All Rise........ the honorable elk presiding

Elk counts are on the rise in Yellowstone Park and the area north of the park in the Dome Mountain area.

Herd totals are shown to have increased but the Fish Wildlife and Parks Services (FWP) say that it is predominately in the breeding age elk.  The FWP suspects that the current increase in the herd is directly related to decrease in hunting permits for antlerless elk that big game hunters are allowed, better counting conditions and reduced wolf populations and predation.  However the catch is that the number of calves that survive is still low.  The calf to cow ratio is about 11 calves per 100 cows and the FWP would like to see those ratios climb to 20 or 30 per 100 for at least two years before they feel that the long term stability of the elk herd is secure enough to allow the amount of hunting permits for elk to be increased again.