Elk

Hunting is often portrayed purely as a form of sport or the quest for a big trophy. But what most people do not acknowledge is that it does much more for the human population in general. Hunting provides us with the resources that allow us to live comfortably. Not only does it do this, but it provides health to our environment as well as our economy. Hunting large game plays a vital role in the protection of our people, our resources, and the animals themselves. To begin, the killing of large…

Chronic Wasting Disease: The Silent Assassin Chronic Wasting Disease, also known as (CWD) kills herds of deer by the hundreds. As of right now, it is a guaranteed death for any animal that contracts the disease. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) started monitoring the white tail deer population in the fall of 1999. They came across there first CWD positive deer in November 2001 when they were testing harvested deer. The location where the deer was shot is unknown. (DNR.wi.gov…

behaviors have enabled the successful restoration of a population that was on the brink of extinction just over a century ago. However, some Yellowstone bison are infected with brucellosis, a livestock disease that can be transmitted to wild bison and elk as well as cattle through contact with infected fetal tissue. To prevent conflicts with ranching…

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a disease that has been slowly spreading throughout deer and elk populations for the past 36 years. Recently, CWD was spotted in Arkansas where more deer were infected faster than previously expected. Based on this event, the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency is preparing to handle CWD whenever it should come. CWD is a very serious disease, but as of now it poses no real threat to humans. CWD is believed to be transmitted by prions. This places CWD in close…

1. Shen X, Bourg NA, McShea WJ, Turner BJ. 2016. Long-term effects of white-tailed deer exclusion on the invasion of exotic plants: a case study in a mid-atlantic temperate forest. PLoS ONE. 11(3): 1-16. This article examines the impacts of white-tailed deer browsing on invasive plant species, both of these are biotic stressors that impact many forest ecosystems. Researchers in this study used a 4 hectare deer exclosure built in 1991 to study the influence of white-tailed deer, on the abundance…

As the symbol of the spotted cattle represent the Native Americans that have traditions and adapt to the White culture, the deer is another symbol for just that. The spotted cattle isn’t the only animal that symbolizes something in this novel, “The spotted cattle are not only physical hybrids they are also spiritual hybrids. They have the bodies of livestock but their spiritual essence is deer/antelope, the primary large game animal(s) of the pueblo people for thousands of years” (Sausan, 370).…

White Tail Deer Wildlife plays a very important role in the history of our country, dating back hundreds of centuries to the first civilizations of Native Americans. White-Tail Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) played a significant part in how the Indians survived; deer supplied the Native Americans with meat (venison), clothing, tools, a source of trade between Europeans, and ceremonial items (Howe, 2011). This being said, if anything were to happen to the population of deer to decline the Indians…

What is important to me What is important to me? Have you ever asked yourself that question? I know I do all the time, between decisions and even just because I want to see what’s more important to me. Hunting is my passion! I love how hunting is important to me, what materials I need to go hunting, and the thrill of when the deer will show up right in front of me. Why is hunting important to me? Hunting in my family is a family tradition for most of the family. Also our family just really…

One day after we left Ash Hollow, we travel by Chimney Rock. It is a huge tower of rock that blocks out the sun. It was magnificent. You could never see something that spectacular in Philadelphia. I keep looking back at the rock, watching it disappear into the distance, the sunlight fading. Fort Laramie is a great place to call home, if you are a trapper. It is just a trapper trading post. Lots of bison furs were transported back to Saint Louis in the twelve hours that we were at the fort.…

The race between the sunrise and myself was underway. It was five in the morning and the sun was scheduled to rise at seven. There was a thirty minute drive in the way along with an hour of hiking. Not only would this be a close race; it would be one that could decide between me, and my first deer. I had been hunting for a couple of years, but have found nothing worthy of being my first harvest buck. If you shoot a young buck, there won't be any bigger ones in the upcoming harvest. With my rifle…