clearwater150
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Back on Oct 27th I posted on the subject of hunting in more than one Elk Zone. As follow-up to the conversation I wrote the Idaho Fish and Game and promised a follow-up on this forum...and here it is.
I had written IDF&G asking what their specific management goals and objectives were for restricting hunting to one Zone and if those goals and objectives had been met and so on. I also wrote that I wished to be able to hunt in two elk zones per year and gave my reasons why (see the Oct 27th post).
On Nov 21, IDF&G Biologist Craig White called me at home to reply to my questions. The following is a summary of that conversation.
The IDF&G is strongly considering proposing that hunters be allowed, for a fee, to hunt in at least two Elk Zones.
THE DETAILS. The IDF&G heard from the public during their recent public meetings that hunters would like to hunt in more than one elk zone and that they would be willing to pay a fee to do so. (The fee that Mike said was proposed during public meetings was $30.) From my conversation with mike I understood that the opportunity to hunt in at least two zones would be a part of the preliminary Elk Management Plan that would be made available to the public for review and comment during the process of completing the new Idaho Elk Management Plan. The following schedule is how the writing of the new Elk Mgt Plan will play out (as I understood it):
Jan-March 2013 - A preliminary Elk Mgt Plan will made available for public review and presented to G&F Commission during Season Setting mtgs.
April - Aug 2013 - More public involvement and surveys of randomly chosen Idaho Hunters to determine hunter acceptance/preference.
Aug - Dec 2013 - Approval of new Idaho Elk Management Plan
Implementation in 2014.
ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS
In answer to my question about why hunters were originally limited to only one Elk Zone (i.e. what were the specific management goals and objectives for the restriction), Biologist, White referenced the 1997 Elk Mgt Plan but did not state or read specific goal or objective statements. He did mention the restriction was primarily to achieve "hunter distribution" and, in general, to better manage individual elk herds. He described how prior to 1997, hunters would follow the various seasons as they opened and closed at different times creating overcrowding and hunter dissatisfaction. He also mentioned that the restriction was favored by hunters. I expressed my support for the A and B tag structure but feel restricting hunters to a single zone probably was overkill and that hunting in two Elk Zones would likely accomplish the same end result. I admit that I was more than a little surprised that there was no specific quantifiable management objectives set out so that the Agency could track the success or failure of their policy strategies.
Biologist White will be sending me some information to tell me how to track the progress of the Elk Management Plan. I will post that info when I get it. /s Clearwater150
I had written IDF&G asking what their specific management goals and objectives were for restricting hunting to one Zone and if those goals and objectives had been met and so on. I also wrote that I wished to be able to hunt in two elk zones per year and gave my reasons why (see the Oct 27th post).
On Nov 21, IDF&G Biologist Craig White called me at home to reply to my questions. The following is a summary of that conversation.
The IDF&G is strongly considering proposing that hunters be allowed, for a fee, to hunt in at least two Elk Zones.
THE DETAILS. The IDF&G heard from the public during their recent public meetings that hunters would like to hunt in more than one elk zone and that they would be willing to pay a fee to do so. (The fee that Mike said was proposed during public meetings was $30.) From my conversation with mike I understood that the opportunity to hunt in at least two zones would be a part of the preliminary Elk Management Plan that would be made available to the public for review and comment during the process of completing the new Idaho Elk Management Plan. The following schedule is how the writing of the new Elk Mgt Plan will play out (as I understood it):
Jan-March 2013 - A preliminary Elk Mgt Plan will made available for public review and presented to G&F Commission during Season Setting mtgs.
April - Aug 2013 - More public involvement and surveys of randomly chosen Idaho Hunters to determine hunter acceptance/preference.
Aug - Dec 2013 - Approval of new Idaho Elk Management Plan
Implementation in 2014.
ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS
In answer to my question about why hunters were originally limited to only one Elk Zone (i.e. what were the specific management goals and objectives for the restriction), Biologist, White referenced the 1997 Elk Mgt Plan but did not state or read specific goal or objective statements. He did mention the restriction was primarily to achieve "hunter distribution" and, in general, to better manage individual elk herds. He described how prior to 1997, hunters would follow the various seasons as they opened and closed at different times creating overcrowding and hunter dissatisfaction. He also mentioned that the restriction was favored by hunters. I expressed my support for the A and B tag structure but feel restricting hunters to a single zone probably was overkill and that hunting in two Elk Zones would likely accomplish the same end result. I admit that I was more than a little surprised that there was no specific quantifiable management objectives set out so that the Agency could track the success or failure of their policy strategies.
Biologist White will be sending me some information to tell me how to track the progress of the Elk Management Plan. I will post that info when I get it. /s Clearwater150