Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals
In October of 2019 we brought you an update on the CONTROVERSIAL FEED GROUND ISSUE in western Wyoming. Our Wyoming Game & Fish Department is still working through the process relating to their feed ground sites and have been conducting public meetings (click HERE to watch these recordings and get updated on the talking points). Written comments can still be submitted by January 8, 2021 by clicking HERE.
In addition, there is a Q&A session online at 4pm, January 5th, 2021. More info to follow in the coming days on the details of this session.
As Wyoming Game & Fish Department director Brian Nesvik STATED IN THIS RELEASE from the department, “People may be familiar with feedgrounds as it relates to their interests but don’t know the ‘why’ behind the Game and Fish decisions. This is an educational effort.”
Education and being familiar with the historical side of this issue is so vital to making an informed comment as members of the general public. Director Nesvik also mentions that the department is not considering closures in the short and mid-term, and intends to support the western Wyoming practice that has been in place for over 100 years.
100 years of feed ground activity is a long history when it comes to wildlife management, disease transmission, winter ranges being eaten up by human encroachment, large predator management strategies that have had disastrous consequences on non-predatory wildlife, and many more issues must all be taken into account during the decision making process.
Be an active participant in wildlife management by watching/listening to the recorded meetings by clicking on the link above, and then submit comments as you see fit. As I always say, the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation is like nothing the world has ever seen in human history and we need to continue to participate in it and help educate others on how sportsmen have the best record of wildlife and land management of any other group of people in history. NO BRAG…JUST FACT.
I believe wholeheartedly that any changes to an eco be decided and defined by local residents and their representatives. The big cities and their residents should have know say to what goes on in our mountains. I sure do not care what they do or promote in their neighborhoods. If they want to defund the police department in these cities have at it, just more wolf food in time.
Got to be ways to kill the ground to stop spread. Rotation of feeding areas. Work with other ranchers and liberal land owners and add more feeding areas to create smaller congregations. Only use local feeds and as only as last resorts. Plant winter forage crops where you do want the animals to winter. Create areas to sanction off any that may need medical or evaluation. Create jobs for locals to be caretakers of these animals during these harsh conditions. Vaccinate the feed, water and the dirt.
Got a will there has to be a way.
CWD is caused by Prions. Prions are not a living organism so you can’t kill it.
Recent trends seem to favor a more natural way of life for wildlife. If it’s not a native species, it gets eradicated. Unless your a ferrel horse! Those damn things get more attention than starving kids, but I digress. Yes the winter elk refuge and feeding grounds is a long standing tradition but if it’s going to cause harm to the herd in the long term then I feel that it has to be adjusted. Previous comments have said smaller areas, local fees etc. but I think you have to go beyond that. If the natural habitat can’t support the amount of elk in the area then maybe there are too many. Hate to say that as I’m an avid elk hunter and would hate to see populations decline. But if keeping this amount of elk in one area is going to cause major harm to the herd then drastic measures may need to be implemented. Maybe start to relocate some of the elk to other areas where the elk heard needs help recovering? If the goal is to have the elk live free of human interference then there must be a plan to wean them off of the feedlot and train them to live on their own. I would absolutely hate to see any of these elk starve to death out there due to their winter feed being cut off in an instant. I know elk aren’t as sexy as the grey wolf and probably won’t get the attention they deserve from John Q Public but really all the wildlife in the greater yellowstone eco system need equal treatment.
I do think that the issue of CWD has to be addressed as to how it has come on so quickly and why has it shown up now where as it wasn’t around 20, 30 or 40 years ago. What have we done now that has let this disease into our wildlife herds?
New diseases come up all the time amoung humans & wildlife alike. That is not to say we are to blame every time, sometimes it just happens. I’m not convinced the jury has all the evidence yet. For now I’d like to see the feeding continue.
The problem isn’t too many elk, the problem is too damned many people building in their natural habitat. Human encroachment.