2lumpy
Long Time Member
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LAST EDITED ON Jun-29-11 AT 11:39PM (MST)[p]Because a few of you with Monroe elk tags have PMed me for information:
My annual bull elk count took place this morning.
Total bulls counted = 13
Location
Big Lake - 6
Christensen Springs - 4
Porter's Pasture - 1
Water Flat - 2
Long Flat - 0
I have made this count the Wed morning prior to the 4th of July for the last 17 years, never missed a year. Drive the exact same route, starting at the Big Lake cattle guard at the first ray of light.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s the counts were between 100 and 90 bulls per year, (highest count was 104 fulls in 1999 ) the count began dropping significantly in the last 5 or 6 years. By 2009 the count had dropped to 52, 2010 was 22 and now 2011 down again to 13. (This year is by far the fewest, by far.)
If antler size is any indication of age, (ie: assuming 3 or 4 point is most likely younger than a heavy beamed 5x5 or 6x6 point) the percentage of mature bulls to young bulls has gone from about twice as many mature bulls to about half young and half mature bulls.
Ajso, and I would never claim there is anything scientific or biologically sound in my counts but this is the first year I've included spike bulls in the count, in the past I've just ignored them, this years count included the two spike bulls that were with some cows and calfs in Water Flat. If you want to throw the spikes out of this years count then I only saw 11.
There are lots of other locations on the mountain that have bulls, this year as well as every other of the 17 years. I believe I can see the trend, on this route and on other areas of the unit as well.
I'll let you draw your own conclusions as to what has happened to the bull elk on this unit. I don't think we can blame it on the wolves yet, never seen a bear on the Monroe (they're there but very few). Don't have an opinion the cougars as far as cougar elk kills, others would have better data on the cougar/elk dynamic.
There were 100 cows and calves, give or take, I only scanned the bunches of cows to check for bulls, didn't count them individually.
DC
Oh ya, because I worry more about the mule deer than elk, I counted them this morning too. 5 does, 1 buck.
Peace!
It was still too dark to get a pic of the 6 bulls at Big Lake, three were mature three were rag horns.
This poor thing is going to die any minute!
Two Spike bull, one on the right had 2" antlers.
Cow/Calf
My annual bull elk count took place this morning.
Total bulls counted = 13
Location
Big Lake - 6
Christensen Springs - 4
Porter's Pasture - 1
Water Flat - 2
Long Flat - 0
I have made this count the Wed morning prior to the 4th of July for the last 17 years, never missed a year. Drive the exact same route, starting at the Big Lake cattle guard at the first ray of light.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s the counts were between 100 and 90 bulls per year, (highest count was 104 fulls in 1999 ) the count began dropping significantly in the last 5 or 6 years. By 2009 the count had dropped to 52, 2010 was 22 and now 2011 down again to 13. (This year is by far the fewest, by far.)
If antler size is any indication of age, (ie: assuming 3 or 4 point is most likely younger than a heavy beamed 5x5 or 6x6 point) the percentage of mature bulls to young bulls has gone from about twice as many mature bulls to about half young and half mature bulls.
Ajso, and I would never claim there is anything scientific or biologically sound in my counts but this is the first year I've included spike bulls in the count, in the past I've just ignored them, this years count included the two spike bulls that were with some cows and calfs in Water Flat. If you want to throw the spikes out of this years count then I only saw 11.
There are lots of other locations on the mountain that have bulls, this year as well as every other of the 17 years. I believe I can see the trend, on this route and on other areas of the unit as well.
I'll let you draw your own conclusions as to what has happened to the bull elk on this unit. I don't think we can blame it on the wolves yet, never seen a bear on the Monroe (they're there but very few). Don't have an opinion the cougars as far as cougar elk kills, others would have better data on the cougar/elk dynamic.
There were 100 cows and calves, give or take, I only scanned the bunches of cows to check for bulls, didn't count them individually.
DC
Oh ya, because I worry more about the mule deer than elk, I counted them this morning too. 5 does, 1 buck.
Peace!
It was still too dark to get a pic of the 6 bulls at Big Lake, three were mature three were rag horns.
This poor thing is going to die any minute!
Two Spike bull, one on the right had 2" antlers.
Cow/Calf
