It’s hard to believe, but the fall big game season is right around the corner. It’s time to go through your equipment, tune up that bow and sight in that rifle.
The 2016 big game season looks very promising because:
- The mild winter resulted in high over-winter survival of big game. The winter started off strong but settled down and winter range conditions were mild.We are currently monitoring about 130 collared elk in Units 4, 6, and 7. Adult cow survival is around 96% and survival of 6-month old calves that we collared in January is about 76%.Both survival rates are very encouraging. (Look for more details on this topic in a later article.)
- The mild winter made it tougher for predators, specifically cougars and wolves, to make kills. Elk are spread wider across their winter range and are much more mobile during mild winters.
- The winter helicopter surveys indicated high calf survival. Calf:cow ratios averaged over 30 calves per 100 cows in Units 4, 6, and the lower portion of 7.In the Calder area of Unit 6 we found over 40 calves:100 cows. These results, combined with the 6-month calf survival from the radio-collared elk, should result in a good number of spikes this fall.
Conditions in the field this year are also a lot better than last year. Remember all that smoke in 2015 from the fires? Southern Idaho has some active fires this year (unfortunately in an area in which I drew a muzzleloader permit) but unlike last year, there are currently no active fires in the Panhandle and the fire danger is much lower this year than last.
So make sure to pick up your tags if you haven’t already, get out in the woods and do some scouting, and get ready for an enjoyable fall season.
Another important thing to remember. We are in the second year of the new 2-year season setting cycle. That means we will be looking at the current seasons, evaluating the harvest over the past 2 years, and making recommendations to our commission for the 2017 and 2018 big game seasons. Keep that in mind when you are in the woods this fall because we will be asking for your input later this winter.
Remember, keep safe, be respectful of others, and good luck!