By BECKY THOMAS
Staff Reporter
Elk have been overpopulating Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge for the past decade, according to refuge biologist Mike Rule.
That problem will continue for another year, with an elk hunt postponed from last fall now rescheduled for fall 2010.
Rule said that a hunt plan was completed last January, but due to procedural hang-ups the Department of the Interior didn't approve the plan in time to have the hunt start in September.
“Things got hung up,” Rule said. “With a new administration sometimes it takes longer to get it done.”
Now the elk hunt is set to begin this fall, with limited entry points and an application process for hunters to receive one of less than 200 permits.
“I think we'll get a lot of applications for permits this year,” he said.
The hunt was several years in the making, Rule said. As open land became developed in the area, more elk would come to the refuge for food and shelter. As more elk moved in, Rule said the hungry vegetarians have hit Turnbull's aspen population hard.
While it's hard to predict how many elk will be taken in the first hunt, Rule said the goal is not to kill a certain number of animals.
“The idea is to not allow the refuge to become such a safe haven,” he said. “By having a hunt on the refuge, they won't feel as safe here. It will get the animals moving around.”
Rule said the hunt on the refuge was expected to improve elk hunting outside Turnbull's borders, since the hope is to get some elk to move out of the area.
Once the Department of the Interior makes a final ruling on the hunt, it will be published in the federal register. Rule said refuge staff would then produce brochures detailing the hunt and begin assigning hunting areas within the refuge.
For more information, call Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge at 235-4723.
Becky Thomas can be reached at [email protected].
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