Mdc Killed An Elk

[Feathers and Fins]

Actually I think Hitting the Elk would do less damage... If you hit Rosie you would get out to see what you hit and see her and then need to poke your eyes out with a hot poker.

[eric1978]

just a precursory search:

average adult male whitetail deer weight: 130-290lbs

average adult male elk (not roosevelt subspecies) 710lbs

hitting an adult male elk would be like running into rosie o'donnell. game over

That's funny as hell, and yeah that's a big bastard, but still, it's their right to be here and I think Missouri is a better state for it. I support their return.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Just speaking on the quail thing (as I have a friend that offers controlled quail hunts ... you know, keeps them cages and then "releases" them to be shot). It makes money for my friend and his dad, but I don't see the sport in that (just my opinion ... if you like to partake in that ... no harm, no foul).

I think they offer the heart of the sport. In quail hunting the dogs do the hunting and humans the shooting, so it would seem they offer everything that a hunt for wild birds would offer. Quail are fragile birds, even a heavy rain can harm the nesting chicks so any releif is probably a good thing all the way around.

I hope this thread doesn't go nuts like the lion threads. I've lived in elk country, the same one full of dangerous mtn. lions. First elk are a lot smarter than deer and I cannot remember in the 13 years I lived there hearing or reading of one being hit by a vehicle, I'm sure it's happened, but it can't be very common. I did have a herd run in front of me one time, but I would have had to be asleep to hit one. They will roam. I lived on the high desert and there were a few herds out there, but scattered. The one nearest me was about 5 miles away on a butte, yet on 3 occasions I saw them near or beyond my house, always young bulls and I suppose they were looking for love.

The bottom line is still, how do you introduce a free roaming animal and keep it confined short of a fence? Maybe the question is why would you try?

[OzarkFishman]

I agree that they offer the heart of the sport ... without them most would never have a chance to hunt quail.

In a perfect world, we would be able to walk through a field (with our dogs) and flush wild quail. Those times are gone for most in Missouri ...

Here is a small piece of an elk article I found this morning (link is below) ...

"Information obtained from the Arkansas Fish and Game Department through MDC shows that state, with an elk population of around 500 animals, averages only one reported vehicle collision with an elk per year.

It's important to note, also, that Arkansas' elk area has a road density of 2.1 miles of road per square mile of habitat, while Missouri's proposed area has 1.2 miles of road for the same size area.

Arkansas data also shows that, in the last 20 years, there were 25 reports of pasture damage and 27 for fence damage, which amounts to just more than two such complaints per year."

http://www.semissour...ry/1659289.html

[ness]

Haven't really kept up on this topic, but I have a question. Does anyone know what the logic was for the reintroduction of elk into MO? I'd like to think they felt there was a benefit to it. 'They're native' or 'Arkansas did it' wouldn't seem to be good enough reasons, and I've got enough faith in the MDC to think they gave it a little more thought. Somebody mentioned it was a pet project of some MDC brass. Any evidence to support that?

[Wayne SW/MO]

I think, personaly, they have a mentality to restore what wild animals they can, and I don't have a problem with that, but I do if they want build an unfenced zoo to display them in.

I think if that's the plan then they should allow them to roam, then if necessary find a sporting way to eliminate known problem animals. If they are going to tack a bullseye on them then let someone, a veteran, who is no longer mobile do the actually "hunting".

That area they put them in was free range in our lifetime, so it's not like it's laid out township grids full of farms and ranches.

[Outside Bend]

just a precursory search:

average adult male whitetail deer weight: 130-290lbs

average adult male elk (not roosevelt subspecies) 710lbs

hitting an adult male elk would be like running into rosie o'donnell. game over

True, but there's 1.5 milliion deer in this state vs. 40 elk. Even when the population reaches its peak we're only talking about 400 animals, a density of one elk per square mile, as opposed to about 20 deer per mile in the state. Colorado has nearly 400,000 elk, and a human population similar to Missouri. Even with all those elk they only record about 100 animal/vehicle collisions a year. And if we're concerned about motorists, plenty of means have been devised to keep large animals off roadways and warn drivers about their presence.

[Gavin]

Think the subspecies of Elk that was native to Missouri...is extinct...Re-introduction of Rocky Mountain Elk? Wrong word and the unit cost has been very high...Shooting one...c'mon...who's freezer...Politico or Conservation Management?

[Mitch f]

True, but there's 1.5 milliion deer in this state vs. 40 elk. Even when the population reaches its peak we're only talking about 400 animals, a density of one elk per square mile, as opposed to about 20 deer per mile in the state. Colorado has nearly 400,000 elk, and a human population similar to Missouri. Even with all those elk they only record about 100 animal/vehicle collisions a year. And if we're concerned about motorists, plenty of means have been devised to keep large animals off roadways and warn drivers about their presence.

I agree, people in Minnesota just learn to deal with moose. Same with people in Colorado with Elk. People in MO can adjust too

[jdmidwest]

I agree, people in Minnesota just learn to deal with moose. Same with people in Colorado with Elk. People in MO can adjust too

But why?

Other than a few sports minded persons that think there will be a viable elk population in MO and a few nature viewers, how do you justify the expense? They have been gone a long time. Our "native species" is extinct.

Why waste all of the dollars just to be in vogue with other states?