When Elk Fly
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Ken Cole is a 5th generation Idahoan, an avid fly fisherman, wildlife enthusiast, and photographer. He is the interim Idaho Director for Western Watersheds Project.
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Cows gotta go…
The first 45 seconds of that reminded me of Apocalypse Now.
To me, that was a lot worse than seeing a predator take down prey – and I have watched that happen. Probably most of the readers here have too but in Kentucky – not so much.
Christopher – this is really sad (and if I’m not mistaken, Rep.Barrett from Dillon) is pushing to put elk, like buffalo, under the control of the DOL.
What’s interesting to me is there are a few on this site, who hunt big game for food……… and sport, but aren’t weighing in on what this kind of “study” when completed, would do to the future of hunting big game if wildlife such as elk, are suddenly declared a threat to the livestock industry.
If elk are controlled like buffalo then wolves sure won’t look like much of a threat to the herds when people are killing off this many.
elk has always been declared a threat to livestock….by ranchers.
The dillon area ranchers, by way of Barrett, are just a bit more brazen about it.
To understand livestock industry mentality is real easy, to wit,
if it eats my cow, or eats what my cow eats, we’re going to get rid of it.
Barrett is also the sponser of a bill in Montana several years ago demanding that the elk in Montana be reduced in numbers due to overpopulation. She is a cow town whore, palin and simple
I don’t know if you say Palin and simple. Palin would elk around so she could shoot them.
Christopher: I agree with you. The methods they used in capturing the elk were extremely harsh. So, what would be their plan if the elk was injured from the capture? Just kill it? I do not like the solution they use in eliminating bison with tb in that they send them to be slaughtered, and hopefully they find better solutions for the elk and bison.
Phil, brucellosis is what they are concerned about with buffalo, not TB.
Pro: Yes, when I posted that I was thinking of the tb in Africa. I made that same mistake when Ken corrected me on it.
Senate Bill 237 is a bill co-sponsored by Senator Debbie Barrett that would require testing for brucellosis and “prevalence reduction” in elk and/or other wildlife depending on the circumstances.
We are working very hard to nullify Debbie Barretts bill, she wants to take elk out of the hands of FWP and place the DOL in charge of their management, this is a blatant power grab my DOL!
SB: Do not think I am against elk in any form for saying this, because I truly have a passion for the species. I had not been close to elk until I did my second internship, and their shear size is amazing. The “whistle-screech” (I don’t know what you elk experts call it) is absolutely beautiful, but to test elk for tb and putting the ones down is a viable option. I would rather have ones with tb put down so they do not pass it to carnivores and other species. Yes, it is sad, but to save herds and other species it is viable. TB is causing many species in Africa to either be put down or die from a suffering painful cause. Lions, hyenas, wild dogs, meerkats, etc are dieing off from causes of tb, especially lions and meerkats.
It’s called a bugle and test and slaughter for brucellosis, not TB, is not an viable option. Doing this will not eradicate brucellosis from the ecosystem and brucellosis is having little to no effect on the elk and bison population.
ken: Sorry, I was thinking of the tb in Africa. My mistake.
Bye Bye cows on public lands!
And, as a side note, since they are collaring some of these obviously disoriented and probably injured animals- I’d bet a lot of these weakened animals get picked off by wolves soon after this treatment, and then the data will be used as further ammunition for wolf reduction…