E-05 Herd Management Plan - West Elk Mountains - Game Management Units 53, 54, & 63 Draft: February 22, 2018 Colorado Parks and Wildlife 300 W. New York Ave. Gunnison, CO 81230 Prepared by: Kevin Blecha (Terrestrial Biologist: Area 16) [email protected] Table of Contents Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction and Purpose ............................................................................................................................. 4 Description of Herd ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Combining E-41 and E-52 to a single West Elks herd (E-05) ...................................................................................... 4 Herd Population Dynamics and Hunting History .......................................................................................... 5 Population Estimation Methods................................................................................................................................ 5 Population History ..................................................................................................................................................... 6 Harvest Management History ................................................................................................................................. 10 Herd Distribution and Carrying Capacity .................................................................................................... 12 Elk Distribution ........................................................................................................................................................ 12 Vegetation Characteristics ...................................................................................................................................... 13 Habitat Capability and Condition ............................................................................................................................ 14 Conflicts with Agriculture ........................................................................................................................................ 16 Anthropogenic Development .................................................................................................................................. 16 Public Involvement ..................................................................................................................................... 18 Open Comment Period on Draft Plan ..................................................................................................................... 20 Stakeholder Meetings ............................................................................................................................................. 20 Proposed Management Objective Alternatives .......................................................................................... 21 Preliminary Preferred Management Objective Alternatives ...................................................................... 23 Implementation .......................................................................................................................................... 24 Appendix 1: Evaluation of merging E-41 with E-52 as a single herd (E-05). ............................................... 25 Population history comparison between E-41 and E-52 ......................................................................................... 26 Social comparison between E-41 and E-52 ............................................................................................................. 31 Appendix 2: Population Estimation Methods ............................................................................................. 32 Appendix 3: Elk movement studies ............................................................................................................. 33 Appendix 4: Discussion on E-05 Carrying Capacity ..................................................................................... 37 Appendix 5: Public Input Results ................................................................................................................ 41 Section 1: Scoping meeting live audience polling ................................................................................................... 41 Section 2: Randomized hunter and landowner online survey ................................................................................ 42 Section 3: General public online survey .................................................................................................................. 50 Section 4: Attached Comment Letters .................................................................................................................... 56 References .................................................................................................................................................. 67 1 Executive Summary DAU E-05: West Elk Mountains Elk Herd (formerly E-41 and E-52) Game Management Units: 53, 54 & 63 Landownership: 27% private & 73% Public Post-hunt population size (2016): 7150 elk Post-hunt sex ratio (bulls:100 cow): 29 (modeled 3 yr avg.) Prior herd plan objectives: 5200 – 5900 elk, 18-23 bulls:100 cows 2017 herd plan objectives (Preliminary Preferred): 7800-8800 elk, 23-28 bulls:100 cows (modeled 3 yr avg.) This E-05 plan reflects the merging of E-41 (GMU 54) and E-52 (GMU 53 & 63). Combining these into a single “West Elk Mountains Elk Herd”, will allow the elk population to be managed at a biologically appropriate scale given CPW’s management by objective approach. The E-05 GMUs are managed with a partially limited licensing strategy to provide ample elk hunting opportunity. 2 The management alternatives selected in this plan will ultimately be used on an annual basis for setting license number allocations. Formation of the primary objective (population size) is made considering the partially limited licensing strategy, stakeholder input, and carrying capacity history. Formation of secondary objectives (bull ratio and license allocation strategy) should consider the population size alternatives. The bull ratio objective cannot be modified considering the over-arching strategy to manage for ample hunting opportunity in this herd. The spatial license allocation strategy objective was formed based on desires of stakeholders and the need to actively manage the inter-GMU spatial distribution of elk. The following set of objectives and corresponding alternatives were examined: Objective Alternatives Population Size #1: 6600 - 7600 elk (status quo) #2: 7800 - 8800 elk (CPW staff preferred) #3: 8500 – 9500 elk Bull Ratio #1: 18-23 bulls:100 cows (E-52 former status quo objective) #2: 23-28 bulls: 100 cows (E-41 former status quo objective, CPW staff preferred) Spatial License #1: Cow licenses are allocated disproportionally among GMUs to manipulate elk Allocation distribution (CPW staff preferred) Strategy #2: Cow licenses are allocated spatially among the GMUs according to the 2006-2017 inter-GMU proportions. Desires of stakeholders were characterized through an extensive public input gathering process that included: a public scoping meeting, a survey of a randomized set of elk hunters and landowners, a survey open to the public, and a 30-day public comment period. The CPW staff preferred alternatives identified in the table above best reflect the desires measured in the public input process. Stakeholder desires must be balanced with the carrying capacity of the landscape in E-05. In the past (i.e., prior to 2007), E-05 rangelands have experienced over-grazing by wild and domestic ungulates. Wild ungulate numbers (mule deer and elk) have been decreased by CPW in response to the overgrazing issue. Current (>2010) surveys indicate that vegetation has likely recovered. E-05’s historic population size and habitat condition history were considered in range of population size alternatives. However, the distribution of elk within E-05, rather than the overall population size, underlies most of E-05’s current elk management issues. As indicated by CPW data on elk movements and public opinion surveys, elk distribution is currently skewed toward lands where elk hunting pressures are low. This distribution issue will be ever-evolving (and possibly increasing) as other pressures (highway traffic, recreation, land management practices, spruce beetle) further redistribute elk. Monitoring of elk movements via GPS collar studies are helping managers better understand the relative importance of each elk distribution driver. The CPW staff preferred population size alternative is #2; an approximate 17% increase (from 7150 to 7800-8800 elk). The Bull ratio alternative preferred by CPW staff is #2 (23-28 bulls:100 cows), which most closely represents the bull ratio objective in the former E-41 (GMU 54) plan. The preferred spatial license allocation strategy alternative is to allocate cow licenses disproportionally among the three GMUs to spatially distribute elk relative to stakeholder desired population size change in each GMU. Future management actions may consider manipulating elk distribution through annual license allocations and hunt code manipulations (i.e., sub-unit and special seasons) to increase hunter encounters with elk and discourage elk utilization