In large part, CPW got tired of the flak when elk crossing the hwy were being hit by cars on Hwys 50 and 135 during the winter. In the late 90's and early 2000's a couple kids in the vehicles were hurt, and the Gunnison/Crested Butte folks wanted CPW to "do something". So they started feeding elk to keep them from crossing the hwys at night headed onto the ag land. Of course, this type of feeding violates CPW's "policy" of not feeding unless there is a real risk of the adult, breeding population starving to death. After a few years of feeding CPW if decided the existing habitat couldn't support elk without feeding there were too many. Makes sense to me.
Although the CPW did underestimate the winter kill in the late 2000's, but that seemed to be mostly deer. Importantly, those winters were not all that bad by previous harsh winters standards, and points to other factors as contributing to the winter kills those years.
during that time of the year.
If that was in the late 90's early 2000's then why did CPW start that Either sex w/ 500cap in about 2010 and then bull w /500cap in 2015 & 2016 and now they are trying to build the herd back up? Previous to that I read the elk herd was about 6000-6500.They took it down to less than 3500,now want it back to 4000+.
AND how do they answer as to now public land cows are all "A" tags,but when they jump the fence they become "B" tags in Unit 54?
The winter kill in the Flat Tops was more than just deer.I attended all DOW meetings in COS in the ensuing years and two years later they admitted it
