The strangest sight while antelope scouting

[newtonian]

In addition to above observations, we see more elk on private, open land and fewer on wooded public land every year. For reasons known only to FWP and ranchers, there is essentially a secret war on elk. This leads to seasons and policies that increase elk kills on public land and protect them on private land. The more landowners object to elk, the more they are hunted and killed on public land. Ironic, is it not?

 

[ORCON]

There's a fair number of them out here. Not huge herds mind you but they aren't unheard of. I saw a few out by Charlie Creek last weekend, it's on the south side of the Missouri just across from Wolf Point.

In addition to above observations, we see more elk on private, open land and fewer on wooded public land every year. For reasons known only to FWP and ranchers, there is essentially a secret war on elk. This leads to seasons and policies that increase elk kills on public land and protect them on private land. The more landowners object to elk, the more they are hunted and killed on public land. Ironic, is it not?

Kinda makes me wonder if the end-game is to get all the elk onto private land so ranchers can rake it in via private hunting leases.

 

[JustMe2]

Sounds more and more like the FWC is trying to turn our game ownership from the people to the land owner like the European model. In Europe, you pay to shoot an animal on private land owned by the Nobles and Kings/Queens that the Game Manager selects for you (not the one you want) and then they sell the meat to the local restaurants. If you want the meat you have to pay for it. Why are we paying into Graham-Rudman through higher prices on ammo, clothing, etc. if we no longer have free access to the game? Graham-Rudman funds go to farmers and ranchers to not plant crops to provide cover, etc. Not saying we should do away with Graham-Rudman just yet, but if we continue down this track of indirect private ownership of wild game, let the ranchers and farmers foot the bill.

 

[vancewalker007]

In addition to above observations, we see more elk on private, open land and fewer on wooded public land every year. For reasons known only to FWP and ranchers, there is essentially a secret war on elk. This leads to seasons and policies that increase elk kills on public land and protect them on private land. The more landowners object to elk, the more they are hunted and killed on public land. Ironic, is it not?

What state is this in?

 

[ORCON]

Montana

 

[SmokinCrow]

Interesting topic on elk being on plains. I was just up Big Horn sheep hunting and watched 30 antelope feeding above treeline just below rock faces. I see elk fairly often on prairie and we have a desert herd between Rock Springs and Rawlins.

 

[Mackinaw BOB]

In addition to above observations, we see more elk on private, open land and fewer on wooded public land every year. For reasons known only to FWP and ranchers, there is essentially a secret war on elk. This leads to seasons and policies that increase elk kills on public land and protect them on private land. The more landowners object to elk, the more they are hunted and killed on public land. Ironic, is it not?

Where we live in Montana the land owners have set a personal vendetta against the elk. You can now hunt cow elk on private land for 6 month out of the year, in a attempt to get elk from eating all their crops and get the pushed back into the mountains

 

[nicholasjohn]

I got a tag in central MT this year and took the spotter out trying to learn some new spots and maybe find some good ones. Seeing elk out here on the prairie, not a tree for miles in every direction is only slightly more common than seeing a unicorn - and 2 bulls - both pretty heavy antlered just making their way across this huge expanse of wheat fields. I had to take a photo or no one would believe me.

One of my buddies lives in the northwestern Minnesota, and one day the local farmers were having their morning coffee clatch over at the grain elevator. Somebody pulled out the pictures of a herd of elk in one of his fields. ( There were several identifiable structures in the picture, including a huge sugar beet pile.) The place was over-run at the time with oversized whitetails, but the nearest elk I knew anything about was a herd up in the Duck Mountains of Manitoba, easily a hundred miles away. The Red River of the north runs into Lake Winnipeg, and right through the valley my buddy lives in. There is absolutely nothing in this huge agricultural flatland that I would think a moose would find interesting, but they have been seen there on numerous occasions. I guess these animals sometimes just take off on a cross-country, and who knows where they'll show up ………...

 

[nicholasjohn]

Interesting topic on elk being on plains. I was just up Big Horn sheep hunting and watched 30 antelope feeding above treeline just below rock faces. I see elk fairly often on prairie and we have a desert herd between Rock Springs and Rawlins.

I used to work for an electrical contractor over in Big Piney, and my job was to fly men and supplies in & out of the oil fields in that area. There was a big field east of Rock Springs at Table Rock, and I saw elk running around out there more than once. I don't know what they were doing there ……. maybe the rocks out there taste different from where they came from. There wasn't much else out there for an animal to eat. There were lots of antelope, too - and some really big mule deer. Not many, but BIG. I often had to make several low passes to chase the animals off the road I was trying to land on. I was surprised at how much wildlife there is out there in that bleak landscape.

 

[26Reload]

In addition to above observations, we see more elk on private, open land and fewer on wooded public land every year. For reasons known only to FWP and ranchers, there is essentially a secret war on elk. This leads to seasons and policies that increase elk kills on public land and protect them on private land. The more landowners object to elk, the more they are hunted and killed on public land. Ironic, is it not?

Obviously you don't live anywhere I have hunted....the elk in oregon run to private lands..until season is over..hell..some "ranchers and guides" accidentally leave gates open so animals can get onto their property and lock the gates behind them...yeah..accidentally...
Other herds have learned that running to aranch means they won't be chased away....period......this was 20 years ago...
Here in idaho it is getting to be the same concept...look what the Texas brothers have done in the hills northeast of Boise...no longer can a common person access the BLM to hunt anything....
All road access denied.....time to burn them out....all they are doing is purchasing just enough area to block off road access to the mountains.....everywhere......

 

[wv270wsm]

Hunting used to be a way to supply food for your family . Now it is who has the most money to "lease " up a chunk of hunting property to hunt on . Shoot 20 years ago when I was in high school we'd go to 3 different timber companies and spend 40 dollars . That would give you well over 20,000 acres to hunt on. Now those same 3 companies lease out their land and heaven forbid you go on it unless you are on the lease.
I personally understand both sides but I believe that it's just a matter of time till unless you own it or can afford to pay 30-40 dollars an acre for a lease you won't be able to hunt . Unless you live where there is an abundance of state land or whatever else property you lucky suckers out west can get access to. But here in the east it's few and far between for the most of us.

 

[CooperNV]

It's the wolves pushing the elk back to the prairie.

 

[chindits]

Yup elk on the prairie. Use to see them on Ft Carson which is by no means the mountain post they pretend. I find it more amazing all the states east of the Rockies and Mississippi that now have viable herds.

Yet the strangest elk sighting I've seen is that immature bighorn that adopted a bunch of spike bulls as family. I hope it made it. They all had 2 horns going straight up till shedding season.

 

[John Klingenberg]

If we keep losing hunters I reckon we'll be seeing all kinds of animals in strange places. My neighbors dog brought home a 4 point elk antler shed last winter in the NE lower peninsula of Michigan. The nearest herds are well over a hundred miles away and theyre watched 24-7 practically.