2019 Elk hunting prospects

This is another in a series of columns containing 2019 hunting prospects. Today we offer a condensed version of this year’s elk hunting prospects for Grant and Adams counties, also known as District 5 by Fish and Wildlife.

Elk are rare and, therefore, are not a management priority as resident elk herds do not exist in District 5. Due to the potential for significant crop depredation issues, Fish and Wildlife does not encourage the establishment of elk herds in District 5.

This is a smart move as an elk herd would take much time to manage and be expensive.

Fish and Wildlife provides “any elk” hunting opportunities during the general archery, modern firearm, and late muzzleloader seasons. This means a hunter can harvest a bull or cow elk during the general seasons with the proper equipment.

Scenario: A duck hunter has finished chasing ducks for the day and is driving out of the duck-hunting area. He spots a cow elk on public land during the modern firearm general elk seasons.

The hunter just happens to have his .30-06 in the vehicle, as he was planning to go to the Boyd Mordhorst Range on the way home to test a new load. His elk tag is in his wallet. After putting on his hunter orange jacket, he could pursue this elk, shoot it, tag it and take it home.

Dennis note: The idea of taking a modern firearm, bow or muzzleloader in the vehicle when going after ducks, pheasants, geese, etc. may sound far-fetched to some, but doing so may pay off.

For example: One of my rifles is in the Death Ram when turkeys are my objective for the day. The bear and cougar seasons are open in my turkey hunting area.

Game Management Unit 284 is near the Hangman Creek sub-herd of the Selkirk herd. This herd is composed of approximately 300 individuals and occurs approximately 16 miles to the northeast at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. These elk enter into GMU 284 from time to time, where they are available for harvested.

Twelve elk in GMU 284, 7 bulls and 5 cows, were harvested during 2018, all of which were taken by modern firearm hunters. There were also 2 bull elk harvested in GMU 272. So, it is possible to harvest an elk in District 5.

The 2019 season expectations

If hunters wish to hunt elk in District 5 during the 2019 season, they should seek access on private lands in the eastern portions of GMU 284. Without access to private lands, the public land opportunities are very limited.