Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist Bob Henderson knew that was going to be the case even before the inaugural hunt began last season.
“I knew just from the phone calls that some of the people who'd drawn a permit weren't going to like this,” Henderson said. “Even though the permit said Rattlesnake Wilderness, they seemed to think there must be some way to drive into it.”
Last year, 80 hunters drew permits for the hunt which begins in mid-September.
“About 50 percent of those actually went hunting,” Henderson said. “I think some people tend to apply for permits for areas they know nothing about. In this case, I think many people looked at the limited access into the area and said, ‘Naw. I don't think I'm going to do that.' ”
Those who did make the effort had a pretty good chance of getting an elk.
Last year, three bulls and six cows were harvested by about 45 hunters.
“That's a pretty good success rate for elk hunting,” Henderson said.
The hunt is intended to help control the growth of an elk herd that winters in the North Hills of Missoula.
That herd has been expanding at a rate of 15 percent to 17 percent a year. In 1980, it numbered 40 head. Last year, the state counted about 300 elk on the winter range.
Henderson figures it would take a harvest of about 50 cows every year to keep the numbers in check. But he doesn't think the wilderness hunt will ever be able to account for that many animals.
“I think this will end up as part of the solution,” he said. “In the end, we're going to have to find different ways to peck away at them around the edges.”
For instance, bowhunters are already figuring out that a part of the herd migrates out of the wilderness by the first of October. About 150 head end up around Sawmill Gulch on both national forest lands and property owned by the National Wildlife Federation.
“Bowhunters are catching on to that and maybe they'll be able to harvest a few,” he said.
In the long run, Henderson said the solution might entail some additional access on private lands inside the herd's winter range.
The state is working with a University of Montana graduate student in a study tracing the migration patterns of the elk. Information gleaned from that study should help FWP design future management actions to help keep the herd in check, Henderson said.
“I don't know if we'll ever get ahead of them,” he said.
Hunters do seem ready to do their part.
Last year, there were more permits than there were hunters. About 13 of the antlerless permits were sold as surplus tags over the counter following the annual drawing.
“This year there weren't any on the surplus list,” Henderson said. “There must be more people interested. Now, if they'll just get out and hunt.”
Reporter Perry Backus can be reached at 523-5259 or at pbackus@missoulian.com.
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