Hiawatha

Due to the ever growing number of complaints by farmers and landowners in sask about the damages done to their crops each year, the 2004 season will be modified to thin out the cows in the herds. This fall the first week of the regular elk season will be bulls only as usual and the second week will now be if its brown its down. The season was set up like this about 5 years ago but they had changed it to bulls only for the past 4 years or so. Since then the number of elk have been growing at a rate of close to 1000/year. It is estimated in sask right now there is 15000 elk, 3 years ago there was 12000. Sure the province could support alot more elk but the elk are concentrated into certain areas and not distributed throughout the province. This growing number of elk is a real headache for farmers....Each year we lose at least 50 acres of crop and a dozen hay bales. The level of damage was never this extreme in the past so i am happy to see that the regulations will be changing back. They plan to cut back the number of draw tags on cows to prevent over harvesting the herds. This is good in a way because now the people who do not get drawn still have a pretty good shot at an elk. Its estimated that the sucess rate for elk hunters here is around 25% but i expect that number to jump a heck of a lot this season. Also due to the struggling moose population in the northeast the rifle season in november is now bulls only and the draw tags in the Greenwater lake provincial park will be cut back even further. Why don't they shut the season down completely and give this critters a chance to rebuild. The were hit so hard by ticks a few years ago that it was a disaster. Within a 3 mile radius of my farm i had found 4 dead moose in fencelines in the spring time. How many were dead that i never found? Usually when i am trapping in the spring i usually saw a moose every second day....I haven't seen a moose on my land in 2 years now. I have quit moose hunting and don't allow anyone to moose hunt on my land. i really wish the government wouldn't be so money hungry and close the season down completely in my area before its too late.

skeeter 7MM

Hiawatha, I heard numerous rumors about changes to both seasons. I have said for a number of years that moose should be archery and draw only, this allows the DNR to control the amount, etc of hunters in the field and the impact to the resource. Not to sure if the 2nd week cow reopening will prove to be of much worth, while I am sure resident(local) hunter will take advantage of it, I am pretty sure most guys who travel will still be looking to hunt the call and will pick week 1....I guess we'll see!! I know one of my main allures to these animals is hearing them roar, so if I don't succeed with the bow next fall, I will be out week 1 with the rifle!

BTW, where did you see these changes? I check SERM's website and couldn't find anything. Did you see anything about the second wt either tag being offered again next fall for those northern zones?

Hiawatha

Skeeter i personally didn't seee the changes anywhere but i have a pretty reliable source. There was a meeting held back home this week between a few of the local farmers and serm. The gentlemen that designs the season/limit was present at the meeting and he was telling my Dad that this is a for sure. Think the mans name was Cowell or something along that lines. But ya i also have yet to see it this thing come out of the closet and be announced. So far rumors are all we have. As for the second either sex tag this year i have no clue bud. I would really like to see people shooting more does instead of bucks but i can't really talk.

skeeter 7MM

Thanks, serms website should be updated soon with draw applications starting in april, we'll have to wait and see.