Elk Population

Population of Elk (Cerphus elaphus) have been fluctuating in certain areas across North America for various reasons. One of the reasons includes their reintroduction to East Tennessee (Murrow 2007). Fluctuating populations create a need for research on elk for more effective and efficient use of resources by wildlife managers, and to monitor how well they are transitioning. Capture research has been conducted on two of the four current subspecies of elk. The two subspecies are Roosevelt Elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti) and Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni). Adult Rocky Mountain Elk can weigh anywhere from 230 to 318 kg. They are found in the ecosystems along the Rocky Mountains and surrounding states. Adult Roosevelt Elk can weigh
Couey noted that in 1949 the Utah Fish and Game Agency has the most experience trapping elk. They used rotten apples as bait to capture anywhere from five to 25 elk at a time, and in one instance caught 87 at once which was over the safety capacity of the corral trap used (Couey 1949). Although baiting with apples is promising, the Oregon State Game Commission had trouble finding and obtaining apples due to state climate and price (Mace 1971). This demonstrates one of the problems with deciding the most effective bait. Deciding an effective bait depends on weather, ecosystem, nutrition, and economy, a turn in any one of these variables can change the type of bait used. However, bait is not required for all
The collapsible clover trap is essentially a large box trap with one open end and is collapsible. Sparrowe and Springer give a detailed explanation to how it was constructed (1970). The initial cost of construction averaged $268.00/trap. The traps were baited with alfalfa hay during the winter and pieces of salt chips during the summer. Although the sites were not pre baited, they made use of bait trails where the results were found to, “[…] [lead] elk and deer into traps from a distance of several hundred meters.” When the elk entered the trap, a trip wire would be set off and the door. The trap was check every 24 hours by at least two people. Two people were necessary for restraining the elk by collapsing the trap on top of it (see figure 1). This requires practice and caution as Thompson’s group did encounter some issues. When two elk were in the trap at once, they always released one to prevent injury. Also, they made sure to keep the neck from doubling back to keep from snapping it during folding. They sawed off the antlers of any male elk caught in the trap to prevent entanglement. After the elk was restrained, they made sure to apply eye ointment and cloth to the eyes to prevent drying out. This trap has potential for high mortality rates. They recorded that, “Six elk died during handling or as a direct result of capture (3.0% of all