Mdc Killed An Elk

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

Ozark Fisherman,

Thanks for taking the reigns and getting the answers for the questions. I am glad you were able to make a couple connections in the process.

Still in the wait and see mode, but I can surely understand the uneasy feelings that others have been posting. I believe that we must be faithful that the ones who are in charge have an agenda to make sure this reintroduction is a success. At the same time though, we must keep up on the checks and balances.

[OzarkFishman]

Agreed on all accounts Daryk.

I still have not 100% jumped on the elk restoration bandwagon. Like all of you, I am learning about this project. I will say that I am always a little skewed towards defending MDC (they have done some pretty amazing stuff), but I also know that every agency/company/department makes good moves and bad ones.

It is so easy to look at anything in life and make it what you want. If you want to see only negatives, great ... if you want to see only positives, great.

But, maybe .... just maybe, some people will step up to the plate and look for positives and negatives in most situations and then try to get as much information as possible before determining an opinion (objective information if possible, but that isn't always the case).

The deer comment seems to be a little off-base. MDC never promised the state that deer would not be found on their land. This project has many more variables in a WAY more complicated world than when the MDC SAVED the deer population for this great state.

Ness, I agree ... the warm-fuzzy feeling is gone for me as well. Again, complicated world ... what seems to be infinite opinions, no perfect solutions.

Chief, again ... complicated. How would a Missourian tell the difference between an Arkansas elk and a Missouri elk. Right now, it would be that big, old beautiful collar. Later, it won't be that easy. If MDC made a promise to keep the elk population in the "area", then what are they to do. Public perception ...

[Feathers and Fins]

OF the answer is so simple MDC doesnt see it... A public statement that project is already showing great progress and the elk are starting to move off and restore the native range, but this has happend so fast they were not able to forsee this type of success so early on and as such will work with the landowners to help in any damage restitution they may cause.

If they showed this project to be a genuine success and example of what can be done working togeather I beleive MDC would become a example to the rest of the states dnr services.

[ness]

I'm not an MDC basher, but I did get a chuckle outta this one:

"The MDC came to the conclusion that this elk was not coming back and made a decisive action."

Here elk, c'mon elk.......OK then: blammo!

[OzarkFishman]

Ness,

That was my word choice, not theirs. I was trying to make a long conversation into a shorter post. That is my bad word choice, but good point.

I actually thought the same thing when I had that part of the conversation. The person that I was talking to said something to the point of the elk "getting away" and never being found again. Don't see that happening with a beautiful (but needed) collar on, but I don't understand the situation totally.

You all have a good day and enjoy your cool day tomorrow, it will only get worse over the weekend.

[ness]

Actually, I'm kinda glad OF.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Chief, again ... complicated. How would a Missourian tell the difference between an Arkansas elk and a Missouri elk. Right now, it would be that big, old beautiful collar. Later, it won't be that easy. If MDC made a promise to keep the elk population in the "area", then what are they to do. Public perception ...

I'd say the radio collar. Look, I am all in on the Elk program. I am not onboard with things that are happening with it though. Lets just be very clear that there is reason they told you they won't release the coordinates on where it was shot and it is not the reasons they gave you.

[OzarkFishman]

Do you believe that the elk was already in Arkansas?

Or, do you have a different hypothesis (or do you actually KNOW)?

I am a firm believer in transparency, but we all know that true transparency never happens in the "real world". The more quality information that we can all gather, the better we can judge the actions that MDC has made (they will make bad decisions/actions ... we ALL do).

[Justin Spencer]

Sure would be interesting to see MDC going out and killing a deer for going onto joe blows property.... bet that would go over well wit hsportsmen.

Don't they issue depredation permits to farmers with too many deer eating their crops? If they do that's kind of the same thing. You can't really do that with elk, because every private landowner who saw one would want the chance to kill it, so it has to be left to the MDC. I assume they looked at the Arkansas elk herd and the Kentucky herd, and assumed our herd would act much the same which is probably true. States shoot bears that go where people don't want them, why should the elk be any different. As long as it's only the occasional elk here and there I have no problem with what they are doing, if we see it as the whole herd starting to wander, then we must rethink the introduction and MDC's predicted movement models.

[OzarkFishman]

Justin,

You hit the nail on the head. This one showed a propensity to roam more than the others. Thanks you for stating it WAY better than I did.