as well. Nyce harvested a 6×6 on Oct. 14, in Benezette Township, Elk County. Nyce purchased the Conservation Elk Tag during the National Wild Turkey Federation’s national conference in early 2009, and was able to hunt from Sept. 1-Nov. 7.

For more information on elk in Pennsylvania, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), choose “Hunting,” and then click on the photograph of an elk.

New Mexico Game and Fish

SANTA FE, NM --(AmmoLand.com)- Tens of thousands of hunters stormed the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Web site Tuesday, buying all 350 available late-season cow elk licenses in fewer than 10 seconds.

Hunters with quick fingers, fast Internet connections and a lot of luck bought the licenses shortly after the sale began at 10 a.m. From 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. the Web site sustained about 250,000 hits. The average is 200,000 a day. The site remained operational, although it seemed slow for some as thousands filtered through state firewalls.

In the Game Management Units or areas where State Game Commission establishes these late season elk hunting opportunities, the Department assesses population and harvest information, herd management objectives and additional harvest needs before making decisions about where and how many late-season licenses are made available. Because the assessments require information gathered during fall aerial surveys and regular fall hunts, the licenses are made available via an online, first-come, first-served Web sale. Distributing them through normal draw processes is unrealistic as it requires significantly more time than is available to ensure all successful hunters receive their licenses prior to the start of their hunt.

The next hunting license application deadline is 5 p.m. Feb. 3, 2010. Applications for 2010-2011 oryx hunts, limited-permit turkey hunts, population-reduction hunts and bear permits for some wildlife management areas are due at that time.

The State Game Commission will complete setting the 2010-2011 big game regulations at its Dec. 3 meeting in Hobbs. Hunters can expect a complete copy of the rules and information booklet to be posted on the Department Web site in mid-December.

For more information about this or any other Department related matter, please contact the Department of Game and Fish at (505) 476-8000 or visit www.wildlife.state.nm.us.

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

LINCOLN, Neb. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Hunters harvested a record 66 bull elk this fall, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. That compares with 57 taken in 2008.

Elk populations continue to expand in the state, and so do the number of permit applicants and permits sold.

The success rate of the 82 bull elk permit holders was 80 percent.

The Hat Creek Unit had the highest success rate at 100 percent, followed by Niobrara River, 84; Bordeaux, 81; Ash Creek, 78; North Platte River, 68; Box Elder, 67; and Boyd, 0. The auction permit holder also was successful.

The bull elk season closed Oct. 25.

Forty cows were taken during the first half of the antlerless elk season, which also closed Oct 25. The second half continues Dec. 1 – 21. A record 123 cow permits have been issued, with 24 still unsold.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont.—-(AmmoLand.com)- Elk and other wildlife on the parched Arizona landscape now have six new, reliable watering sources thanks to a landmark pipeline project spearheaded by the Arizona Game and Fish Department and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

The partly buried 1½-inch pipe, 12 miles long, delivers useable wastewater from the City of Tusayan to areas south of the Grand Canyon—Arizona’s famous Unit 9 hunting area.

As part of this project, seven stand-alone water catchments also were built in the area.

The Elk Foundation expended $348,000 on this project using contributions from donors, proceeds from Arizona hunting permit raffles and grants from RMEF banquets and other fundraisers across the state. The Arizona Game and Fish Department provided $520,000. Other groups supported the project with volunteer labor and in-kind services.

Across the Southwest, water often is the missing ingredient for healthy habitat. In an average year, conservation agencies and organizations in Arizona annually spend over $100,000 hauling water into elk country. Severe drought can drive expenses way up.

“It took six years to design, facilitate and build this pipeline system but the valves are now open and water is flowing. From now on, in all but the most extreme drought years, we shouldn’t have to haul water into this region,” said Clair Harris, an RMEF member from Flagstaff, Ariz., who helped organize volunteer labor for the project.

Harris said more than 100 volunteers from every RMEF chapter in Arizona helped build the pipeline and catchments.

Over the years, RMEF funds and volunteers have been involved in the construction or renovation of over 30 watering sources across Unit 9. With the new additions, biologists agree the area now has a good minimum supply of water.

“Wildlife in this area is absolutely tied to these water developments and the new pipeline provides an efficient, reliable distribution system that will be beneficial for many species including elk, deer and other big game,” said John Goodwin, habitat specialist with the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Goodwin said the pipeline is supplied from a runoff pond at the Tusayan water treatment plant, supplemented with reclaimed effluent, snowmelt and rain. The pond is heavily used by local wildlife. A pump moves surplus water through high-density plastic pipe that won’t crush beneath vehicles, break from freezing or degrade in sunlight. The line is buried where soils are deep and runs along the surface where the ground is rocky. Water flows into six strategically located, fiberglass storage tanks averaging about 7,000 gallons each. Each tank is then connected to an auto-fill drinking device accessible to wildlife.

Stand-alone catchments are designed to collect rain and snowmelt on site, store water in 20,000-gallon holding tanks, and dispense water into drinkers.

The Kaibab National Forest approved the project after lengthy environmental analyses.

Goodwin credited the Elk Foundation and especially Harris as “a tremendous asset for coordinating progress on the ground and rallying volunteer labor so the project didn’t have to rely on contractors or paid employees.”

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.6 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

South Dakota Fish, Game & Parks

RAPID CITY, S.D.—-(AmmoLand.com)-As South Dakota hunters get ready for deer and elk hunting seasons, the state Game, Fish and Parks Department is preparing for another round of chronic wasting disease testing.

CWD surveillance is done in counties where the disease has been verified in elk and deer. Those areas include the Black Hills, and Fall River, Custer and Pennington counties.

“We are monitoring prevalence of the disease in these areas to see if CWD is becoming more common,” says Steve Griffin, GFP big-game biologist. “There are no known human health risks involved with this disease, so we focus on determining the consequences for wildlife populations.”

Hunters receiving licenses for CWD surveillance areas will be advised by mail by GFP with details about participation, drop-off points and testing procedures. Hunters who submit deer or elk heads will be notified about test results.

“Hunter participation is the key to success of such a large-scale surveillance project,” Griffin says “Their efforts show that hunters are concerned about protecting the natural resources in South Dakota.”

During last year’s surveillance, 21 deer and 14 elk were found with the disease. Since 1997, 75 deer and 37 elk have tested positive for CWD in South Dakota. During that time, more than 19,600 animals were tested.

CWD is a fatal brain disease found in both captive and free-ranging elk and deer. In the disease’s late stages, infected animals become emaciated, behave abnormally, lose control of muscles and other bodily functions, and die.

Those who spot elk or deer showing symptoms of CWD should report them.

“If you see an animal displaying signs of CWD, please contact the Game, Fish and Parks Department,” Griffin says. “It doesn’t matter what time of year it is or where in the state the animal is located. If it’s displaying signs of CWD, we’ll try to get it tested.”

For more information about the CWD surveillance program, contact the GFP Regional Office in Rapid City at 605-394-2391 or visit the department’s Web site at http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/hunting/BigGame/CWD.htm

South Dakota’s efforts are part of the National CWD Surveillance Program, with testing for the disease at the South Dakota State University diagnostic laboratory in Brookings. Hunters who want deer tested from outside the surveillance areas should directly contact the diagnostic lab

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

PONCA, AR –-(AmmoLand.com)- Daniel Dickerson of Bryant didn’t have the easiest draw for an elk permit in the just-ended September hunt along the Buffalo River.

Dickerson’s permit was for Elk Zone 2, an area from Arkansas Highway 7 downstream to Arkansas Highway 123. It’s a section that is hard to get around in, and some of it includes private land not open to elk seekers.

But Dickerson, who is 23, and his helpers took their time, looked at several areas and settled on a tract called the Wilson field.

Dickerson also saw something he liked, a large oak tree that had fallen. This was concealment for him, and his pulse thumped when several cow elk walked into view then a 5×6 bull elk. He aimed carefully, fired and downed the bull. He was using a .300 Magnum bolt action rifle, a Ruger Model 77.

It was a nice one. Access with a vehicle was difficult, and a full weighing wasn’t possible.

Elk Hunter Daniel Dickerson of Bryant AR

Dickerson was one of four hunters who took bull elk during the September hunt. Three of four public land permit holders were successful, and one elk of a quota of three was taken in Elk Zone A, which is private land. The hunt was five days. Another hunt comes up Dec. 7-11, and there will be more permitted hunters on public land along with hunting in both Zone A and Zone B on private land.

The public land permits, which are free, were issued in late June after an application period of the month of May.

Horace Smith of Daytona Beach, Fla., with his 6×6 bull that weighed 800 pounds. Of the four bull elk taken in the September hunt, Smiths had half of them. Horace Smith of Daytona Beach, Fla., had a 6×6 bull that weighed 800 pounds. Mike Smith of Little Rock got the Zone A bull, a 5×5, with his 7mm Magnum rifle.

The other bull fell to Mike Balenko of Cabot in an area called Jamison Field near Woolum in Searcy County. Balenko found the bull with a group of cow elk, took his time, sighted carefully and downed the bull with a .300 magnum rifle. It was a 7×7, meaning seven points on each side of its antlers.

Conditions were generally favorable for the September hunt. Temperatures were average for this time of the year, but a heavy rain the second night of the hunt raised creeks and made some areas of the Buffalo River country inaccessible for the hunters.

This is the 12th year of limited permit elk hunting in Arkansas. The big animals were once native to the state but disappeared nearly 150 years ago. They were restored beginning in 1981 with 112 imports from western states, mainly Colorado, in an Arkansas Game and Fish Commission project spearheaded by the late Hillary Jones of Pruitt (Newton County), an AGFC commissioner at the time.

The elk have done well and now number 450 to 500, with t he National Park Service, which operates Buffalo National River, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joining AGFC in habitat improvement and other projects for the elk.

A major benefit has been the influx of visitors to the area just to view the elk. Many are easily seen along Arkansas Highway 43 in Boxley Valley, south of Ponca in Newton County. Best times for seeing elk are just after daylight and just before dark.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont.—-(AmmoLand.com)-Your crosshairs shift undecidedly between a raghorn bull and a big cow, both standing broadside at 60 yards.

The elk tag in your pocket makes both animals legal.

Which one do you shoot?

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation offers 5 reasons to consider taking the cow:

1. Reducing a herd to fit the carrying capacity of its winter range is a form of habitat
   conservation. Culling a calf-producer is more effective population control. Wildlife agencies
   issue either-sex tags specifically to encourage hunter harvest of cows.
2. Letting young bulls walk improves your odds for a big, mature bull next year.
3. A more abundant bull population tends to be older which can improve efficiency of the rut.
   Result: more bulls surviving winter, higher pregnancy rates in cows, fewer late calves and
   better overall herd health.
4. A less abundant cow population tends to be younger, more vigorous and resistant to diseases.
5. As tablefare, cows and calves are generally better.

Hunting remains the primary wildlife management tool today, vital for balancing elk populations within biological and cultural tolerances, says David Allen, Elk Foundation president and CEO.

“Habitat conservation, sound management, good hunting, healthy wildlife—they’re all tied together. And, more and more, adequate harvest of cow elk is becoming a factor. If you have an either-sex elk tag this fall, consider letting young bulls go and filling your freezer with a fat cow,” he said.

RMEF this summer passed the 5.6 million acre mark in habitat conserved or enhanced.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.6 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont.—-(AmmoLand.com)- With construction well underway and a grand opening scheduled for summer 2010, a planned state-of-the-art conservation education facility is now wholly owned by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) following a transfer from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

The 7,000 square-foot Elk Country Visitor Center will sit on a 245-acre site in Benezette Township, Elk County. When completed, it will be the largest elk watching and conservation education facility in the eastern U.S.

The project began as a public-private partnership between the Commonwealth and RMEF. The Elk Foundation conveyed its share of the facility to DCNR on Sept. 15.

“The Elk Foundation has been a great partner in open-space protection and restoring the elk herd in the Pennsylvania Wilds, and we thank them for their help getting the Elk Center project off the ground. This project would not have been possible without their early partnership with DCNR,” said John Quigley, acting secretary of DCNR.

RMEF landed major support for the project from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Dominion Foundation, Thoreson Foundation, Safari Club International, Eastern Chapter Foundation for North American Wild Sheep and many individual donors.

Additionally, Elk Foundation chapters across the country made special contributions toward the new facility.

“As it turns out, this project worked much like a land protection project—we facilitate and fundraise, then transfer the asset to a public agency that is better equipped to manage in perpetuity. We’ve never applied this model to a conservation education facility before but we’re pleased with the outcome,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO.

Going forward, RMEF will help promote the Elk Country Visitor Center and use it for special conservation and education events.

As RMEF conveyed its share of the visitor center, DCNR announced a new partnership with the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation (PPFF).

Allen said, “We’re confident that this important project is in good hands and that the new partnership is well positioned to help this landmark facility accomplish its goals.”

Marci Mowery, PPFF president, said, “The Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation appreciates the work that the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has done to restore elk habitat and educate the public about elk. We look forward to working with the DCNR through the Elk Country Visitor Center to reach out to new visitors, give them a wonderful outdoor experience and share the story of the conservation efforts that have restored many of the natural and wild areas in Pennsylvania.”

Allen said Elk Foundation volunteers tackled fundraising for this project with the same gusto that annually supports traditional RMEF projects. Since 1984, RMEF and its partners have spent $14.4 million to complete 199 conservation and education projects that have protected or enhanced more than 14,800 acres of wildlife habitat in Pennsylvania.

DCNR will erect a bronze elk statue, acquired through the efforts of the Pittsburgh RMEF chapter, dedicated to the passion of all Elk Foundation volunteers.

The center also will include educational exhibits, trails, story theater, wildlife viewing blinds, meeting rooms and display areas.

Allen said the Elk Foundation remains focused on its core mission of habitat conservation for elk and other wildlife.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.6 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.