Monitoring documents high mountain lion predation of Blue Mountains elk; some suggest limiting hunting | Wire

LEWISTON – An elk monitoring project in Washington’s Blue Mountains continues to produce alarming results and has become a potential point of philosophical conflict between the state’s fish and wildlife commissioners.

Efforts by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife began in May with the capture of 125 elk calves equipped with tracking collars.

Only 11 of these animals were still alive by mid-November.

Two died during the initial capture, seven had their collars slipped and their fate is unknown, and biologists have documented 105 deaths.

Of these, 77 were attributed to predation, 54 or 70% of them by mountain lions.

“If you look at the survival rate that we have so far, 11% in the fall, even before winter comes, that’s pretty low,” said Kyle Garrison, acting ungulate manager for the agency.

The herd of Blue Mountain Moose has been in decline since 2017. The estimated population of 3,600 animals is 35% below the management target of 5,500.

The survival of the calves since 2017 has been poor.

“We are seeing calf recruitment below levels where one would expect stability, let alone growth and a reversal of that decline,” said Garrison.

Spokane Commissioner Kim Thorburn called it “a herd in crisis” at a recent meeting of the Commission’s Wildlife Committee.

Buckley, Pierce County’s Commissioner Jim Anderson said it was important to get the best and latest data, but also to do something to help the herd.

“I don’t want to be paralyzed by just studying and not taking action,” he said.

The project to monitor the survival of calves is expected to last until spring.

Wildlife managers will use the data and other information to develop possible actions that will be presented to the Commission and the public next summer.

Garrison said no decisions are final, but one possible response would be to reduce the cougar population.

“In this case, since cougars account for 70% of all carnivore deaths, it seems the more obvious recommendation to focus on this greatest source of mortality,” said Garrison.

But Jefferson County’s Commissioners Fred Koonts and Lorna Smith of Jefferson County rejected, saying the state’s management target of 5,500 moose was too high and should be cut.

“I don’t know how big the crisis really is,” said Koontz, who resigned from the commission on Monday.

Smith said the fires last summer and years may have reduced the area’s moose bearing capacity. Instead of focusing on predators, the agency should reduce moose hunting opportunities.

“Why did we move on to predator management, that’s really my question when it seems like the obvious answer to short-term solutions is to cut back on crops,” she said.

Both commissioners, appointed by Governor Jay Inslee last year, have intermittently questioned scientific evidence and data collected by agency officials.

They previously opposed the bear population estimates that biologists gathered in support of a limited spring bear-hunting season.

This season was canceled last month following a tie in the commission.

Wildlife managers defended the goal of moose management, saying the fires, including last summer’s fires, are and will largely benefit moose by improving their habitat.

“The level of calf predation we see or the calf mortality we see wouldn’t even support a lower population target,” said Game Director Anis Aoude. “It shows a downward trend, regardless of the objective. I think we have to do something or, given the trajectory we’re seeing, there may be very few moose left. “