Wildlife crews find 'robust' elk populations

Recent survey flights by Idaho Department of Fish and Game wildlife staffers confirmed that elk populations in two local elk "zones" are in great shape.

For several weeks in early January, Fish and Game biologists flew large portions of the Boise River Zone and the adjacent Smoky-Bennett Zone, counting and classifying elk in each area.

In the Boise River Zone, elk numbers totaled 7,769 animals, with cow elk (5,417) and calf elk (1,317) making up the majority of the count. More than 1,000 bulls were part of the total, and classified as follows: 448 spikes, 240 raghorn bulls and 347 mature bulls.

The calf/cow index, used to gauge the health and growth status of an elk herd, was calculated at 24 calves/100 cows. The bull/cow ratio penciled out at 19 bulls/100 cows.

Wildlife biologist Jake Powell, who spent several weeks in a Bell 47G helicopter counting elk, provided some perspective on the numbers.

"In reference to the department's elk management plan, these figures exceed the population objectives for this elk herd," Powell said. "For example, our total cow elk objective for the Boise River Zone is a range between 3,200 and 4,800 animals. The 5,417 figure is obviously well above that which might translate into increased hunter opportunity this fall."

Powell also noted that the presence of large groups can make surveying challenging.

"It is challenging to break large herds into manageable groups to comp," Powell said. "We often encountered groups of several hundred animals. Largest group was over 700."

The Smoky-Bennett Zone is new for 2015, combining the former Smoky Zone with the adjacent Bennett Hills Zone based on elk movements between the two areas. A January survey of this zone produced equally encouraging numbers.

The Smoky-Bennett Zone elk herd totaled 4,871 animals, with cow elk (2,712) and calf elk (1,173) making up the majority of the count. Nearly 1,000 bulls were part of the total, and classified as follows: 337 spikes, 349 raghorn bulls and 300 mature bulls.

The Smoky-Bennett Zone calf/cow index was calculated at 43 calves/100 cows, while the bull/cow ratio was calculated at 36 bulls/100 cows.

"Both the calf/cow and bull/cow ratios are encouraging," Fish and Game wildlife manager Daryl Meints said. "Both ratios are signs of a very healthy elk herd."

When the Smoky-Bennett Zone was established in 2014, new population objectives were developed as well.

"Objectives for this zone, as laid out in the elk plan call for 2,000 to 3,000 cow elk, 620 to 930 total bulls and 400 to 595 adult bulls," Meints said. "Our January counts have this herd at the top end of the cow elk objective and over objective in both bull categories. That bodes well for the 2015 elk season."

In order to better quantify elk numbers across both the Boise River and Smoky-Bennett Zones, the two were flown simultaneously to account for some elk that move between these zones during winter months.

Conducting the survey in this fashion resulted in a more representative calculation of elk numbers within and across the two zones.

Because both zones are above population objectives, increased harvest opportunity for elk in both areas has been proposed.

Review and comment on 2015 big game hunting season proposals on the Fish and Game website.

Wildlife managers are also compiling numbers from an elk survey underway in the Elk City elk management zone and a mule deer population survey underway in southeast Idaho in the Bannock zone.

Once those surveys are complete, the information will be available on Fish and Game's website.

Evin Oneale is the southwest region conservation educator for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.