Went out last weekend to the Ya-Ha to see the Elk and glassed everywhere that I could see from vantage points and did some walking,never saw an Elk anywhere, used to be 1500 + winter here.Heard rumors that the Grizzlys have a calf banquet here in the spring,and also the cougars take their share. What a disappointment,in whats happened there.
Combination of things. Elk transplanted out of Banff. Habitat enhancement upstream of the Ranch, large predator issue etc. The wolves and bears have always been there. When the park transplanted elk out of Banff, the pressure on the remaining herd increased. Student biologists were studying the herd and instructed that the answer to the declining herds would not be due to predators, politically incorrect at the time, maybe still now, wolves and bears are so precious.
Biologists studied Ya Ha elk quite a few years ago. The calf survival was very high each winter. Then the increased preditor numbers which include the wolf , grizzly and cougar skyrocketed. The calf survival during winter plunged and now we have no elk. No rocket science hear. You can have elk or you can have wolves/grizz but you can not have both!
seen lots of cats and griz in the last two years didn't go west at all then need a open season on griz and no limit on wolfs and cats for a year before that is all that is in the west country .when you have griz in Dickson area killing sheep that is to close
I have spent several years in the area and I do agree that more aggressive measures need to be taken. I'm doing my part as the rules and regulations allow but it is still peeing in the wind with out having any controlled grizzly hunts. When I was young the Tinda was alive in every direction, now it is an area in need of aggressive control before it is lost for good. I talked recently with people recovering a bullet from an elk that was shot and left to rot and they both agreed the ya ha tinda is in trouble with out help from fellow hunters like you and I. Only our government is to blame in this matter wether it be relocation or an aggressive predator control strategy something needs to be done today.
I have spent several years in the area and I do agree that more aggressive measures need to be taken. I'm doing my part as the rules and regulations allow but it is still peeing in the wind with out having any controlled grizzly hunts. When I was young the Tinda was alive in every direction, now it is an area in need of aggressive control before it is lost for good. I talked recently with people recovering a bullet from an elk that was shot and left to rot and they both agreed the ya ha tinda is in trouble with out help from fellow hunters like you and I. Only our government is to blame in this matter wether it be relocation or an aggressive predator control strategy something needs to be done today.
The West Country didn't look like this 30 or 40 years ago when you were young. Can't blame the predators for that.
Ya-Ha Tinda Elk.
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