IDFG "sharp shooters" kill 200 elk

[HuntInWild88]

IDFG dispatched 206 elk for depredation. I understand they had tonpay one single farmer $1.2M for damage. But i think there has to be another way other then IDFG to do the shooting. Personally i think they should handle it like they do turkey and have a call list of hunters willing to come and fill depredation tags. I get the meat went to homeless shelters. But i would be willing to pay a small fee to fill a depredation tag and fill my freezer. Then that extra money could go back into the system. Instead they are paying these "Sharp shooters"

 

[JP100]

If you want a job done properly, its often easier to pay someone to do it.

Might not seem right, but often the best solution.

Numerous recreational hunting 'culls' done here are a failure. people dont take it seriously, spend all the time looking for a 'trophy', are not good hunters, etc etc.

Thats the problem, you open the gates and every tom dick and harry turns up saying they will do it, and 99% of them dont knowwhat they are doing.

 

[Dvidos]

If you want a job done properly, its often easier to pay someone to do it.

Might not seem right, but often the best solution.

Numerous recreational hunting 'culls' done here are a failure. people dont take it seriously, spend all the time looking for a 'trophy', are not good hunters, etc etc.

Thats the problem, you open the gates and every tom dick and harry turns up saying they will do it, and 99% of them dont knowwhat they are doing.

+1

 

[sasquatch]

I wonder what the long term solution is?

Much of it stems from human encroachment and population growth.

So more development and farms needed.

The more of this they have the less space the animals have and the more depredation is needed or becomes a concern.

Thus, more animals killed.

I just really wonder the big and long term 50 year plan is?

There’s got to be a better way of some sort to preserve winter grounds or offer recreational opportunities vs slaughters.


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[HuntInWild88]

If you want a job done properly, its often easier to pay someone to do it.

Might not seem right, but often the best solution.

Numerous recreational hunting 'culls' done here are a failure. people dont take it seriously, spend all the time looking for a 'trophy', are not good hunters, etc etc.

Thats the problem, you open the gates and every tom dick and harry turns up saying they will do it, and 99% of them dont knowwhat they are doing.

I fully understand that!
Took part in several driven hunts in Germany where the primary goal was to push boar from the corn fields. 50 boar would run out and only 5 would get shot.

 

[Jimss]

We just started a highly limited elk hunt a couple years ago on properties where I work. Elk were causing crop damage on adjacent properties and running back on our property where no hunting was allowed. The parks and wildlife were paying high property damage to farmers in the area and elk numbers were almost doubling every year. We now have an elk management hunt on the properties. Tags are on a limited draw and every hunter must complete a short class plus shooting profiiency test. It's been a huge success with little crop damage, elk being dispersed to non-crop areas, and 70%+ harvest of cow elk.

 

[howl]

Farmers are taking our tax dollars. They should give us something for it. No money until after they ask neighbors for help removing the animals.

 

[MtGoat]

If they don't allow hunting on their ground they should go to the general fund for depredation $.
This was on the news a couple of nights ago.
The damaged was to a "special" custom potato field.
Apparently they set candy out and were surprised that the elk took the bait.

Idaho Grower Gets Big Payout for Elk Damage

Don McFarland filed for $1.028 million in damages due to 500 elk eating his organic Kamut wheat and organic potato crops.

www.potatogrower.com

 

[beachbunny]

If you want a job done properly, its often easier to pay someone to do it.

Might not seem right, but often the best solution.

Numerous recreational hunting 'culls' done here are a failure. people dont take it seriously, spend all the time looking for a 'trophy', are not good hunters, etc etc.

Thats the problem, you open the gates and every tom dick and harry turns up saying they will do it, and 99% of them dont knowwhat they are doing.

absolutely,when culling ,there is no sport allowed,i culled for years at airports,nothing nice about it and it is why i don't hunt anymore.

 

[tdhanses]

I would think it might be a tad cheaper to high fence elk out of private in the area or relocate the herd to another state.

 

[KurtR]

If you want a job done properly, its often easier to pay someone to do it.

Might not seem right, but often the best solution.

Numerous recreational hunting 'culls' done here are a failure. people dont take it seriously, spend all the time looking for a 'trophy', are not good hunters, etc etc.

Thats the problem, you open the gates and every tom dick and harry turns up saying they will do it, and 99% of them dont knowwhat they are doing.

might be different over there but you give 100 cow license out and say they are walking out here. Have it organized and operation clean sweep commences. The elk walk out shoot them. They run away get the meat and done. It’s not like it is strenuous or hard it’s in a field.

 

[87TT]

I think this incident has been talked about before but as I remember, the damage was done at night so the culling probably was too. Can't let hunters hunt at night. The guy that got the big payout had let "hunters" shoot some elk as well as DFG employees. Also I think if they just gave out tags, just as much damage would be done by the hunters to the crops as the elk. It's a no win situation. The article mentioned that they have now put a cap on damage payouts.

 

[Azone]

I would think it might be a tad cheaper to high fence elk out of private in the area or relocate the herd to another state.

The article in the link stated that they're moving away from fencing because it disrupts sage grouse.
How does a fence on the ground disrupt a bird? Serious question.

 

[87TT]

They don't fly if they don't have to, to get away from harm.

 

[Wrench]

The article in the link stated that they're moving away from fencing because it disrupts sage grouse.
How does a fence on the ground disrupt a bird? Serious question.

They also have a high number of deaths due to wire strikes from the fence.

 

[Azone]

They also have a high number of deaths due to wire strikes from the fence.

I guess a low flying bird hitting a 8 foot fence really wouldn't stand a chance. Thank you guys for the responses.

 

[IdahoHntr]

Fences can be built that grouse can go under. "We can't build fences because of sage grouse" is a cop out. ALL fences kill sage grouse and yet we have those literally everywhere across public land let alone private property.

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/null/?cid=nrcs144p2_056609

Simply tagging fences to make them more visible is effective in reducing collisions. If you have a field, ranch, etc. in wildlife country and don't want wildlife on your property then you should have to build a fence. Plain and simple.

Yet it won't happen because it would cut down on depredation money. Some landowners have turned depredation money into a business and count on that welfare check every year. In most western states, especially Idaho, these same landowners own the legislature making legislative changes to combat this attitude near impossible.

 

[Wrench]

Fences can be built that grouse can go under. "We can't build fences because of sage grouse" is a cop out. ALL fences kill sage grouse and yet we have those literally everywhere across public land let alone private property.

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/null/?cid=nrcs144p2_056609

Simply tagging fences to make them more visible is effective in reducing collisions. If you have a field, ranch, etc. in wildlife country and don't want wildlife on your property then you should have to build a fence. Plain and simple.

Yet it won't happen because it would cut down on depredation money. Some landowners have turned depredation money into a business and count on that welfare check every year. In most western states, especially Idaho, these same landowners own the legislature making legislative changes to combat this attitude near impossible.

Exactly. We have zillions of these in our area.

 

[Azone]

The ag industry has been the plague for wildlife in my area. Excessive depredation out here to, that could easily be avoided by proper fencing, barriers etc. Its had a very negative impact deer. It just sucks to see it happening elsewhere.
It's a damn shame the legislators are being bought and paid for. Money usually equals power though.

 

[Wmmichael20]

Same problem here in Michigan,dairy farmers whine about loosing a few bushel of corn or couple bails of alfalfa hay so they get what is referred to as block permits to shoot any and all deer starting in mid summer then the wastefull dinks shove them in a hole an burry them, my theory is that if they aren't going to allow anyone to hunt their massive property to lower the deer numbers than they shouldn't be issued the permits.