2012 Herd Unit Classification and Management of Roosevelt Elk
Schmidt K. 2015. 2012 Herd Unit Classification and Management of Roosevelt Elk. Redwood National and State Parks. Orick, CA
Annual classification of elk herds within RNSP began in 1996 to document relative abundance and simple population characteristics, such as cow numbers, recruitment, and calf survival within known herds (Wallen 1997). These herd count/classifications have been conducted annually each fall since that time by parks staff and others. Also in 1996, a monitoring program of the elk population in a portion of the Prairie Creek drainage was established independent of the RNSP program (Weckerly 1996, Weckerly et al. 2004). The 2 independent monitoring programs in the same area provided a unique opportunity to compare data gathered unsystematically with data gathered using a science-based approach using a standard protocol. Beginning in 2004 elk in the Bald Hills were counted using the “Weckerly method” (Weckerly and Francis 2004) by Dr. Weckerly. Unlike the Prairie Creek herd counts which were quite similar between the parks’ and Weckerly’s survey methods, the Bald Hills herd counts were very dissimilar between the 2 methods, with park staff counts grossly undercounting the numbers of animals. Due to the inaccuracy of the park staff counts, staff discontinued fall counts in the Bald Hills in 2008. Seven separate herds were counted/classified within RNSP. Six of the herds were counted by RNSP staff between early September and late November in 2012. The Bald Hills herd was counted 10 times in January 2013 by Dr. Weckerly. Surveys by Dr. Weckerly, associated with the Prairie Creek herd monitoring program, also were conducted in January. Results from these latter two surveys are considered part of the 2012 elk count “season” and are included in this report with the fall 2012 data. This is compatible with how information was reported in previous reports.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Schmidt, Kristin
- Date of Issue
- 2015-03-29
- Publisher
- Redwood National and State Parks
- Units
- REDW
- Keywords
- Absence (Biodiversity), Abundance, Abundance (Biodiversity), Animal Studies, Cervus elaphus roosevelti (Canadian Wapiti, Classification, Distribution (Biodiversity), herd composition, Mammals, Monitoring, Olympic elk, Population, Population Characteristics, Presence (Biodiversity), Progress Report, Roosevelt Elk (Cervus elaphus), Roosevelt Wapiti), Taxa Links To References, Wildlife
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Mammals