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South Rainier Elk Herd Management Plan - State of Washington

The South Rainier Elk Herd is one of ten elk
herds living in Washington State. This herd'sThe greatest influence humans have had on
range covers around 1,100 square miles, andthis herd, however,has been through direct
is located in parts of Lewis County, Thurstonelk mortality. The annual regulated hunting
County, and Mount Rainier National Park. Theharvest removes around forty to sixty percent
herd area is bounded on the east be the Northof all bull elk. The population of the South
Cascade Crest Trail. On the west and south,Rainier Elk Herd has varied widely. For
it is bounded by major highways, and on theinstance, in 1994, there were as many as four
north, by highways, the Nisqually River andthousand individuals in this area. By 1997,
Mt. Rainier National Park. Land ownership inthat number had fallen to 1,500. It is
the area is a mix of public and privateestimated that the current population of the
holdings. The majority of the land is ownedherd is around 2,100 animals. Management
by the U.S. Forest Service, which has thegoals for the South Rainier herd include
administration of around 400 square miles ofincreasing the numbers of elk to a level of
land, primarily composed of Gifford Pinchotabout 3,000 animals. In general, elk
National Forest and the southern boundary ofpopulation levels will be maintained or
Mt. Rainier National Park. Private holdingsincreased, depending on the area, except in
are located mostly along the Cowlitz River.locations where they are causing a lot of
There are small tracts of state land in thedamage or having conflict with humans. The
area. The remainder of the land is held bycurrent population ratios, when assessed
industrial forestry interests. Elevationsbefore the hunting season, are fifteen to
within the herd area are between 250 feet andseventeen bulls per hundred cows, a figure
14,400 feet (the summit of Mt. Rainier).which has stayed steady since 1996, and
Level and gently rolling terrain is rare,forty-six to forty-eight calves for every
occurring mostly along major drainages suchhundred  cows.
as the Cispus and Cowlitz Rivers. The elk
occupy almost all of the herd area belowHarvest strategies for this herd have varied
6,500 feet, except for areas that aresignificantly over the past forty years. They
extraordinarily  steep  or  rocky.have included permission to take any bull, to
spike-only bulls with a general permit, and
Humans make extensive use of the area inbranch antlered bulls taken by special
which the South Rainier Elk Herd is located,permit. In some cases, only three point bulls
mostly for recreational purposes. Foror greater have been permitted. The three
instance, the visitor usage of Mt. Rainierpoint minimum rule has been more common in
National Park was over two million in therecent years, and is the current method of
1990s. Hiking, backpacking, skiing, and otherregulating the elk harvest for the South
recreational activities are common, as wellRainier Elk Herd. Antler point restrictions
as trapping, fishing, and hunting. Thesenormally mean higher bull to cow ratios after
activities occur both in the park and onthe hunting season, but fewer older animals
adjacent  lands  that  are  privately  owned.survive. Before 2000, it was legal to harvest
antlerless elk during the archery season, or
The area along the Cowlitz river has beenwith firearms by special permit. However,
developed extensively, both for agriculturalantlerless harvest has not recently been
and residential purposes. This haspermitted.
significantly affected the wintering area of
this herd. There has been a significant lossCurrent goals for the maintenance and
of important winter habitat for these elk, asmanagement of this herd include an increase
well as a rise in elk/human conflict. Inin the estimated elk population, while paying
addition, intensive clear cut logging hasattention to habitat limitations and problems
changed almost all of the forests not in thelandowners may experience. The maintenance
bounds of the national park. Originally, thisand improvement of elk habitat on U.S. Forest
area was made up almost entirely of oldservice lands is to be encouraged, and
growth forest. However, the area is nowhunting is to be kept to a limit which will
covered in second and third generation growthallow all herds to reach the state
reaching to approximately 3,300 feet inrequirement of twelve or more bulls for every
elevation, and covering almost all of thehundred cows.
elk's  winter  range.



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