WISCONSIN ELK STUDYPROGRESS REPORT No. 16

Progress Report No.15, 26 January 1998, contained information about: 1) fall movement of the elk herd to their winter quarters, 2) 1997 gun-deer season, 3) 1997 calf survivorship, 4) early winter behavior, and 5) monitoring potential elk predators within the study area. This is a report of elk study events since 26 January.

General status of the herd - Mild conditions continued throughout the winter. The elk remained in the general vicinity of the release site and traversed the area, apparently with ease and at will. The cows and calves-of-the-year were together in one herd most of the time, occasionally splitting into 2 or 3 smaller groups. The three 3-yr-old bulls were most often together and separate from the cows. One bull calf was frequently alone for a few days but less than 1 mile from the cow herd. The main herd of cows broke up into smaller groups in late March and the first elk traveled to summer quarters north of Hy 77 on 3 April. This move occurred in mid-May last year. The elk were observed fairly regularly throughout the late winter months. All appeared to be in excellent condition.

Survivorship of the 1997 calf cohort remains at 7 of the 9 known births. The 3 bulls shed their antlers on 22 April. Several adult cows are known to be pregnant as indicated by their wide bellies. Eighteen cows may be pregnant this year, portending a significant increase in the experimental population.

Predators - Two bears, a 90-lb, radio-tagged female and a 386-lb ear-tagged male, tagged on the elk study area during the summer of 1997, were killed during the 1997 bear hunting season. The dens of 5 females on the elk study area were visited in late winter. Two were young non-breeders; 2 had their first litter of 2 cubs each; 1 had 3 yearlings with her. Another female was not found; either her transmitter failed or she was harvested and not reported as being tagged. A research den-team for a bear population study on an adjacent area, assisted with dens on the elk study area while processing 19 other dens (total: 58 bears; 43 now radio-tagged) in Ashland Co. No wolf activity was detected by telemetry in the elk study area. The Alpha female of the Torch River Pack was killed in mid-March, presumably by other wolves

(Wydeven, WDNR).

Two meetings with WDNR were held to plan for the transition of the elk study project to that agency if it is approved. The first meeting (17 February 1998) with northern WDNR, Conservation Congress, RMEF, and Wisconsin Elk Study Committee (WESCO) representatives formulated a transition procedure and schedule. We will provide management guidelines and data to the WDNR Deer Committee for their design of an elk management plan, which will be presented to the public through Focus Group and Open House procedures in September 1999. Results will be submitted to WDNR Secretary George Meier for a decision and recommendation to WDNR Board for action by January 2000. A second meeting of WDNR Deer Committee, RMEF, USDA-FS, WESCO, and elk research was convened in Wausau 19 March 1998. The schedule and procedures for transition of the project was reviewed and discussed. Elk management Goals, Objectives, and procedures for identifying elk range or habitat factors were discussed. Next meeting was set for 18 May 1998 to discuss elk home ranges, habitat use, and status of elk research GIS program.

The biannual meeting of Wisconsin Elk Project Advisory Committee (WEPAC) convened in Wausau, WI on 20 April 1998.Representatives from RMEF, USDA-FS, UW-SP, WESCO, WDNR, GLIF&WC, Elk Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Conservation Congress were present. Items discussed included: 1) current status of the elk project, 2) publicity and future publication of project results, 3) budget for the last field-year of the 4-year study, 4) current status and plans for future revenue generation through RMEF-Elk Wisconsin and other sources, and 5) procedure and schedule for transition of the elk project to WDNR (see above). WDNR reported on their visits to the 1998 Michigan elk hunt, the 1998 Eastern Elk Workshop in Kentucky, and announced that Wisconsin will host the 1999 Eastern Elk Workshop.

Data analysis - Aspects of the elk reintroduction study that have been summarized for analysis and publication include: 1) a summary of elk behavior during the first adjustment year, 2) study area cover types, 3) habitat use by elk sex/age cohorts, 4) home ranges of individual elk and sex/age cohorts, 5) woody plant species used for winter food in lowland conifer and upland habitats, and 6) herbaceous plant use as winter food. The project GIS program is now functional and being used to conduct a more definitive analysis of habitat use by elk during the immediate post-release period. Data from succeeding years will be combined with those of Year-1 for final analysis at the end of the study.

Public and educational presentations and guided tours by project personnel continued to be conducted. Those that occurred since August 1997 included 14 tours for, and 14 presentations to, organizations from WI, OH, TN, KY, and Germany. In addition, we responded to numerous requests for interviews and information that were tendered by telephone and e-mail from students at grade-levels from elementary through college, free-lance writers, media reporters, and tourists wishing to see elk. Elk location maps were updated periodically and distributed to local businesses and other public places.

Research Agenda Year-4:

            2) Determine calf production and radio-tag as many as possible to determine survivorship.