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State's record elk harvest good news
Dramatic gains give officials encouragement
By Charlie Meyers, Denver Post Outdoor Editor
March 09, 2003
Viewed purely from a management standpoint, Colorado wildlife officials took the news of a record elk harvest as a pleasant surprise.
They also realize that for many of the state's overpopulated herds, this take of 61,174 animals during the 2002 season represents little more than a good start, something to build on in the years ahead.
This statistic, based on a standardized telephone survey of license purchasers, represents a slight increase from the 60,120 total in 2000.
More significant, the 2002 harvest marks a dramatic gain over '01, when only 42,630 elk were taken, the combined product of poor hunting conditions and a sharp increase in nonresident license costs, resulting in far fewer participants.
Aside from the spread of chronic wasting disease, controlling Colorado's burgeoning elk population is the most pressing game management problem for the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
After a dismal harvest in 2001, this latest report offers a ray of encouragement in a continuing effort to balance elk numbers with environmental and social factors. This aim has become particularly important against the backdrop of drought, which severely reduced carrying capacity over large parts of the state's big game range.
"The drought conditions that have persisted through the past couple of years have caused wildlife managers to reassess our harvest and herd objectives for elk," state big game supervisor Rick Kahn said. "There well may be less habitat and food available now than three years ago. This results in more conflict with private land, more conflicts between species such as elk and mule deer and a potential reduction in the overall condition of the animals."
To correct this situation, DOW issued a record number of special elk licenses during the past season, more than 200,000 in all, and most of those for cow elk. Wildlife managers utilize the hunting harvest of female animals as the principal population control tool. Elk and deer are highly polygamous, and significant reduction can be achieved only by cropping reproducing females.
Last season, for the first time, DOW permitted hunters to possess both a cow and bull license in a large part of western Colorado. It also implemented a $200 rollback on the cost of a nonresident antlerless elk license to place further pressure on cows.
Although wildlife managers were pleased with the 2002 take - particularly after the season began slowly - they view it merely as one step in an ongoing process aimed at bringing elk numbers in line with herd objectives.
"I found it particularly encouraging that we were able to achieve this record harvest with less than perfect weather," Kahn said, noting a greater emphasis on late-season allotments in problem areas as well as numerous youth licenses.
Fearing winter mortality from drought conditions, the Colorado Wildlife Commission issued a late allotment of postseason cow licenses in target areas.
"We'll still see lots of antlerless licenses issued next season," Kahn said of a process that will include the first over-the-counter cow tags in a limited number of game management units.
Hunters have until April 1 to apply for all special elk licenses, as well as all deer licenses. Brochures, which include these applications and all information pertaining to the coming hunt, are available at all DOW offices and license agencies, along with most sporting goods stores around the state.
Kahn was particularly encouraged at hunter success in areas where elk previously had resisted all efforts at population control, particularly on the White River Plateau and the Bears Ears area north of Craig. Hunters bagged 12,170 elk in the White River country, also called the northern Flat Tops, for a success rate of 31 percent, well above average.
In the Bears Ears region, hunters enjoyed a 39 percent success while bagging 7,038 elk. In Unit 441, hunters recorded 50 percent success. Other areas that provided uncommon success included units 66 and 67 south of Gunnison (40 percent) and units 61 and 62 south of Grand Junction (36 percent). Statewide elk success rose to 27 percent, up from 21 percent in 2001.
The degree to which the agency was successful in targeting cow elk can be demonstrated in comparative statistics showing an increase of almost 11,000 antlerless elk, from 23,416 in 2001 to 34,301 in '02. At the same time, the take of bull increased from 19,117 to 25,774.
Deer hunters also recorded improved success in 2002. About 80,000 hunters collected more than 35,000 deer, for a success rate of 44 percent. During the 2001 season, 32,634 deer were taken.
Dramatic gains give officials encouragement
By Charlie Meyers, Denver Post Outdoor Editor
March 09, 2003
Viewed purely from a management standpoint, Colorado wildlife officials took the news of a record elk harvest as a pleasant surprise.
They also realize that for many of the state's overpopulated herds, this take of 61,174 animals during the 2002 season represents little more than a good start, something to build on in the years ahead.
This statistic, based on a standardized telephone survey of license purchasers, represents a slight increase from the 60,120 total in 2000.
More significant, the 2002 harvest marks a dramatic gain over '01, when only 42,630 elk were taken, the combined product of poor hunting conditions and a sharp increase in nonresident license costs, resulting in far fewer participants.
Aside from the spread of chronic wasting disease, controlling Colorado's burgeoning elk population is the most pressing game management problem for the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
After a dismal harvest in 2001, this latest report offers a ray of encouragement in a continuing effort to balance elk numbers with environmental and social factors. This aim has become particularly important against the backdrop of drought, which severely reduced carrying capacity over large parts of the state's big game range.
"The drought conditions that have persisted through the past couple of years have caused wildlife managers to reassess our harvest and herd objectives for elk," state big game supervisor Rick Kahn said. "There well may be less habitat and food available now than three years ago. This results in more conflict with private land, more conflicts between species such as elk and mule deer and a potential reduction in the overall condition of the animals."
To correct this situation, DOW issued a record number of special elk licenses during the past season, more than 200,000 in all, and most of those for cow elk. Wildlife managers utilize the hunting harvest of female animals as the principal population control tool. Elk and deer are highly polygamous, and significant reduction can be achieved only by cropping reproducing females.
Last season, for the first time, DOW permitted hunters to possess both a cow and bull license in a large part of western Colorado. It also implemented a $200 rollback on the cost of a nonresident antlerless elk license to place further pressure on cows.
Although wildlife managers were pleased with the 2002 take - particularly after the season began slowly - they view it merely as one step in an ongoing process aimed at bringing elk numbers in line with herd objectives.
"I found it particularly encouraging that we were able to achieve this record harvest with less than perfect weather," Kahn said, noting a greater emphasis on late-season allotments in problem areas as well as numerous youth licenses.
Fearing winter mortality from drought conditions, the Colorado Wildlife Commission issued a late allotment of postseason cow licenses in target areas.
"We'll still see lots of antlerless licenses issued next season," Kahn said of a process that will include the first over-the-counter cow tags in a limited number of game management units.
Hunters have until April 1 to apply for all special elk licenses, as well as all deer licenses. Brochures, which include these applications and all information pertaining to the coming hunt, are available at all DOW offices and license agencies, along with most sporting goods stores around the state.
Kahn was particularly encouraged at hunter success in areas where elk previously had resisted all efforts at population control, particularly on the White River Plateau and the Bears Ears area north of Craig. Hunters bagged 12,170 elk in the White River country, also called the northern Flat Tops, for a success rate of 31 percent, well above average.
In the Bears Ears region, hunters enjoyed a 39 percent success while bagging 7,038 elk. In Unit 441, hunters recorded 50 percent success. Other areas that provided uncommon success included units 66 and 67 south of Gunnison (40 percent) and units 61 and 62 south of Grand Junction (36 percent). Statewide elk success rose to 27 percent, up from 21 percent in 2001.
The degree to which the agency was successful in targeting cow elk can be demonstrated in comparative statistics showing an increase of almost 11,000 antlerless elk, from 23,416 in 2001 to 34,301 in '02. At the same time, the take of bull increased from 19,117 to 25,774.
Deer hunters also recorded improved success in 2002. About 80,000 hunters collected more than 35,000 deer, for a success rate of 44 percent. During the 2001 season, 32,634 deer were taken.
