The elk are impressive to see. I stopped along Hwy GG south ofClam Lake over by Loretta one early evening and watched a beautiful bull elk standing off the road calling. It was late fall and you could see the steam coming off his nose and mouth. There was only one cow I could see back in the brush, but it was really well worth the drive.
Cayugad, This is awesome, thanks for sharing.
But Cayugad,
Have some faith. First you mention the wolves. Yes, the wolves if left unchecked will be a problem, but they are not going unchecked. The DNR wants there to be around 350 wolves. Last year when the wolves were delisted for a couple of months, our DNR went right to work and were able to kill 37 wolves before the wolves were put back on the endangered list. That was a big effort and a lot of wolves for that short time. Now that the wolves are off the endanger species list again, we can expect the DNR to get back to work and bring the wolf numbers down to the goal level of 350. Quite honestly, the bear population is a bigger threat to the elk than the wolves, which is why the DNR issued 6000 more bear tags for this 2009 bear season. It's been the deer population that has suffered because of too many predators and lack of elk. With out supplementing our elk herd, deer tags in the north woods will soon be as tough to draw as elk tags. For the 2009 deer season, there are already too many deer tags issued in some areas, it is as important as ever that we get the elk herd going. Not only for elk hunting, but to help deer hunting as well.
Your second point, also valid, is the average Joe not able to draw a tag. Although it would be nice to add 5000 elk all at once, adding a large number all at once isn't practical, but once we get the 50 elk from Elk Island National Park, it opens the door for supplementing the elk herd a little at a time each year which will reduce the time the average Joe takes to draw a tag. The first elk hunting season will bring in money, the more hunters pitching in money to draw a tag, the more money can be put back into getting more elk, restoring more habitat and educating the public about elk in Wisconsin. Even though the first 5 years will only provide the average hunter a slim chance to hunt, the money raised will guarantee a better future for hunters, deer, bears, wolves, the entire food chain and economy of the north woods.
I went to my first RMEF Banquet this spring in Freemont WI. Not one of the bigger RMEF chapters in this state, yet there were around 300 people who attended. Between the meal and rafles, I'd gues they raised between $15,000- $20,000 at this 1 banquet in one night! This was only 1 of about 50 or more chapter banquets in our state. That's a lot of money raised and a lot of support with very little publicity. It's that support that has gotten the elk program this far and it is this support that will guarantee that there will always be an elk herd in WI.. As far as not having enough elk to start the first hunting season, if we don't get the EINP elk, there has been talk about starting the first season before the herd reaches 200 because the bull to cow ratio is real good, the Clam Lake herd has plenty of bulls. RMEF has already spent over $5 million in Wisconsin and we're not going away! You can continue to sit back and watch, or you can join in and help, it's going to get done, just a matter of getting support to get it done faster.
Knowing how this state works, when it comes to elk, WE ARE the state. If our elected leaders can not get the job done, then it's up to us. Hunters proved we can make a difference last April 15th. Take $35 from your taxes and give it to RMEF as a sure way of telling the state that elk WILL be a part of Wisconsin's future.