Elk are eating my hay

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by Dam2406

A local farmer had deer all over his bails and he finally used Salt Peter and they quite, and his cows had no issue eating the feed. Worth a try.

Horses are more fussy what they will eat.

[Grizzly Adams]

A little late, but F & W will supply materials for fencing,farmer supplies the labor.

Grizz

[Willowayin]

Now I don’t know if this will help, but reading a story in another part of this world. The idea here is too make the location a disturbing place to be, so hopefully it will keep whatever at bay, it shouldn’t bother domesticated animals so much?

Story goes, the predators would come out at night and have a feast on the farmer’s livestock. His young son was trying to help him so that the animals wouldn’t be eaten and what he came up with was fantastic. He wired a strobe light up to a solar powered battery unit (nothing fancy here-remember this is the third world), and to his amazement IT WORKED! From that night forward not one animal was lost.
So hoping this should disturb elk? Unless they are soo hungry they couldn’t give a hoot. Wouldn’t want that in my eyes period.

[mac1983]

So F&W came out inspected the stack, took some pics, wrote up a report and told me they would compensate me for the damage. He then drove back into town and returned with 3 critter gitters, motion activated siren and flashing light and a roll of 6' high plastic snow fence and wrapped the stack. He was a very helpful fella and and went the extra mile for me. He said the sirens should work for awhile but they may get used to it. They will supply the wire for the fence if i put up some posts, which is the best cure, although he wasen't sure what was going to happen in the future with the new Government. I put up this post to inform myself and anyone else who is going through the same issue as me, not to troll anyone or create trouble, so am hoping people could refrain from raising heck. I would like to thank everyone who pm me with the offers, especially the ones who offered to help with the work, impressed me. I may be giving you a call this summer or fall.

[play.soccer]

Why not buy a fox pro caller and set it on "wolf". If it doesn't scare the elk it may call in actual wolves which would solve your problem. Better than allowing serial poaching to take place.

[PartTimeHunter]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

A little late, but F & W will supply materials for fencing,farmer supplies the labor.

Grizz

Not quite right - they will supply the wire. Period. The posts, braces, staples, high reach post pounder or auger is all on you in addition to the labour and gates. I've been through this. The cheap part of the deal is the wire.

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by play.soccer

Why not buy a fox pro caller and set it on "wolf". If it doesn't scare the elk it may call in actual wolves which would solve your problem. Better than allowing serial poaching to take place.

You would suggest trading an elk problem for a wolf problem?

Allowing legal hunters to help with nuisance wildlife is not allowing serial poaching.

[crazy_davey]

Originally Posted by PartTimeHunter

Not quite right - they will supply the wire. Period. The posts, braces, staples, high reach post pounder or auger is all on you in addition to the labour and gates. I've been through this. The cheap part of the deal is the wire.

Bang on, correct.

[qwert]

Originally Posted by covey ridge

snip
Allowing legal hunters to help with nuisance wildlife is not allowing serial poaching.

AFAIK, nuisance wildlife slaughter is not legally considered a 'traditional hunting' or 'treaty right'.

I suspect that soliciting native hunters (or anyone else) to perform unauthorized nuisance wildlife slaughter is a Provincial offense,
and may lead to legal costs that may be far greater than the cost of even an expensive fence.

Legal does not always mean right, proper or moral.

[mac1983]

Originally Posted by qwert

AFAIK, nuisance wildlife slaughter is not legally considered a 'traditional hunting' or 'treaty right'.

I suspect that soliciting native hunters (or anyone else) to perform unauthorized nuisance wildlife slaughter is a Provincial offense,
and may lead to legal costs that may be far greater than the cost of even an expensive fence.

Legal does not always mean right or proper.

This is wrong, The F&W Officer that came out to my place said one option was to contact a a FN with treaty status, so am assuming the F&W Officer was not counselling me to break the law. I was pm by a few FN individual's who just wanted to feed their family which i respect, so i am keeping their numbers on file. Not one FN individual accused me of anything.

[play.soccer]

Originally Posted by covey ridge

You would suggest trading an elk problem for a wolf problem?

Allowing legal hunters to help with nuisance wildlife is not allowing serial poaching.

Oh, do wolves eat hay? Once the food source for the wolves is gone there's a good chance the wolves will leave too, by themselves or by some lead.

It's funny on here, so many people complain about FN hunters going in and over hunting the weeks before the hunting season opens but out of season they seem to forgot what they were complaining about lol.

[mac1983]

Originally Posted by play.soccer

Oh, do wolves eat hay? Once the food source for the wolves is gone there's a good chance the wolves will leave too, by themselves or by some lead.

It's funny on here, so many people complain about FN hunters going in and over hunting the weeks before the hunting season opens but out of season they seem to forgot what they were complaining about lol.

Never seen a wolf eat hay, but have seen them eat calves, cattle, foals and horses though.

[play.soccer]

Originally Posted by mac1983

Never seen a wolf eat hay, but have seen them eat calves, cattle, foals and horses though.

Right, forgot about your livestock while I was coming up with my fox-pro idea to save your hay.

[mac1983]

Originally Posted by play.soccer

Right, forgot about your livestock while I was coming up with my fox-pro idea to save your hay.

No worries pal, i appreciate all ideas

[qwert]

Originally Posted by mac1983

This is wrong, The F&W Officer that came out to my place said one option was to contact a a FN with treaty status, so am assuming the F&W Officer was not counselling me to break the law. I was pm by a few FN individual's who just wanted to feed their family which i respect, so i am keeping their numbers on file. Not one FN individual accused me of anything.

I doubt that the F&W Officer would put this advice in writing.

While I am probably not communicating it well,
I do have sympathy for your situation, and applaud your very proper reluctance to take the easy solution and kill these animals who are just hungry. I also suspect that this 'solution' would only be temporary.

I do submit that all farmers need to provide proper fencing to protect their valuable feed from damage and loss by wildlife. Fencing is just a basic cost of doing business and should be included in all planning.

Good Luck, YMMV.

[PartTimeHunter]

Originally Posted by qwert

AFAIK, nuisance wildlife slaughter is not legally considered a 'traditional hunting' or 'treaty right'.

I suspect that soliciting native hunters (or anyone else) to perform unauthorized nuisance wildlife slaughter is a Provincial offense,
and may lead to legal costs that may be far greater than the cost of even an expensive fence.

Legal does not always mean right, proper or moral.

It is not illegal unless you help the fn hunters in any way. They can, and do, hunt where they want when they want at any time of year. To my understanding that is on any crown land or land to which they have permission to be there. So not sure about being illegal, you may not like it but that is a different story. I'm thinking at this time of year it would be pretty tough to sink those 10 or 12' posts in the ground or are you suggesting he get a hydrovac unit to bore holes for him? Not counting my time, the tractor and the neighbour that helped (while we could still do that) the feed yard was $5000 out of pocket and I wasn't compensated for my feed loss. $1000 worth of wire wasn't that big a help.

[wwbirds]

12 foot fences may have to be built for future years which to me is the same as burying fence 2 feet deep to keep the coyotes badgers and skunks from burrowing under my steel walls to access my birds.

Any treaty native with permission can harvest wildlife on your property if you allow them access at any time of year so as a temporary measure this may be a short term solution immediately.

[mac1983]

This is the first year that the elk have came in this hard, i guess a couple of easy winters plus all the second growth alfalfa and crops out in the field have been easy on the Elk population. Lot's of yearlings in the herd so am sure next year will only be worse, with the 20 or so cows, the F&W Officer said last year they let out 1500 more cow tags which helped a bunch, tons of cows not so many bulls. Some wolves around, not so much around me though, F&W says anywhere there is a ravine there will be cats, i'm sure no predators here yet is another reason they like it here. A fence is the only answer but at $5000.00 minimum hard to take but i put up 4-5000 square bales a year. So fencing next year. I will be taking up an offer to supply labour from a AO member that have offered their labour.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by mac1983

This is the first year that the elk have came in this hard, i guess a couple of easy winters plus all the second growth alfalfa and crops out in the field have been easy on the Elk population. Lot's of yearlings in the herd so am sure next year will only be worse, with the 20 or so cows, the F&W Officer said last year they let out 1500 more cow tags which helped a bunch, tons of cows not so many bulls. Some wolves around, not so much around me though, F&W says anywhere there is a ravine there will be cats, i'm sure no predators here yet is another reason they like it here. A fence is the only answer but at $5000.00 minimum hard to take but i put up 4-5000 square bales a year. So fencing next year. I will be taking up an offer to supply labour from a AO member that have offered their labour.

Buddy hunts up there, he claims lots of elk , but very tough to get a shot cause of their habits. They ain't stupid and learn fast, nocturnal and in the middle of huge open areas where approach is about impossible.

Grizz

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by play.soccer

Oh, do wolves eat hay? Once the food source for the wolves is gone there's a good chance the wolves will leave too, by themselves or by some lead.

It's funny on here, so many people complain about FN hunters going in and over hunting the weeks before the hunting season opens but out of season they seem to forgot what they were complaining about lol.

No wolves do not eat hay but they eat hay eaters

Nothing funny about your other comment. I have no problem with any hunter harvesting animals within the law.

The OP is within his rights to invite certain hunters onto his property to remedy the situation he finds himself in. I would rather see people being fed from this herd of nuisance animals than encourage a place for wolves to feed.

[ram crazy]

SSS

[mac1983]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Buddy hunts up there, he claims lots of elk , but very tough to get a shot cause of their habits. They ain't stupid and learn fast, nocturnal and in the middle of huge open areas where approach is about impossible.

Grizz

Yep, lots of elk but maybe only in certain areas. I know lots of elk hunters that get skunked up here, and i know lots of farmers that have nothing but trouble with the elk. I guess with all the break ins and tresspassing going on people are backing off giving out permission. I have watched this herd for a few years and it amazes me how intelligent they are, you have only a half hour before dark to hunt them and if you spook them they are gone for 2 weeks. They are truly a magnificent animal and should be treated with respect. What i dont understand people seem to think the peace country is full of elk, which i dont believe, are there no elk down south?

[mac1983]

Originally Posted by wwbirds

12 foot fences may have to be built for future years which to me is the same as burying fence 2 feet deep to keep the coyotes badgers and skunks from burrowing under my steel walls to access my birds.

Any treaty native with permission can harvest wildlife on your property if you allow them access at any time of year so as a temporary measure this may be a short term solution immediately.

Thanks for your advice WW, F&W was very helpful and went out of his way to help me.

As all of us that keep livestock know it is up to us to keep the conflict between nature and our livestock to a minimum. The game is just trying to survive and i sure dont blame them for trying to eat. But nature can become greedy when overpopulated in a certain area where they feel safe . So hunting these beauties is a good thing to keep the population in check. I can see why it becomes an addiction for some people simply because not everyone can do it, you must outsmart the elk and i believe the elk are smarter than most people...And if they outlaw hunting we are all in trouble because the beasts will rule...

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by mac1983

Thanks for your advice WW, F&W was very helpful and went out of his way to help me.

As all of us that keep livestock know it is up to us to keep the conflict between nature and our livestock to a minimum. The game is just trying to survive and i sure dont blame them for trying to eat. But nature can become greedy when overpopulated in a certain area where they feel safe . So hunting these beauties is a good thing to keep the population in check. I can see why it becomes an addiction for some people simply because not everyone can do it, you must outsmart the elk and i believe the elk are smarter than most people...And if they outlaw hunting we are all in trouble because the beasts will rule...

Good luck to you! Hope it works out that your horses get to eat more of that hay than the elk. You will be wiser next year!

[Jays toyz]

There is free fencing available from f&w (i think), they wont comp you for installation, but free fencing might help (assuming you have them gathered)

[PartTimeHunter]

Originally Posted by Jays toyz

There is free fencing available from f&w (i think), they wont comp you for installation, but free fencing might help (assuming you have them gathered)

It's not free fencing. They will supply the wire that is all. The posts, staples, corner bracing and metal gates are all on you in addition to the labour and equipment required to install it all.

[astuart44]

Moth balls...

[Mauricec]

Shoot butcher and you know the rest (joking)