Projects and Issues

Options for Collaboration: Youth, Elk, and Landowners

Montana’s wildlife wealth is unique in our nation – it is deeply imbedded in our culture, Montana is one of the last bastions of the truly great frontiers for diverse wildlife related experiences including hunting; but there is a growing problem.

 Issues over big game management, primarily elk but in some cases deer and pronghorn, have been brewing for the past five to ten years as wildlife populations in some regions have increased resulting in damaged fencing, crop loss and game damage, problems for both landowners and FWP wildlife managers. In some circumstances, sportsmen and landowners are mutually frustrated. It is not necessarily a matter of having too many elk, the carrying capacity of many Montana habitats can certainly sustain far more; it is a matter of animal distribution, or a lack thereof, and the ability to apply effective management tools.  The challenges of sustaining and managing big game populations today are far different from those of the past – there are more competing interests.  The increasing human population and associated development in Montana, the conversion of agricultural land and new ownerships, the development of natural resources and demands for energy, and interests that treat wildlife as a private commodity are colliding with management regimes and traditional, positive relationships between landowners and hunters.

 For several years, MWF board members have had many thoughtful discussions about the growing problems associated with big game animal concentrations. We have talked to landowners, sportspersons groups, legislators, public land managers and FWP decision makers as we seek options and solutions. MWF has presented information and possible approaches to resolving some of the complex issues and has exchanged ideas with past Private Lands/Public Wildlife Councils. For three legislative sessions MWF has sought   options that take into consideration game damage impacts to landowners adjacent to those lands where animals are congregating, and we have talked about how some form of a collaboratively developed pilot project might work, if successful, as a template for problem areas in Montana.

 One of the most frequently identified management problems in the FWP 2004-2005 Elk Management Plan is animal distribution, primarily as a result of lack of access for hunting. In truth, this is not just about hunting opportunities; it’s about hunting as a tool that helps manage population numbers and dispersal across available habitat

 Understanding the long-term values of working more closely with private landowners to resolve some wildlife issues, in the fall of 2009 MWF submitted proposals to the owner of a 3,200 acre ranch near Helena. The landowner is a very conscientious, progressive steward that after his ranch purchase nearly two decades ago instituted conservation efforts to restore the ranch as a productive environment capable of providing healthful habitats for a diversity of wildlife. Some limited hunting was made available in an attempt to keep elk dispersed but management problems resulted in the ranch being closed. The landowner considers effectively managing the ranch environments a long-term ownership responsibility and understands that it is not necessarily in the best interest to shelter large numbers of elk during the hunting season, only to have the animals devour the badly needed forage on a neighbor’s property during the off-season or even under the cover of darkness.

 In this particular case, the ranch is bordered by a Wildlife Management Area open to public hunting, a large ranch enrolled in the Block Management Program that allows open, sign-in hunting, a small private parcel that allows only very limited harvest, and a highway between other private lands that also offer some limited hunting. Despite some ranch staff attempts to disperse animals and the owner willing to pay non-staff to keep elk from congregating near ranch structures and corals, it has continued to draw large numbers of elk.

 MWF first consulted with the FWP area biologist, reviewed department population data and population objectives for the area and found that the number of animals had increased by around 50 percent since the prior winter, and that for a number of years, the area had a slightly higher population than the upper end of objectives. At the same time, “management success” (measured by the #of antlerless elk harvested vs. the #of permits issued) had been declining since 2005.

 New approaches were thoroughly discussed with the ranch owner, ranch staff, the FWP biologist and Law Enforcement Division. What evolved was a marriage of efforts aimed to help disperse animals and offer some harvest from the growing elk herd by youth hunters.  The intent was to move, disperse and break-up large concentrations of animals (60 to as many as 400 head) to other parts of the ranch and adjacent private and public lands that allow hunting, both as a herd/population management tool and to offer some Helena area youth a positive hunting – conservation connection experience. MWF is also concerned with national trends of a growing disconnect between youth, hunting, the outdoors and wildlife.  Through administered, somewhat controlled circumstances, selected youth hunters could have an experience on a well managed ranch with a diversity of wildlife and see and possibly harvest game while being presented with fair chase and conservation educational material.

 MWF offered two experienced hunter members as “hunt masters” to lead this effort with ranch staff guidance. MWF first met with FWP and discussed all of the activities. With the cooperation of the landowner and FWP, nine (9) first time youth hunters who had recently passed the State of Montana, Hunter Education Program were offered a limited youth hunt for nine (9) days, three (3) weekends (Fri – Sun), three youth per weekend. The age restriction of 12-15 years of age corresponded with the Hunter Education Program and the FWP standard hunting season structure allowing the age group to harvest either a cow or spike bull or if they had luckily drawn a special permit to harvest a brow-tined bull in the area. No accommodation was made for any type of special license for hunting on the ranch.

 The youth were selected by random computer draw in cooperation with the FWP Hunter Education Program database. Each selected youth and his or her accompanying non-hunting adult were required to attend a mandatory orientation session to review hunting laws and restrictions, ranch rules, the ethics of fair chase, and participate in a discussion about respect and appreciation for the private lands, wildlife and natural environments.

 After agreeing to the ‘Ranch Rules and Restrictions’ and signing an access/liability agreement as used by the Block Management Program, all youth were required to be accompanied  by the non-hunting parent/or grandparent/or guardian at all times while on the property.   Additionally, all parties were required to check-in and off the ranch on a daily basis. The participating MWF volunteer members did not participate in the hunt, in the field or offer any services, but instead, were on property at all times to monitor daily activities, hold the hunters accountable, ensure that all rules were adhered to, check them in and out, and essentially lessen demands on ranch staff.  They were there to offer hunting strategies, guidance and facilitate a positive experience. All parties hunted on their own in a fair chase manner.

 All hunting was done on foot; hunters were allowed to drive on established ranch roads only after 12:00 Noon, and most chose to drive the interior roads to a location and then pursue game on foot. All of the hunters adhered to this restriction, none drove off road and all retrieval was completed on foot.

 Animals were moved not only around the ranch by youth hunters, but also onto adjacent properties. Several of the hunting parties observed animals crossing fences onto accessible FWP lands as well as onto the publicly accessible private lands where hunting was taking place.  

 As the weekends progressed, elk observed were usually in smaller groups than they were during the first two weeks of the hunting season, prior to youth hunting.  It was also observed that many animals became more wary of people on foot – they acted like wild-life.  After the first day of each weekend, bands of elk were less commonly observed in the open pastures of the ranch. Of the nine youth hunters, four harvested animals (all cows).

 With the support of the ranch owner, and facilitation by MWF volunteers, the experiences for the youth and adults were positive. As first time hunters they were exposed to fair chase hunting that did not focus on the harvest alone, but also on the experience and connection with the outdoors and wildlife.

 The area biologist observed that while not all the youth harvested an animal, the harvest by the general public for the immediate and adjacent private and public lands increased, inferring that for various reasons more elk were contacted by hunters but this increased harvest was not to the detriment of the herd.  One of the logical reasons may have been animal dispersal and wider distribution to adjacent huntable lands due to the youth hunting activities.  

 In addition to beneficial animal dispersal, the positive experiences for the youth and adults were impressive. All expressed their deep appreciation to the landowner for the opportunity, and the feedback MWF received confirmed that the opportunity was well planned and managed. Whether father and son or daughter, all of the youth and adults shared with us their daily experiences, observing elk and other wildlife, identifying animal tracks, the spectacular viewscapes, and the experiences of the hunt with a parent were bonding and learning experiences that they will not forget.

 Using this pilot project as a test, MWF learned that any facilitated effort will require adjustments on a case by case, adaptive basis.  Should there be more or less hunting, should the orientation include some ‘in the field’ firearm shooting instruction? Adjustments may be needed, but this project was deemed a success and may well be a template for working with landowners that have not in the past allowed public hunting for one reason or another.  The design and outcomes of the project helped to disperse concentrations of elk and also introduced first time hunters to a code of conduct and behavior, the principles of conservation, respect for wildlife and private landownership and it offered collaborative options that can improve landowner/sportsmen relations.   Any such effort demands the building of trust through accountability and communications.

 MWF is sincerely appreciative of the landowner’s willingness to allow this experimental –pilot effort, and we are hopeful that it may be expanded and refined by applying lessons learned in 2010. 

 If you are a landowner or a local sportsmen’s’ club and you would like to hear more or explore this project, please contact MWF, Executive Director, Craig Sharpe, csharpe@mtwf.org or call (800) – 517- 7256.