Officials say predator density affecting Sanders County elk population

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks officials heard ample public comment on its new elk management plan at a meeting Thursday in Thompson Falls.

The FWP has been scheduling meetings with the public throughout Montana this year to update the state's Elk Management plan, which was last revised in 2005. The new management plan will help guide the state in future elk herd management needs and regulations.

Neil Anderson, Regional Wildlife Manager for Northwestern Montana, started off the meeting with a slide presentation reviewing Region 1 elk population studies, hunting statistics and predator populations. During the presentation Anderson answered questions from the public, with many of those present questioning the decline of elk in Sanders County and what is being done to reverse the trend.

Anderson said that a few elk and wolves will be radio collared along the Clark Fork River corridor between Thompson Falls and Noxon this winter. He also said that Region 1 has the highest predator density in the state with an estimated wolf population of 500 and an estimated mountain lion population of 1,200. With a new elk management plan in place, possible solutions could be a reduction in predator populations through higher harvest numbers.

Anderson commented on the difficulty of counting elk in Region 1 due to the density of the forests. Several counting methods are currently in place, with helicopters being the primary one. A new counting method with game cameras were tested in Hunting District 103 in 2019-20. Ninety-six cameras were set up throughout HD 103 to photograph their perspective areas every five minutes over the year. That test generated over 1 million photographs to study.

The goal of the new plan is to put in place where harvest levels need to be lowered or raised in each district. How can FWP keep the Elk populations at the objective levels with hunting regulations and restrictions? How can FWP keep Montana the premier location in the county to view and hunt? Other states are seeing a decline in hunting licenses being issued, with Montana bucking that trend. In 2004 106,000 resident licenses were purchased increasing in 2021 to 112,000. In 2021, 22,000 non-resident licenses were sold.

The public can comment on the Elk Management Plan by e-mailing comments to FWPWLD@mt.gov or sending comments to Montana FWP PO. Box 200701 Helena, MT 59620-0701 Comment date submission ends, Oct. 15, 2022.