On the eve of a possible Colorado Wildlife Commission resolution on the matter, a member of the state’s congressional delegation has weighed in on the side of sportsmen in the proposed reduction of the Rocky Mountain National Park elk herd.
Rep. Mark Udall urged the National Park Service to consider utilizing qualified sportsmen in a proposed elk and vegetation management plan. NPS has suggested cutting the overpopulated RMNP herd in half to protect the ecosystem.
At its Thursday meeting in Fort Collins, the commission will entertain a resolution sponsored by commissioner Rick Enstrom of Lakewood to the effect that licensed supervised hunters be used as the primary tool for culling the park herd.
“The Colorado Division of Wildlife is ready and willing to partner with RMNP with the use of sportsmen in this effort. Our wildlife managers have nearly a century of experience managing Colorado’s big game herds, and our record in this regard is unassailable,” Enstrom said.
The commissioner also said he expects similar support from other members of the Colorado delegation in Washington.
Hunting information online
The Colorado Division of Wildlife has posted guides to hunting on the Western Slope on its website. The information, including statistics, directories and general hunting tips, may be accessed at http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/HuntingGuide.
Wyoming avian sampling
Wyoming Game and Fish has announced a cooperative program with USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service to collect approximately 500 samples of waterfowl and shorebirds during the fall.
The test, which will include geese, teal ducks, cranes and sandpipers, is designed to test for the presence of avian influenza in migrating birds. These species were chosen for their flight patterns and the potential for intermingling with birds migrating from Asia. Most samples will be taken from live birds during banding or from game birds killed by hunters.
