More Bison to the Books.

[1911]

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- State wildlife officials want to move bison from the Henry Mountains over to the Book Cliffs.

Biologists in the Henry Mountains this summer found about 450 bison, roughly 35 more than expected and far more than the goal of about 275.

To take the pressure off that area, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is proposing to move about 40 bison to the Book Cliffs, where a newly formed herd now numbers fewer than 50. If approved, the move would likely happen in January.

The other option for reducing the Henry Mountains herd is to increase the number of hunting permits in that area. That step, though, would require changes in the structure of the hunting season.

The Utah Wildlife Board is expected to discuss the proposals Oct. 1 in Salt Lake City.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

 

[Coyote_chaser]

Heaven forbid should we have a whole 475 buffalo on the Henries... Looks like someone is complaining, I wonder who..??

 

[justr_86]

I hope not there are plenty there. Migrated off the indian land.

 

[REDDOG]

I am all for bison in the books, by why the hell do they have to rob the henry's? why cant they take them from AI and issue more tags on the henry's?

 

[HillbillyNnevada]

Maybe they want the Book Cliffs bison to run from hunters so they are getting them from the Henry's as opposed to the retarded bison from Antelope Island, LOL.

 

[JACO]

We saw 25+ bison in the Book Cliffs this archery elk season. There are plenty that travel back and forth from Hill Creek. Before long they will be able to open up a season in the Books too.

Jason

 

[justr_86]

I wouldnt want to shoot a buffalo where you were at JACO. Pack in a frying pan...

 

[JACO]

No doubt, that'd be a lot of work getting one out of there.

Jason

 

[AWHOLELOTTABULL]

Somebody is full of ship on this one!!!!!!! Last year they reduced the tags significantly and now there are too many???? WTH? I have 1 under max for Buff and I can't draw it. There are public meetings being held in Vernal and Green River for oppinions to either transplant more to the Books or issue more tags.

Here's my theory: Last year they knew they had more buffalo but they reduced tags anyway so that they would have way too many this year allowing them some room to transplant to the Book Cliffs without stirring the pot too much. Now they have "too many" so they want your oppinion which is just to appease the public because they already know what they are going to do. They should transplant to the Book Cliffs and give out a few more tags on the Henries. How do you cut tags one year and then have way too many the next forcing them to either give out more tags or transplant. Something smells like ship on this one.



It's always an adventure!!!
www.awholelottabull.com

 

[EDGE_1]

Im not 100% sure, but I think the biggest problem is the cattlemen, or landowners around the Henries. They have been whining and wanting the buff's gone for years. DWR should have been keeping the numbers in better check all along. I say move all the extras to the books, not just the 50 proposed.
I'd be pissed if I had that many points for them too!

 

[Daxter]

The ranchers on the Henry Mtns. are and are holding the DWR's feet to the fire on getting that unit to the objective. I can't blame the ranchers, the DWR should be held accountable to manage the way they say they will in their plans. If the the plan needs adjustment, then they should adjust it, but they ought to manage the way they say they will.

DWR gave quite a few cow tags last year on the Herny Mtns., and are giving quite a few again this year to get numbers back in line. The DWR flew the Henry Mtns. a couple months ago and counted more bison than they expected to see, and realized they would still be over even with the number of cow tags they had proposed for this year.

Belive it or not, bison can be pretty hard to find from the air. If they are in the trees and don't move, they can be really easy to miss. Plus there is a lot of country and hidey holes for bison to be in.

After the flight, the DWR had 2 options; 1) call an emergency hunt and shoot more animals, or 2) move more to the only other bison unit in the state that is under objective. Sounds like they will probably do some combination of both hunts and transplants, but it is all up to the wildlife board.

Dax

 

[AWHOLELOTTABULL]

Dax,
You are pretty "in the know" on this stuff. How come they cut tags so bad last year and then say there are too many this year. They did give out more cow tags but the bull tags went waaaaaayyy down. Do you know what their bull to cow objective is? It makes no sense to me but I am not a buffalo expert either. I'm just a frustrated guy that's ready to buy a buffalo tag and blow my points on a cow tag pretty soon if something doesn't happen.


It's always an adventure!!!
www.awholelottabull.com

 

[Daxter]

I don't know anything about what they did with bull tags on the Henries. I am not sure what their bull to cow ratio is, or why they would have to cut bull permits after the aggressive cow harvest they have had over the last few years?

I do know, that they haven't and aren't taking any mature bulls from the Henries to the Book Cliffs. They took 7 yearling bulls last year, and will probably do something similar again this year. The transplants should not have had any effect on bull permits numbers as they haven't taken any mature bulls, and they are taking way more cows than bulls off the unit so it shouldn't affect the bull to cow ratio.

I hope you draw your bull tag soon. Hang in there. There will be quite a bit more bison hunting opportunity soon when the herd gets a little bigger in the Book Cliffs. Buy a cow or management bull hunt from the Ute Tribe, or on a big ranch in WY or Dakotas if you need to get some buffalo blood on your hands right away. Just be patient and don't miss your chance to get a big free-ranging bull on the Henries or the Books.

Dax

 

[Coyote_chaser]

It drives me crazy when I hear that the damn cattle ranchers on PUBLIC LAND have a strangle hold on herd objectives.. For hells sake its public land.

 

[MJ]

They do not stay on public land. I saw over a 100 on a private ranch 2 weeks ago.

 

[Coyote_chaser]

Do their cows stay on private the whole time? Just curious??

 

[MJ]

nope, but they at least have BLM grazing leases.

 

[Coyote_chaser]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-28-09 AT 09:57AM (MST)[p]Thats my point, they graze on our PUBLIC LANDS, so we limit the hunting opportunity for thousands to please a couple... Then they want to hold the DWR by the balls on herd objectives for elk and buffalo and deer you name it.