Harvest numbers keep rising

THOMPSON FALLS – Fish Wildlife and Parks met with the Sanders County Commissioners on Wednesday, providing an update on the past hunting season, bear activity, fishery and wolves.

Wildlife Biologist Bruce Sterling began the meeting and discussed the annual Hunter’s Harvest Survey that is conducted every winter. The department received the information about a month ago and Sterling said the harvest “is still holding its own.”

Last year in hunting district 121, a total of 237 bulls were harvested – a number slightly higher than last years total but less than in previous years. The 2013 number beat out the 15-year average for bull harvest, which sits at 209 bulls.

“You’ll see that sort of progress this year with all the hunting groups,” said Sterling, explaining the numbers for all four hunting districts went up in regards to elk.

The deer harvest was strong as well, with white tail deer numbers up in all four districts.

“The take home message is that harvest is holding pretty good considering we have a new predator on the block,” said Sterling.

Sterling expressed mule deer numbers are down in Sanders County, Montana and across the western states. Different theories try to battle the question of why the decrease in numbers has occurred but so far no clear-cut answer has been provided.

“We don’t have the open hill sides like we used to back in the 30s and 40s. Why they are declining in other areas of the west is its probably a several degree factor: habitat, disease, the mountain spring time moisture,” said Sterling, stating “this is not mule deer country.”

Sterling said in the 40s and 50s, about 80 percent of the deer harvest in Sanders County was mule deer and that has flip flopped with about 90 percent of the harvest now white tail deer.

Bear biologist for Sanders and Lincoln Counties Kim Annis then took the stage and discussed different issues regarding bears in the area.

“This has got to be my quietest year on record for bears,” said Annis. “Aside from a couple of black bear calls around the Heron area between Heron and Noxon, it’s been super quiet.”

Annis said she is still receiving many of the typical calls but this year many of the phone calls have been preventative care, people trying to get ahead of the game and bear proofing their properties.

Annis has been working with her team to collect hair samples from different rub sites, where bear hair is transferred onto trees. The samples will be collected and set to a lab for analysis, which will provide a DNA breakdown on the bear.

The project aims to close in the spring of 2014.

“They’re still collecting samples off a number of those sites that are the most promising,” said Annis.

Work to help keep bears out of solid waste sites is underway to help protect both bears and people.

“We know for certain grizzly bears have been in the Noxon site, the Rock Creek site. We know black bears have been in the other ones but not necessarily grizzly bears,” said Annis. “But you know, prevention is prevention and we have quite a few of our highest conflict sites for the waste collection sites 100 percent bear proof.”

Thompson Falls Fishery Biologist Kenny Breidinger provided an update on their current projects at hand.

Breidinger stated so far the fish ladder has let over 3,681 fish – the highest number for the past few years.

Although the majority of the fish are large scaled suckers, Breidinger said four Bull Trout were passed this year as well as quite a few trout.

“We passed an eight pound brown trout this year – a monster of a fish,” said Breidinger.

Currently he is working on a project that will help identify some of the missing parts of a Bull Trout’s life cycle and will focus on juvenile migration.

“We know a lot about the Bull Trout when they’re in their tributaries and when they’re juveniles and return as adults but we don’t know a lot between the time they leave and the time they return,” said Breidinger.

Reservoir sampling has continued as usual and the department is working on monitoring walleye this year to get a better grasp of what the population is like.

Breidinger explained no decision has been released for the walleye proposal as of yet, although he hopes one will come around soon.

Game Warden of Region One Tom Chianelli then reported on this past hunting season, stating it was one of his slower ones violation wise.

“The citation numbers for this year are up a little bit, nothing too big,” said Chianelli. Throughout Region One this year, 41 charges have been filed through the County Attorney’s office.

Around $18,000 in fines was paid, some of that total including restitution – a compensation for injury or a loss.

Three life time revocations for hunting, fishing and trapping were issued after a big case regarding elk took place last spring. One of the three people involved received 75 years of revocation on public lands on top of their hunting, fishing and trapping revocation.

“Last April and May we had a bunch of elk getting shot,” said Chianelli, delving into some case specifics.

Chianelli was able to secure a search warrant and after a search took place, 36 charges were filed in that group alone.

“As far as other citations we ran into, it was just typical summer time stuff,” said Chianelli. “A far majority of people are doing the right things.”

He also made a comment stating that bear problems have been light this year, a good sign for everyone.

Along with that, Chianelli stated the wolf talk has also been quiet.

“They have gotten very quiet. Both Tom and I will tell you, we don’t hear a lot of people talking about them,” said Sterling. “It’s certainly not what we heard five, six years ago.”

Sterling pinned the lull in conversation on hunter’s ability to now go out and do something.

“I think the positive factor is now they can do something about it – they can buy a hunting license and I think it has quieted down a lot of the people who talk,” said Sterling.

The wolf season has now been extended to March 15, longer than last year’s end date of February 28.

FWP will continue to meet with the Sanders County Commissioners on a quarterly basis. The next meeting is scheduled for October.