The History of Elk in NY State

[GreeneHunter]

Lots of info there " adk "  thanks ! 

[NFA-ADK]

Great post!!!

[Larry]

With CWD now being so prevalent in some elk populations I think it’s highly unlikely elk will be reintroduce in NY.

[Hunter007]

1 minute ago, Larry said:

With CWD now being so prevalent in some elk populations I think it’s highly unlikely elk will be reintroduce in NY.

 they should be though

[Four Season Whitetail's]

3 hours ago, Larry said:

With CWD now being so prevalent in some elk populations I think it’s highly unlikely elk will be reintroduce in NY.

Elk could very well be introduced into the wilds of Ny right from the tested farms and animals right in Ny state. CWD is the last thing an Elk would have to worry about in Ny state.

Proof is in the pudding as is shown in the herd in Pa right now. A state that has positive animals in many parts of the state and still have a Elk herd that is in fact growing...Right along with its whitetails herd.   

The biggest issue with CWD is the uneducated statements made by the uneducated public.   The disease itself proves what its not.

[G-Man]

On 3/11/2015 at 7:17 PM, Jennifer said:

Some years ago I read an interesting article talking about how the North American Chestnut (now gone thanks to the blight) was once so numerous that that it was said that a squirrel could travel from the east coast to the Mississippi without touching the ground, and that the hills had a 'second snow' of white in the spring, in appearance only, due to the vast number of Chestnut blossoms. Chestnuts were once around 25% of standing timber in our Eastern forests. What was very interesting was that the Chestnut and Beech (also dying out) masts were extremely bountiful most years, and that it supported all of the wildlife we know today, in addition to the Eastern Elk, Passenger Pigeon, and Carolina Parakeet.

 

I couldn't find the exact article but I found this one: http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/03/11/resurrecting-a-forest/

 

Our landscape and habitats have changed a lot, since then...

(American Chestnut stand)

(I really wish I could have been around to see the forests when they were like this, but I'd be long dead if I were!! Still, how cool would it have been?)

The chestnut was a major component. I have quite a few and the deer stand under them waiting for the nuts to drop.. they are delicious and sweet.. hope the re introduction takes off

[rob-c]

One of the most interesting threads I have read here . thanks guys and girls.. 

[DirtTime]

On 4/15/2015 at 7:51 AM, sampotter said:

 

Sorry for the slow reply- my computer was busted, but here are pictures from Nehasane Park dating 1924-1931. As you can see, harsh winters did them in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Awesome pics!

 

I don't think NY should try to bring back Elk. The Moose population is high enough to get a season on, and they came back and grew the herds on their own. I would love to see an Elk in NY, but would rather hunt a Moose in NY. Just my opinion.

[ATbuckhunter]

1 hour ago, Rob... said:

Awesome pics!

 

I don't think NY should try to bring back Elk. The Moose population is high enough to get a season on, and they came back and grew the herds on their own. I would love to see an Elk in NY, but would rather hunt a Moose in NY. Just my opinion.

We might have an easier time with elk unfortunately. Moose arent doing well in the Northeast at all. Combination of warmer weather and brain worm seem to be giving moose a huge problem now. 

[DirtTime]

5 minutes ago, ATbuckhunter said:

We might have an easier time with elk unfortunately. Moose arent doing well in the Northeast at all. Combination of warmer weather and brain worm seem to be giving moose a huge problem now. 

Got a link to show some stats? Over 800 and growing here in the ADKS, just as many as the PA  Elk herd.

And seriously, brain worms? CWD? 

[ATbuckhunter]

4 minutes ago, Rob... said:

Got a link to show some stats? Over 800 and growing here in the ADKS, just as many as the PA  Elk herd.

And seriously, brain worms? CWD? 

I will look for it, but DEC just released the numbers they believe and its well bellow 800. Brainworm is a worm that comes from whitetail deer and only really effects moose. The moose come in contact with it when they come in contact with whitetail scat. I would love to see moose rebound nicely and allow us to have a moose season. Ill be the first one to apply if that day ever comes

Edited March 17, 2018 by ATbuckhunter

[ATbuckhunter]

3 minutes ago, Rob... said:

Got a link to show some stats? Over 800 and growing here in the ADKS, just as many as the PA  Elk herd.

And seriously, brain worms? CWD? 

http://www.newyorkupstate.com/outdoors/2018/03/dec_adirondack_moose_population_less_than_previously_thought.html

[DirtTime]

4 minutes ago, ATbuckhunter said:

http://www.newyorkupstate.com/outdoors/2018/03/dec_adirondack_moose_population_less_than_previously_thought.html

If the numbers are dropping that fast I say poachers are doing the damage. I still stand by CWD is not the issue.

[ATbuckhunter]

Just now, Rob... said:

If the numbers are dropping that fast I say poachers are doing the damage. I still stand by CWD is not the issue.

I'm sure poachers are causing damage, but take a minute to look up brainworm. They are saying its one of the leading causes of moose population decline over all of the north east, as well as ticks. CWD and brainworm is not the same thing though. 

[ATbuckhunter]

3 minutes ago, Rob... said:

If the numbers are dropping that fast I say poachers are doing the damage. I still stand by CWD is not the issue.

https://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/72211.html

[DirtTime]

2 minutes ago, ATbuckhunter said:

I'm sure poachers are causing damage, but take a minute to look up brainworm. They are saying its one of the leading causes of moose population decline over all of the north east, as well as ticks. CWD and brainworm is not the same thing though. 

 

1 minute ago, ATbuckhunter said:

https://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/72211.html

Ya know what, I concede. Usually I would keep going, but, these days, it's better to just shut up then rock the boat on certain things. Best of luck on getting Elk back here, and best of luck getting a season. 

[ATbuckhunter]

1 minute ago, Rob... said:

 

Ya know what, I concede. Usually I would keep going, but, these days, it's better to just shut up then rock the boat on certain things. Best of luck on getting Elk back here, and best of luck getting a season. 

No need to concede, were just having a discussion here. I've followed and researched moose extensively because I'm anxious to see a season here in NY and up until the latest estimate came out, i was fairly confident we would see a season in the next 10 years. Now im not sure, but still rooting for them to come back. And i doubt we'll even get close to reintroducing elk in NY with in the next 10 years also. 

If you still disagree with what I have shown you go ahead and say it...I wont be offended at all. I respect everyone's opinion. 

[Doewhacker]

You won’t see an Elk or Moose season in our life times in NYS. Because of Forever wild we will never have the proper habitat to support great enough numbers of either. Add to that Brainworm and Moose are in a bad spot in the north east as mentioned. We are down around 400 Moose right now in NY. 

[Dinsdale]

Wisconsin been working on an Elk herd for 23 years and got themselves a first ever hunt established;

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/columnists/paul-smith/2018/03/13/smith-wisconsin-dnr-hold-inaugural-elk-hunt-2018/421310002/

[Four Season Whitetail's]

16 minutes ago, Dinsdale said:

Wisconsin been working on an Elk herd for 23 years and got themselves a first ever hunt established;

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/columnists/paul-smith/2018/03/13/smith-wisconsin-dnr-hold-inaugural-elk-hunt-2018/421310002/

Yeah in the state that has the highest cases of CWD known to mankind and some still like to bring it up saying its gunna kill all this or that?  

Get educated people.

[Dinsdale]

4 minutes ago, Four Season Whitetail's said:

Yeah in the state that has the highest cases of CWD known to mankind and some still like to bring it up saying its gunna kill all this or that?  

Get educated people.

To be fair, many on the northern counties of Wisconsin are considered CWD free including all the ones around the hunt area, south central is their hot bed of cases.

But point taken and I've looked at both sides.

[Dinsdale]

Check this out;

http://clamlakewi.com/elk-info/

Can you imagine NY DEC clear cutting 6300 acres of anything to help out a species? In this case Elk and turkey. Trim a branch here and get a ticket.

We can't even get a matching grant program going and give back most of the Pittman-Robertson money allocated to NY.

 

[Northcountryman]

Yes , great thread . How many elk are estimated to Be in NY currently if anyone knows? 

[ATbuckhunter]

1 hour ago, Northcountryman said:

Yes , great thread . How many elk are estimated to Be in NY currently if anyone knows? 

officially none. I wouldn't doubt there may be one or two stragglers from the PA herd, but that is a bit unlikely. 

[G-Man]

On 3/12/2015 at 9:02 PM, Jennifer said:

I have seen varying maps of the original range of the chestnut; the one you have above does seem to suggest that it was not commonly found through a large swath of NY state. Very interesting! I apologize if I was mistaken in my memory. Most range maps seem to suggest similar occurrence to the one you posted, or similar to this. I am under the impression that the forest was 1/4 Chestnut in the darker areas, where it was more of an incidental species in the lighter areas of the range.

 

Regardless I find it very interesting. I know it was once a very important and numerous tree locally to me, and have read accounts of them floating rafts 17-20 trees wide down the Allegany river as an export.

Chestnut was found in the entire northeast. The map shows . 1900s by then many areas were cleared.. elma ny has many elk fossils found in Indian site yet Lancaster does not.. like all animal and species they are found in greater density pockets and areas contain less.  And elk migrate..so if chestnuts weren't numerous in their  areas thay could move to food. Or they would be more numerous in high food areas and less in other.