Would you support elk on the following game lands in the NCWRC game lands program

I support elk establishment on the following game lands:


  • Total voters
    25
  • Poll closed .

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Where are they actively managing them?

Parts of Haywood County where landowners have complained about the elk.

As I understand it they have helped put up "elk proof" fences and chased off depredating elk.


They also have radio collared 4 elk that I know of (its in the WRC meeting notes) and are tracking them around Maggie Valley.

They have, for better or worse, become a tourist draw in Maggie Valley/Cherokee area.
 
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25contender

Twelve Pointer
They have, for better or worse, become a tourist draw in Maggie Valley/Cherokee area.

To me this is a problem. And once they are established the general public will not want them hunted. A elk can cover lots of territory in a day I am talking many miles and NC just doesn't have that kind of range for a huntable herd. Sure a few are fine but having a large herd will definitely have issues. I hunt out west and it takes many many sq miles of continuous range for them to thrive and winter. Then if they become a huntable herd it will be all politics trying to get a tag. When the state sees how much a tag will go for the high prices of the tags will weed out the everyday hunter and become a rich mans game. This has already happened in many western states.
 

JoeyK

Twelve Pointer
Hmmm.....i personally feel we should take all the money from the lazy welfare recipients and use it for wildlife enhancement projects like trial runs on elk in various gamelands....just my opinion though!!!
 

cklem

Guest
I was raised in the area that is now the 28904 zip code for a little over 60 years on 1100 acres. I now live on a little over what is left of that farm, just shy of 220 acres. I think I have a pretty good feeling for how most of the folks feel for them up here. Honestly if they put them on game lands I would suspect the herd would decline rapidly. Something CRC doesn't have a concept of.

Hey Taylor, I have been thinking for the last couple days, There are not many 200 acre tracts of private land in the 28904 zip code, I am pretty sure I know most of the folks that have a little land here, The only Taylors I know of in this county live on Town Mtn. Hmm!! I am perplexed.From my job, I am pretty sure I have met everyone here at one time or another? are you west end, because there are only a couple tracts of land that big from mid to east end.As you know there is not much privately owned land here, I have a county map, of properties and the owners names, I can't seem to find you.Just curious. I have permission or pay to hunt most of the private land here over 200 acres.I like to know who owns land that borders the land I hunt.
 

cklem

Guest
Yes, in fact almost out of the zip to the west.

Ok I know what you mean now, I thouht so, that is where the big tracts of land are in the county, the rest have been cut up into pieces, I deer and turkey hunt probably very near your place, I have about 6 places I hunt in your area, one is 300acres, 400 acres, 600 acres, in all there are about 2k acres I have access to, some I pay, some I just have permission. The deer population is growing fast over there.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Couple of snippits from the "Landowner Views of Elk in Western North Carolina May 2014" Kerry Linehan and Dain Palmer, NCWRC:
Because most tracts of land owned by western North Carolina landowners were relatively small compared to what is needed to support a huntable herd of elk and that the majorities of landowners of parcels > 15 acres in each geographic region indicated they were unlikely to allow people other than their families or immediate household to hunt on their properties, finding lands in western North Carolina that could support a huntable herd of elk herd will be extremely challenging.
(emphasis mine)

Considering all responses, a huntable herd of elk would most likely be supported and accessible to hunters if established on public land.
(emphasis mine)
 
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