Clam Lake Elk Herd Updates
Latest Update
Second Quarter— April through June 2008
Current Status: At the end of Elk Year 2007/2008 (just before the beginning of the start of the 2008 calving season) we had an estimated 123 elk. We observed a 94% pregnancy rate this year compared to 92% last year, however, we also observed 6% of newborns being stillborn. We also observed 26% mortality of calves (to July 7, 2008). Taking into consideration these factors, we estimate that with surviving calves, we now have 150 elk in the Clam Lake elk herd (this also factors in our loss of Cow 8 around July 5th)..
Elk Research on the Clam Lake Herd: We heard from Trina Weiland that we should be receiving a copy of her thesis around the end of July on her investigation of liver fluke and brain worm infestation of Clam Lake Elk. We will share those findings when they arrive.
Elk Project staff have completed the pre-treatment vegetation sampling (90, one meter square plots) of the three 600 meter sections of the ELF Line. If authorized by the US Forest Service we will lime and fertilize three 300 meter sections then investigate vegetation composition changes, forage quality differences, and elk activity on treated and control sections over the next year.
Elk Calving Season: We observed the latest spring green-up since 2000. We had a very cool spring with freezes during the week before Memorial Day weekend. This resulted in a very slow green-up. Last year green-up of grassy openings and sprouting of deciduous shrubs and trees occurred on May 10th. This year it didn’t occur until Memorial Day weekend (May 24th). Calving for several cows was delayed up to two weeks. Last year 99% of our monitored cows had their calves by June 10th. This year an estimated 15% of our monitored cows where still pregnant as of June 13th when we ceased calf searching. This year we monitored 35 adult cows, searching 26 cows 46 times finding 19 calves. Last year we found 1 calf every 1.5 searches. This year we found a calf every 2.4 searches (as is often the case “Nature” humbled the biologists!).
This was a difficult calving season for both cow elk and elk project staff. We spent long hours of monitoring, coordinating nearly 150 volunteer searchers, and found 19 calves. We had expected a much more efficient and productive season. What we did accomplish was to establish that spring phenological development of vegetation is very important to fetus development and health. During the past 12 years we had 2 still born calves. This year alone we verified two. Because of the long drawn out calving season we expected high losses to bears. However, we only verified 2 out of 19 (compared to 6 out of 23 last year). Though we began with calves of lower birth weights, by the end of this year’s calving season cows birthing later had caught up in calf development, giving birth to heavier calves. Calves born from May 21st through May 30th weighed from 26 to 38 pounds averaging 32 pound (2 calves 26 and 27 pounds—classified as poor doers), while calves born from May 31st through June 8th ranged from 31-42 pounds averaging 37 pounds (overall average for 2008 was 34 pounds, n=15, compared to an average of 38 pounds in 2007, n=22).
Cows that birthed later did have heavier calves on average. We attribute this to the more abundant forage found later in the season (calf ages at discovery did not change, most calves were 1 to 2 days old at capture).
Cow activity patterns that have been used successfully in the past to aid in finding calves did not work this year. Typically cows scouted their calving areas, return to the herds, and then return back to the calving area several days later, becoming inactive and giving birth almost immediately upon arrival. This year cows giving birth early never became inactive, and cows birthing later became inactive only to be searched and found still pregnant. One result from this year’s effort was to determine that early, warm springs with adequate moisture results in earlier births of bigger, feistier calves. It remains to be seen whether increased survivorship results. Last year we observed 50% mortality of those larger, feistier calves. This year’s survivorship won’t be determined until May of 2009.
We greatly appreciate the help of about 150 volunteers from the Fox River Environmental Academy, Wisconsin Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation members, Northland College students, the Wisconsin Natural Resource Foundation membership, US Forest Service, WDNR Wildlife Staff from the Southeast and West Central Regions, and the Hayward, Ladysmith, Antigo and Spooner offices, and the many private citizen volunteers form the Sawyer, Bayfield and Ashland County area near Clam Lake for their untiring effort in helping us find those elusive elk calves!
Elk Health Issues: We investigated a report that an adult bull had drowned in the West Fork of the Chippewa River. We found an unmarked bull (assigned number: Bull 120) that was about 5 years old that had apparently drowned before “break up” in March.
During the calving season Cow 26’s and Cow 8’s calves were stillborn (calves U236 and U254, respectively). Calf M248 was attack by an unknown, small predator (maybe a fisher), and calves F240 and M245 were killed by bears.
Partnerships: We continue to provide support to UWSP and USFS on their elk related projects. We also had 4 RMEF Program Advisory Committee grants approved for about $28,000 for fiscal year 2009. The USFS has again approved a temporary road closure on a few select roads that travel through important elk calving areas. These include Forest Roads 1265/1275; upper reaches of FR 208, FR 1029, and a cluster of forest roads that enter into a four square mile block east of CTH GG and east of Little Clam Lake, south of STH 77, and north & west of FR 339. These roads were closed to motorized travel from May 1st through June 30th.
Upcoming Events: We will continue processing and analyzing the data from our 90 vegetation sampling plots for the forage study; seek approval from the USFS to lime and fertilize test plots on the ELF line corridor; implement the Swampside and Delano Lake Conservation Easements Habitat Development Projects in cooperation with RMEF and the respective private landowners; meet with the Elk Committee on Clam Lake elk management issues on July 23rd; and continue our monitoring of the 81 collared elk. Late in this next quarter will be our 2008 elk rut and corresponding Bugle Days, sponsored by RMEF.
Population Monitoring: During this quarter we made 1,971 telemetry location determination and 2,492 telemetry mortality checks.
Public Education: We gave 13 presentations to a total of 322 participants, along with 6 print and 2 radio interviews.
Laine Stowell & Matt McKay
Download a printer friendly version [PDF 127KB] of this update.
Past Updates
- 2008 First Quarter [PDF 30KB]
- 2007 Fourth Quarter [PDF 26KB]
- 2007 Third Quarter [PDF 28KB]
Email Laine Stowell for updates from previous years.
Questions for Wildlife Management
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