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Show Sportstacular September 27. 1979 Page 23 ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK (Cervus canadensis) Also called the Wapiti, elk live in close association with deer throughout much of Utah. The head and neck is dark brown with no white showing. Back and sides are d brownish with rump and tail. Mature bulls stand up to 60 finches at the shoulder and may weigh well over 700 pounds. Elk have a noticeable hump over the front shoulders that separates them from deer at a quick glance. Cows and calves are commonly found in herds of five to twenty but bulls are more solitary. Bulls have antlers which are shed annually in late winter or early spring. Typical number of points is six on each side. Most of Utahs native elk were destroyed in the early days. Present herds are the result of restocking by the Department in cooperation with others. Tommorrow deadline for elk permits straw-colore- October 3 marks the opening of 1979 open bull elk hunt. The Division of Wildlife Resources will continue selling permits until Friday September 28. The elk Hunt will continue for 14 days until October 16. In 1978 the Division of Wildlife sold 32,142 open bull permits and 30,783 hunters actually went after the big game animal. Hunters managed to bag 2,923 for a 8 per cent success on a statewide basis. Figures for this years sales havent been released as of yet, but indications are that sales are the GAME running about the same or slightly over last years totals. The three units in the northern portion of the state are the Cache, Ogden River, and Bear River The Cache unit, last year was ranked second due to amount of hunter pressure among 17 units in the state. Approximately 5,238 hunters looked for elk on the Cache unit and the same hunters harvested 418 elk for a 8 per cent success. The Ogden River was ranked number one when it came to. hunter success, with a 12 per cent success. The Ogden River unit is almost in its entirety under private ownership and hunter access is quite restricted. The 1979 hunt looks to be oqur.l of last years success and hunter pressure will probably slightly increase on the opening day. Hie opening day as in years past will be a Wednesday opener. Hunters are urged to obtain a 1979 Big Game Proclamation and to become familiar with the regulations. Remember, to (1) carry your license and permit with you while hunting, (2), wear hunter orange apparel, (3), dont carry or possess any pistol or revolver while on an elk unit, (4) if you harvest an elk , leave evidence of sex attached to animal carcass, (5) and Anally, validate and tag your animal prior to transporting from place of kill. Illegal hunting: A big problem Moose in Utah have made very noticeable gains in the state since 1947, when it was determined that d resident Utah had a moose herd in the Uinta Mountains. Satellite populations began showing up in other locations in Summit, Morgan, Weber, Cache, and Rich counties. As the herds built up, the year-roun- Wildlife Division was able to provide limited hunting op- portunities. As an example, the first bull moose permits for the Cache-Ric- h unit were put out in percent hunter success was obtained on that unit for two years, but in 1978, the unit had to be closed. During deer and elk seasons in the fall of 1977, at least 12 moose were either- accidently or purposely killed. That was over double the legal harvest of 5. At that time the Wildlife Division felt the slow growing herd in . that area couldnt stand such an increased harvest and so closed the unit during 1978. The deer and elk hunts in the fall of 1978 again suffered a heavy illegal loss with at least 15 moose killed. Of course the legal hunt for 1979 was again 1976. 100 - closed. During that time, various methods of stopping the problem have been tried. Intensive programs of making the deer and elk hunter aware that moose were in the area and what they look like, were undertaken. Increased enforcement patrols, offering rewards for information leading to arrest of those shooting at moose, installing C.B. radios in enforcement officers vehicles to help with problem of locating a wildlife ofAcer are Just a few of the methods presently being used, with varying success. The wildlife enforcement section is responding during this years elk hunt with extra manpower assignments to the elk areas. Conservation officers will be concentrated In areas where moose are found. A number of plain clothes ofAcers will also be utilized. OfAcers will be working out of vehicles, horseback and on foot for the purpose of apprehending those who are killing our moose, either accidently or with the intent to do so. The courts are responding to problem by severely penalizing the violator who is attempting to get away with it. They are also showing leniency to the person who shoots one by mistake and then turns himself in and assists with salvaging the animal. the Paul Woodbury, Regional Enforcement Officer for the Divisions Northern Region, indicates have me of the enforcement efforts both with marked and unmarked units and officers, that has ever been applied to the elk hunt. All big game hunters are being asked to become familiar We will most intensive with your hunting area, know if moose are using or have used the general area. Make sure of your target, dont shoot at legs, sounds, brown animals you think looks like an elk and so on. If you observe or hear of an illegal kill, pay attention for descriptions, possible witness or other information. After all, its those who dont do any of the above that have created the situation where none of us can hunt moose in the area. easy soMnons for flaw breakers If youve been keeping a close watch on the condition of the Cache moose herd, you wont be encouraged by the latest reports from the Division of Wildlife Resources. In spite of extensive public involvement and strong Division information and law enforcement programs the last few years, illegal moose kills have increased. And the Division has found no easy solutions to the problem. Weve been doing a lot of head scratching, admits Don Paul, the Divisions information officer in Ogden. Illegal moose kills have been a statewide problem, but have been particularly harmful to the Cache herd, Paul says, because of its relatively small size. While illegal kills have occurred elsewhere 82 in the state the last two years other herds have been able to withstand the loss. But ground and aerial counts by Division personnel since 1977 have shown that the Cache herd has been hurt by the indiscriminate killing. Since 1973, 40 moose permits have been authorized by Utahs Board of Big Game Control in the Weber, Rich and Morgan county areas. In those years, 36 hunters were successful. During the same time, however, 55 moose have been illegally taken in elk, deer and moose seasons. Wildlife management isnt an exact science, comments Paul, but when seasons are set, all available data are used, including the illegal kill factor. But no one anticipated that the moose kill would be 138 per cent of the allowed harvest. closed this fall. The 1978 closure prompted one northern Utah newspaper to editorialize about the moose loss And the slob nimrods. by closure and ensuing publicity prompted several concerned sportsmen to report illegal moose and elk kills. These reports helped two Cache County conservation officers process more class A misdemeanor big game cases than all other Utah conservation officers during one period last fall. The interest was encouraging," says Don Paul, but the results were not. The 19 moose shot illegally last fall in the area were more than in any other year. Division personnel will renew programs this fall in the hope For these reasons, the moose that Agures will drop. C.B. season was closed in this area channels 14 and 19 will again be during 1978 and will remain monitored by Division ofAcers . and rewards up to $500 will be offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of big game offenders. Last February, a regional hunter education workshop was held to inform hunter education instructors of the need to teach big game identification. Sessions were presented on law enforcement, identification of deer, elk and moose, and on the problems illegal kills present to wildlife management. This fall, large signs will be placed in the mouths of Logan and Blacksmiths Fork canyons. They will caution deer and elk hunters that moose are in the area. The question, of course, is whether these continued efforts will help. Don Paul, Division personnel and thousands of concerned sportsmen hope so. |
