4th elk culled in park

Female shot to thin herd, save ecosystem in Rocky Mountain

By Jean Torkelson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published February 4, 2009 at 11:44 a.m.
Updated February 4, 2009 at 11:55 p.m.

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Photo by Wes Pope © The Rocky

Volunteer cullers, along with members of the National Park Service, track elk Wednesday in Rocky Mountain National Park. The cullers moved to another location before killing an elk.

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ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATONAL PARK — The cow elk, apparently a maverick at heart, strayed just far enough from the herd Wednesday to earn a brief footnote in Colorado wildlife history.

With one crisp shot about 8 a.m., the adult cow collapsed in a meadow, becoming the fourth elk bagged in Rocky Mountain National Park's new culling program, an event fully recorded by the media.

The recent kills are a first for the park, which is using sharpshooters to keep the population in check and minimize the damage that too many elk can cause.

"We don't take this lightly," Ben Bobowski of the Rocky National Park staff said. "It's difficult for us to take down an animal."

Call it tough love, backcountry style. The program, seven years in the planning, is designed to take down a controlled number of elk - about 100 this year - to save both the elk herds and the park's wider ecosystem.

Exactly how many elk are in the park varies throughout the year. The park says the average winter count in the park and surrounding area ranges between 1,700 and 2,200. The objective is to keep the elk herd in the park in the 600 to 800 range.

Elk are ravenous grazers which, left to multiply unchecked, will destroy the park's groves of aspens and willows, park officials say. And some carry chronic wasting disease, an incurable and voracious brain killer.

But mindful of the sensitivities of some members of the public - as well as animal rights activists and environmentalists - the park invited the media to watch how the program worked.

"We want to be very transparent in this operation," said park spokeswoman Kyle Patterson.

In the past two weeks, the team, which includes carefully vetted, volunteer marksmen, has killed three elk. Wednesday's cow was the fourth.

Reporters and camera crews were brought to the kill area and watched the aftermath from about 350 yards away. Within minutes, seven volunteers, four park staff and a representative from the Colorado Division of Wildlife had field-dressed the carcass and lugged it to a waiting vehicle. Later, it was to be tested for CWD.

Among the volunteer shooters is an avid sportsman, construction worker and crack shot who agreed to be interviewed but declined to give his name. Patterson said the rangers wanted to protect him from "negative feedback" about the program.

"I'm not ashamed of what I do; I have a passion for these animals," he told reporters at an early- morning briefing. "But the ecosystem in the park is being absolutely destroyed - this (problem) is bigger than just the park."

Most of all, park officials want to banish the word "hunting" from the discussion. Hunting is banned in the park.

"If you can do anything, please explain this is not a hunt," Patterson said. Hunting is for sport, with an element of pleasure and personal gain. Culling is a conservation tool.

But not everyone agrees with the park's official line.

"It's a sad day for Rocky Mountain National Park when we're calling on snipers to shoot elk instead of restoring the park's natural heritage by putting wolves back on the landscape," said John Horning, executive director of WildEarth Guardians, a Santa Fe-based group which has sued to stop the culling program.

The park staff says this program is the beginning of a 20-year management effort to protect the entire park ecosystem. The park hasn't ruled out wolves as a future culling method.

Bobowski, a biologist, explained how the health of the whole park is interconnected, including the problem of an out- of-control elk population.

"Culling is a hot topic right now," Bobowski said. "But for us, (conservation) is all one big hot topic."

Elk culling Q & A

* What happens to the meat?

People who signed up for a lottery (deadline was last month) may be picked to win a full carcass. But first the animal is tested for chronic wasting disease.

* Why can't the meat go to the poor or to soup kitchens?

The people who win the meat must sign a waiver acknowledging there's still a slight risk of CWD even in animals that pass the screening. People who rely on others to prepare their food are unaware of that possibility, so they would have no chance to refuse the meat.

* How prevalent is CWD in the elk herds?

In a random testing last year of 117 elk at the park, 11 percent had CWD. Those animals were removed and killed. Of the four elk culled in the new program, two have tested negative for CWD. Tests continue for the third elk and for the elk killed Wednesday.

* What elk are targeted for culling?

Only female adults; to winnow the females slows the multiplication of the herds.

* Is culling all that's being done?

Fencing, among other techniques, is also being used to protect vegetation from the elk.

* Why do some environmentalists want wolves reintroduced to manage the elk population?

They consider it a more natural way to keep the herds in check.

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Comments

February 4, 2009

11:59 a.m.

Suggest removal

KW writes:

"This park's lush elk herd declined by one ..."

"The elk kill was the fourth in several weeks."

So which is it, one or four?
February 4, 2009

12:04 p.m.

Suggest removal

the_ripper writes:

Well...one's so difficult to discern from four.
February 4, 2009

12:09 p.m.

Suggest removal

danirobi writes:

Still think they should have allowed hunters to go in and help.
February 4, 2009

12:10 p.m.

Suggest removal

Squatch writes:

At the rate they are going the elk will be calving in June before they get to a hundred.
February 4, 2009

12:13 p.m.

Suggest removal

Mtnsjohn writes:

Read the lead paragraph...one elk was shot on Wednesday.

Because the media was invited, I guess it was done to show that the culling is being done humanely....certainly better than having animals starve to death or die from Chronic Wasting Disease.

In Estes Park, residents have to fence out elk from aspens and other plants they want to survive.
February 4, 2009

12:19 p.m.

Suggest removal

coloradohunter1 writes:

Range is kind of hard to discern in the photo with depth perception problems, but that almost looks like bow range. That could reduce the medias unwarranted perception of danger to anyone around a rifle.
February 4, 2009

12:22 p.m.

Suggest removal

coloradohunter1 writes:

By the way I'm tired of the term "sharpshooters" in these articles. The proper term is marksman or marksmen. Sharpes shooters shoot Sharpes rifles, hence the term. I didn't see Quigley in the photo.
February 4, 2009

12:33 p.m.

Suggest removal

GoldenKid writes:

I'm getting "Buck" fever just looking at the picture of those elk in close range. I could hardly type this post with my hands shaking!
They better step up the pace from here on out and get the job done as soon as possible before some envornmentilist nut tries to halt the culling in a lawsuit.
February 4, 2009

12:41 p.m.

Suggest removal

ClarenceDarrow writes:

Wow!

Someone shot an elk!

I can't believe CNN didn't run this on their home page!

In other breaking news, a bum on the 16th St. mall just scratched his own arse.
February 4, 2009

12:46 p.m.

Suggest removal

Blessedx5 writes:

It's a pity that RMNP didn't take an opportunity to make some additional funding by allowing responsible hunters to 'cull the herds'. Apparently RMNP isn't hurting for funding, since this program is costing the tax payers a ton of money, instead of making money.

As my 10 yo would say... "Duh!"
February 4, 2009

12:53 p.m.

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Squatch writes:

The Denver Post has the more in depth story on this but the guy shot at a heard of 200 and took 1. The elk ran 150 yards and they didn't shoot again instead walked down to the cow they shot and spooked the herd. Not a very good job of Culling if you ask me but hell they didn't ask me.
February 4, 2009

1:02 p.m.

Suggest removal

LockNLoad writes:

The other three they killed last week were classified as "Training".

Are you allowed Mulligans in hunting?
February 4, 2009

1:06 p.m.

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CSU5280 writes:

another pointless article...no wonder the RMN is going to fold...
February 4, 2009

1:11 p.m.

Suggest removal

dawnmarie01 writes:

"In Estes Park, residents have to fence out elk from aspens and other plants they want to survive."

So? If you don't want elk eating plants in your yard, don't live in the mountains. Find a nice house in the city!
February 4, 2009

1:11 p.m.

Suggest removal

FlyfishDude52 writes:

"A group of sharpshooters (I agree Coloradohunter1) tracked a herd of elk." Wow if the photo is any indication they just got out of the truck & walked up to a peacefully grazing herd, the herd knowing full well that it was OK & they wouldn't get shot at, continued grazing until hearing a shot or shots. How many "Sharpshooters" does it take to bag one elk?

This is bs. If "culling" must be done, let's produce some revenue & give kids, disabled and the rest of us a chance at it.
February 4, 2009

1:20 p.m.

Suggest removal

AvsIn7 writes:

Katie Couric is working feverishly right now to bring the parents of the elk and the parents of the hunter together to begin the healing process. Lights, Camera, Action.
February 4, 2009

1:41 p.m.

Suggest removal

immunizer writes:

I agree: bring in trained hunters to cull the herd. Of course, by trained hunters, I mean wolves. Let the ecosystem achieve stasis on it's own.
February 4, 2009

2:08 p.m.

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timpatico writes:

Am I the only hunter that is sickened by this? These Elk are tame. They don't stand there and look at you like that on National Forest. What kind of a sick individual would want to volunteer for this anyhow? I agree with some of you, wolves, disabled hunters, kids etc. Something other than some "volunteer" that just wants to kill something. Why can’t they open a new season just outside the park near Granby or Estes Park? Certainly some of these Elk migrate off the park into winter grounds, don’t they?

If this truly must happen, then the best idea would be not to publish this. If this is bothering me, an avid hunter, what is this story doing to the anti hunting community?
February 4, 2009

2:16 p.m.

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Mtnsjohn writes:

Dawnmarie,

Regardless of where you have chosen to live, you have displaced some form of wildlife and mankind has been doing it since the stone age. Estes Park has been "settled" almost as long as Denver, so get off your self-righteous tangent.

Elk were once a prairie animal until they were run into the mountains by "flat-landers" who decided that crops needed protecting and that elk venison was delicious. The elk are reestablishing themselves on the plains with herds around Castle Rock and Limon.
February 4, 2009

2:19 p.m.

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COLibertarian writes:

timpatico,

I was told that the elk do not migrate out of the park much and that when they do, it is to areas that hunting is not easily accessed via private property.......

I too am for disabled hunters and kids, but do not see hunters wanting to volunteer just to kill something. I see it as getting meat on the table in an efficient manner. I also have witnessed animals starving in their environment.....not a pretty sight. Back then our fish and game department was good about humanely taking care of this problem, but this is the National Park System. I would much rather have a "hunt" or the "culling" rather than the starvation........
February 4, 2009

2:23 p.m.

Suggest removal

COLibertarian writes:

Mtnsjohn,

Thanks for the posting:
"Elk were once a prairie animal until they were run into the mountains by "flat-landers" who decided that crops needed protecting and that elk venison was delicious. The elk are reestablishing themselves on the plains with herds around Castle Rock and Limon."

------------------------------------------------------------

This is one of the main reasons that wolves are difficult to introduce into a "Mountain" Park system. Most of their traditional prey are not truly "Mountain" animals. This has been and will continue to happen in the Yellowstone ecosystem. Those wolves are traveling down the Madison and Yellowstone drainage systems. I assume they are exiting drainage systems south into Wyo. also.
February 4, 2009

2:28 p.m.

Suggest removal

TigerKOD writes:

RMNP is losing a huge money making opportunity. Close the park for one weekday every two weeks. Bring in hunters from all over, charge a huge license fee, require a RMNP ranger and professional guide (hell – throw in a wildlife biologist for the heck of it) for more money. Plus the added boost to the Estes Park economy during the winter slow time for lodging, food, alcohol (after shooting), taxidermy, and meat butchering.
February 4, 2009

2:32 p.m.

Suggest removal

Mtnsjohn writes:

Timpatico,

The elk's winter range is mainly within the city limits of Estes Park with the golf courses their favorite.

After a lot of discussion (and threats of lawsuits) the DOW and RMNP decided that culling in this manner would be the most efficient and humane. The meat is given to non-profits and not to the volunteers. The volunteers themselves are doing a service to the Park, other species that need aspen and willow habitat to survive, and to the elk themselves. Overpopulation has been demonstrated to help spread CWD.

Regardless how this would be done, there would be criticism. (This article would be far different if the media had to help track a wounded elk for miles because of a lousy hunter's shot.)

Coloradohunter....guess you were never in the military....The three shooting badges are expert, sharpshooter and marksman.
February 4, 2009

2:53 p.m.

Suggest removal

timpatico writes:

MTNSJOHN,

Thanks for your thougths. I agree, and hadn't thought about the "bad shot" theory. I also agree that the Elk herd needs to be managed. I just dont like the way they're doing it. Of course, if i was happy with the way they we're doing it, someone else would be PO'd so, i guess thats life. I just hate to see animals that have been tamed get shot in this manner. As for the Estes Park Elk, I agree there as well. However, i'd be willing to bet a lot of these animals migrate to middle park near Walden and on the west side near Granby. Where there is a lot more BLM and National Forest, just my thoughts.

COLibertarian,

I agree and would rather not see them starving or carrying CWD. Also, I agree with hunters putting meat on their table. These volunteers are not keeping the meat, they're just shooting the Elk. At least thats what i have taken from the article.
February 4, 2009

2:59 p.m.

Suggest removal

80231 writes:

You hunting idiots make me sick. Kill, kill, kill..... no compassion, no nothing... wonder if you respect human life the same.
February 4, 2009

3:15 p.m.

Suggest removal

Triumph writes:

80231
"wonder if you respect human life the same"
That's what we were wondering about you.
We value it more!
February 4, 2009

3:23 p.m.

Suggest removal

ISKIFREELY writes:

Sharpshooters? Shouldn't they be tracking half-naked men in Vail?
February 4, 2009

3:27 p.m.

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KW writes:

It makes me sick that 80231 probably has meat at home in their freezer.

sick, sick , sick!
February 4, 2009

3:43 p.m.

Suggest removal

Triumph writes:

That's right, and probably also wears their skins!
Sick!
February 4, 2009

3:51 p.m.

Suggest removal

maverick7 writes:

I understand why they need to do it. I would prefer other means. If by 'culling' they are actually taking out the elk that have cronic wasting disease (if that can be determined) this would be more like a natural selection process. If wolves were re-introduced, the natural selection process would take out the sick, weak and elderly and produce a stronger herd.
Are they also observing that these cow elk probably are pregnant so there by reducing the herd by two.
February 4, 2009

3:58 p.m.

Suggest removal

RedneckBronco writes:

I am curious how many cases of beer they went through to consume the entire BBQ elk.
February 4, 2009

4:08 p.m.

Suggest removal

Squatch writes:

80231 is a fool if it wasn’t for hunters and their license fees going to the cost of feeding the starving deer in the Gunnison valley last year Thousands of Deer & Elk would have died (i guess that is no compassion). OUR money & time (volunteers) went to feeding these animals’. You have no clue about hunting so please don’t talk about it. Before you go spouting off realize the amount of money that is spent by non successful hunter every year. The success rate is less than 30% state wide which means 70% of hunters spent a Minimum of 31.00 for deer and 46.00 for Elk (out of state hunters pay Way more) and didn’t harvest anything. That money funds the DOW and all Hunting activities which include buying access to land anyone can use not just Hunters. Think about that next time you wondering around the hills it might have been paid for by Hunting dollars or RMEF, MDF or Big Horn Sheep Society.

Now I won’t comment negatively about your activities since I know nothing about sitting in my mom’s basement all day.
February 4, 2009

4:23 p.m.

Suggest removal

Squatch writes:

Problem with the wolves is they eventually start to take out healthy animals including Bulls. Wolves are a great idea just not in RMNP there are way too many people in town and way too many people visit the park with kids. You see how people react around when a coyote attacks it won’t get any better when someone is pursued by a Wolf. Wolves were exterminated because of the effects on cattle not because of threats too humans but that doesn’t mean humans wouldn’t become prey in 2009 and beyond. The Yellowstone ecosystem is thriving in some areas but it has taken its toll on the Elk herds in some of the valleys where Grizzlies & Wolves Coexists.

Problem with the wolf debate is the Pro and Anti's get too emotional about both sides and don't listen.
February 4, 2009

5:27 p.m.

Suggest removal

John8061 writes:

Licensed hunting in a National Park would require an act of Congress that is EXTREMELY unlikely to occur. The "culling" program eliminates congressional approval requirements as volunteers selectively shoot animals under DOW supervision. The carcasses that do not test positive for CWD are given to individuals successful in the DOW draw.

Wolf introductions have been negatively impacting elk herds. While the wolves are thinning elk populations by killing the "weakest" animals, often those elk are the herd bulls that are worn out after the rut. Those bulls previously survived by escaping to areas not easily accessible by hunters (or by living in a national park) and are no match for wolves.

The culling efforts eliminate the destruction herd bulls and reduce only cow elk. Although the culling is shooting and not hunting, it seems the best compromise between all parties.
February 4, 2009

5:44 p.m.

Suggest removal

incognitoboy writes:

PETA

People for the Eating of Tasty Animals.

i do love some elk steak! mmm mmm......
February 4, 2009

6:43 p.m.

Suggest removal

jersey writes:

1 Elk? The same affect of a bucket of water lowering the level of the mighty Colorado. Squatch: At the current rate the Elk will be calving? More like their calves will be calving!
February 4, 2009

7:31 p.m.

Suggest removal

ThistleFarmer writes:

> There is not one documented case of a wolf killing a human.

hillbillygoth, that used to be true, but no more:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan...
February 4, 2009

9:18 p.m.

Suggest removal

arby writes:

Jean needs to stick to topics she knows about. Like the invisible guy in the sky.
I doubt the Elk were left there to waste like the Bison in South Park were. And if they were. Well the coyotes, foxes and racoons need to eat too.
February 4, 2009

10:13 p.m.

Suggest removal

wshugs writes:

Why a gun? Why not a tractor-trailer? Those work pretty good I hear.
February 4, 2009

11:49 p.m.

Suggest removal

DUScooter writes:

Why do we have to do this? Nature takes care of itself. Do we ever consider "thinning" out our society? Wait one man did over 50 years ago, and that was considered bad. May be we need to re-evaluate this approach instead of just one group of people we pick an area of the country and "thin" out the heard. Can we start in New York City? By the way, we humans are living in the elk's world and on their land. We need to be able to live together without thinning any heards out. Can't we just relocate them where nature takes care of the "circle of life" like in the movie the Lion King?

Wishful thinking from a young conservative with a heart.
February 4, 2009

11:50 p.m.

Suggest removal

The_Punnisher writes:

Methinks we are culling the wrong animals...

Nature WILL restore a balance, we just might not like how Nature does it.
February 5, 2009

9:03 a.m.

Suggest removal

FCZ writes:

Elk is good eating.

Families are happy.
February 5, 2009

11:43 a.m.

Suggest removal

Heidi writes:

I wonder if they first ask for volunteers to be shot. Wouldn't it be better to shoot the lonely ones that don't fit in rather than the happy family elks?
February 5, 2009

9:40 p.m.

Suggest removal

knightsbud writes:

I am so upset, having the killing of elk as a sport with the pictures of the "hunters" and the dead female elk. I live in the mountains, near Estes Park where I am privilleged to see the elk in town as well as in the parks. They are a wonder of nature and now, they are being killed by "volunteer hunters". Such a sport and culling. The elk are just trying to survive their life but the DOW sits and decides it's okay to kill. Hope these experts are taking out the old and sick...but..being done by "hunters" they are probably taking out the best. So, if they cull 100 cows many may be with calf, does that count towards the 100?
February 5, 2009

10:17 p.m.

Suggest removal

FrozenPeaElkBFree writes:

We treat animal species in national parks like we crave unatainable national resourses! Abuse it now! and we be better off tomorrow! Did we not give animals the right to be free in a "National Park" setting?
February 5, 2009

10:24 p.m.

Suggest removal

FrozenPeaElkBFree writes:

By the way...Very nice picture of the cullers....errr....Award winners from the Bass Pro Shop!
February 5, 2009

10:27 p.m.

Suggest removal

FrozenPeaElkBFree writes:

Estes park has Elk flow through their community seasonly!
Why are they not complaining like "Big Bro?"

Home › News › Local News

4th elk culled in park

Female shot to thin herd, save ecosystem in Rocky Mountain

By Jean Torkelson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published February 4, 2009 at 11:44 a.m.Updated February 4, 2009 at 11:55 p.m.

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Published February 4, 2009 at 11:44 a.m.
Updated February 4, 2009 at 11:55 p.m.