While others worry about the low recruitment rate of the Northern Yellowstone Elk Herd, most everyone in the Madison Valley agrees there are more elk here than ever before. Wall Creek Game Range records indicate that from the 1940’s through the 1960’s the largest number of elk wintering on the Range was about 200. Dramatic increases in the 80’s and 90’s have brought the number of wintering elk at Wall Creek over 2000. Not only have the herds multiplied, they are remaining on private land for longer periods.
Most residents, permanent and part-time alike, enjoy seeing these regal animals. However, in this case, more may not mean better. Large herds can have a considerable economic impact on those depending on spring pasture and hay to feed livestock. They can also have an undesirable ecological impact, such as heavy browsing of willows in riparian areas.
A number of factors likely contribute to increased elk populations in the Valley. Mild winters have certainly played a part. Changes in land ownership along the Madison range also appear a significant factor. Herds have learned to take refuge from hunters on properties that do not allow hunting access. Consequently, only about 30% of hunting tags result in successful kills. Many hunters, unable to secure good access to private land, no longer put in for tags in these hunting districts.
Some landowners prohibit hunting for philosophical reasons, but many others are simply overburdened by phone calls and management of hunters. While there are plenty of responsible hunters, all too often landowners are left with trampled fences, open gates, and even injured livestock. Yet, hunting remains the principle tool available for managing wildlife populations.
In response to concerns about elk herd impacts, the Madison Valley Ranchlands Group invited landowners along the Madison range, as well as hunters’ groups and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to participate in a series of meetings last fall. About 30 participants discussed concerns and options from changing the hunting season structure to compensating landowners for elk damage. Many strategies favored by the group would require legislative action. However, the participants agreed upon one strategy now underway: The MVRG is coordinating a managed hunt for hunters holding special A-7 licenses. The A-7 objectives are to improve the rate of hunting success and provide a means to move elk off of private land before and after the general season.
Here’s how the process works. This spring, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks authorized unlimited sale of special "A-7" licenses for antlerless elk in hunting districts 360 and 362. In return for an A-7 tag, hunters had to give up any other elk license for the season. The A-7 licenses are valid from September 7th through February 15th, excepting days included in the late season hunt.
In order to make it easy for landowners to give access to hunters and to improve the chance of hunting success, MVRG Project Director Lane Adamson is acting as a middleman. Lane has signed up over 110 hunters for the A-7 season; 10% of these participants are women, 10% are youth, and 15% are disabled hunters. Landowners across the Madison range have agreed to call Lane when elk are on their property. In turn, Lane will work from his hunters’ list to send hunters to appropriate sites. Further, members of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and MVRG will accompany hunters to the location suggested by landowners.
With the managed hunt, the MVRG hopes to minimize the potential for conflicts between landowners and hunters, and provide a flexible tool for meeting elk population objectives. The hunt offers to raise hunter success rates well above the current 30%. ”We hope to manage elk numbers in the Madison Valley in a way acceptable to both landowners and sportsmen and responsible for wildlife,” said Lane.