- Joined
- Mar 11, 2001
- Messages
- 70,011
- Reaction score
- 1,007
Numbers increasing at rapid rate
By Charlie Meyers, Denver Post Outdoors Editor
May 05, 2002
Depending upon one's point of view, Colorado's elk situation just got better - or worse.
Revised estimates based on radio survival studies indicate a statewide population of 305,000 animals, up significantly from the previous projection of 260,000. The increase came chiefly as a result of an upwards revision in four general areas with particularly large herds. These are the Bears Ears area near Craig, the White River Plateau, Forbes-Trinchera Ranch and the eastern rim of the San Luis Valley and western Las Animas County in the LaVeta-Trinidad area.
Population estimates in these areas were boosted from 25 percent to 60 percent, with the biggest total gain in the the Las Animas County band, which grew on paper from 20,000 animals to 33,000.
These revisions also caused biologists to significantly alter their population objectives. The fact that these animals are surviving and, in most cases, thriving suggests there's more room in the woods for elk than previously believed.
State big-game manager John Ellenberger cites the White River herd, the state's largest, as a model for the new projections.
"We now estimate 53,000 elk for that area and have established a population objective of 40,000, instead of the earlier objective of 28,500," Ellenberger said. For the state as a whole, Ellenberger expects the long-term objective to be boosted from the current 190,000 up to 230,000 or more.
The bottom line is that Colorado does, and will, contain more elk than most people believed. This also means that if Division of Wildlife managers succeed in matching the herd to the projected healthy carrying capacity of the range, a lot more must be eliminated.
By Charlie Meyers, Denver Post Outdoors Editor
May 05, 2002
Depending upon one's point of view, Colorado's elk situation just got better - or worse.
Revised estimates based on radio survival studies indicate a statewide population of 305,000 animals, up significantly from the previous projection of 260,000. The increase came chiefly as a result of an upwards revision in four general areas with particularly large herds. These are the Bears Ears area near Craig, the White River Plateau, Forbes-Trinchera Ranch and the eastern rim of the San Luis Valley and western Las Animas County in the LaVeta-Trinidad area.
Population estimates in these areas were boosted from 25 percent to 60 percent, with the biggest total gain in the the Las Animas County band, which grew on paper from 20,000 animals to 33,000.
These revisions also caused biologists to significantly alter their population objectives. The fact that these animals are surviving and, in most cases, thriving suggests there's more room in the woods for elk than previously believed.
State big-game manager John Ellenberger cites the White River herd, the state's largest, as a model for the new projections.
"We now estimate 53,000 elk for that area and have established a population objective of 40,000, instead of the earlier objective of 28,500," Ellenberger said. For the state as a whole, Ellenberger expects the long-term objective to be boosted from the current 190,000 up to 230,000 or more.
The bottom line is that Colorado does, and will, contain more elk than most people believed. This also means that if Division of Wildlife managers succeed in matching the herd to the projected healthy carrying capacity of the range, a lot more must be eliminated.
