Hard, long winter affects elk population

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) recently completed its annual spring elk population survey, and Biologist Bruce Sterling said the hard winters in the area continue to take a toll on the local population.

Sterling said they viewed 1,418 elk in the 121 hunting district, around Trout Creek, and 428 elk in district 123, south of Thompson Falls. In district 121, the 10-year average for total elk is 1,492.

“This wasn’t a surprise,” Sterling said of the lower elk numbers. “Adults survived pretty good because winter isn’t as hard on them, but the last few long winters have hurt populations.”

FWP tracks elk recruitment, the number of calves who makes it through the winter. They count these animals that are about 10 or 11 months old in the spring. This year, recruitment was 17%. Sterling said that means they counted 17 calves for every 100 cow elk. Recruitment was down for the third year in a row. “Anything below 21% shows a declining population,” the FWP biologist said, noting that if calves survive their first winter, FWP consider them recruited into the elk population.

“Winter is the driving force,” Sterling stated. “If we get a good moderate winter, we’ll see higher recruitment numbers.”

During the surveys conducted via helicopter in April, FWP counted 128 bulls in district 121 (including spikes), 1,097 cows and 190 calves. The 10-year average for the elk population is 134 bulls, 1,082 cows and 233 calves.

FWP elk surveys are conducted in April, as more green vegetation covers the valley floors. Sterling said they did see some elk in side drainages even though those areas haven’t greened up, but those sightings are standard. He said FWP normally has a three-week window in April that they can complete the surveys, due to scheduling the helicopter and pilot. The 2019 surveys were completed over six days with eight flights. FWP flies early in the mornings or in late evening. Sterling said the green vegetation available keeps the wildlife out longer than normal.

Sterling said the numbers from district 123, which includes Cherry, Prospect and Dry creeks, were great. “We counted 75 more elk than the 10-year average.” He noted that the numbers for adults were good in 123, but that the number of bulls in the area could be better. Recruitment was still also low in 123, with 12 calves per 100 cows compared with the 10-year average of 20 calves.

Sterling did note that in district 123, budget constraints do not allow them to survey every year. There were no surveys of district 123 in 2018, 2014 or 2013.