The American elk, is truly one of the most majestic and beautiful creatures of the Rocky Mountains. With a scientific name of Cervus canadensis, the Elk represent the Rocky Mountains of North America. Elk, used to thrive in natural communities through much of the Northern Hemisphere, from Europe all the way through most of the other continents. (Sensemen 2014) Extensive hunting and accidental destruction of their natural habitats have taken a great portion of their range away from them. Today, populations in North America are mostly found in the Rockies stretching from Canada to New Mexico. Elk happened to be reintroduced into the eastern United States, including Michigan, with three efforts throughout the 1900's. (Sensemen 2014) Elk usually range in color from brown in win¬ter to tan in sum¬mer. The back and sides are lighter color than the rest of their body. Much larger than the average deer, they are known for their prized antlers throughout the United States.(Sensemen 2014) Males can reach weights of up to 700 LBS, While females or cows can grow as large as 500 LBS.(RMEF 2012) Males Antlers, which are extremely prized and are a reason for their constant hunting, are actually quite complex and interesting. Antlers grow in the spring and are shed each winter, the antlers are testosterone driven, and antlers are covered by velvet while growing to protect them from harm. The average lifespan of Elk are typically hard to estimate due to their reclusiveness from humans, and the constant hunting of them. Some experts agree that the typical lifespan usually ranges from 20-26 years.(Sensemen 2014) What we do know however, are that calves are typically born in late May through early June, are born spotted and scentless as camouf...
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... as well. When an animal weighs 700 lbs., they tend to produce a large proportion of meat for the men and women hunting them. Having said all of this, there has been a substantial negative impact on their economy as well. Elk have been well documented as being pests to local farmers, and ruining irrigation systems. Elk will also tear down fences in order to eat crops. Elk are also very prone to communicable diseases, and will spread the disease throughout the farmer’s livestock, essentially devastating the income for that particular family.
Having been a hunter all my life, I have a great respect for these animals, as I do all animals. Having said that, it was not until I researched them, that I truly became aware of their beauty besides their antlers. The North American Elk are an essential and important member of our ecosystem, and should be treated as such.
In Michael Byrne “The Deep Sadness of Elk That Don’t Run,” Michael talks about how the bourgeoisie want to create conformity and approval, but Michael writes “That these are the people that don’t succeed in groups…” (Byrne, Michael. The Deep Sadness of Elk That Don't Lie. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.) They are going as to get mindless conformity that they are training students to know how to fit in, in the excerpt by Susan Cain “The Power of introvert in the World That Can’t Stop Talking.” “Children’s classrooms are arranged in pods, because group participation supposedly leads to better learning; in one school I visited, a sign announcing “rules for group work”…” With this happening in schools around the United States, stigmas are thrown on kids
The North American Whitetail is typically 3 1/2 to 4 feet tall at the shoulder, and can range from 100 to 220 pounds. The size of the deer depends on the area you find the deer and how much food there is in that area. The males (or bucks) typically have antlers that they shed seasonally. The females (or does) usually do not have antlers, but can on rare occasions. There are some very definite qualities that make it easy to distinguish the white tail from one of its close relatives, like the mule deer. The whitetail is a reddish brown color in the summer and a grayish brown color in the winter. If you ever see a whitetail in the wild, you will quickly see how they got ...
The author provides information describing the deer population in parts of New Jersey; yet, he does not include any data regarding the population in the rest of the United States, nor does he include any sources of where this information was obtained. A reader may be more
Thesis: The population of white-tail deer in Alabama has drastically increased over the past century causing significant damage to property and homeowners, caused by hunters being less active.
“The animals are reducing the number of trees and seedlings and affecting which species will survive, forestry experts say” (NBC news). A wildlife professor estimated that deer cause at least $750 million in damage to the timber industry. This becomes a big impact on the economy. “We view it as problem of our own making,” said Laura Simon, field director of urban wildlife and sanctuaries program for the Humane Society of the United States. “We have created an ideal landscape for deer.” (NBC news). Deer are said to eat anything and everything, this is especially proven when farms have their crops
The deer are easy to spot. In the summer, it’s coat is reddish-brown and in the winter it is buff. All year around its underside and tail are completely white as well as having a white spot on its neck. The prime deer habitat consists of deciduous trees, primarily cottonwood, ash, willow, elm and box elder. However preferred, the woodland cover is not essential to the deer’s survival.
Populations of the white-tailed deer have increased in great numbers. These will increase if the death rate is low and the food supply is high. A single doe can reproduce every year until they die (7). Because of this, the average herd can double in size every two to three years (3). Deer are also adaptable to the changing ecosystem around them. The growing suburbs provide open lawns, the summer gardens, varieties of shrubs, and patches of forest cover. The population cannot be controlled naturally because natural predato...
In the hunt for the wilder people, directed by Taika Waititi an important character is Ricky Baker. During the text this character changed by, to be a gangster, rude to become a good and lovely, polite and be more positive and he recognizes and accepts mistakes did he learn from them and apologized to hector for what he did at last. This character was 13-year-old New Zealander and he was jumping to foster family to foster family and ended up with Bella and hector. The director's purpose was to show us a positive relationship can change bad egg to a good egg means a bad person for good one. One important character in the hunt for the wilder people is Ricky.
On a cloudless September afternoon, a hunter stands with a defeated look upon his face. He sighs in disappointment as he watches a bull run through the aspens. He is still shaking in excitement and frustration. He did everything he could, but the bull didn't live that long by being stupid. I had never had that type of rush before, even though I had been defeated I was hooked on bow hunting.
In the last decade, from the Rockies to New England and the Deep South, rural and suburban areas have been beset by white-tailed deer gnawing shrubbery and crops, spreading disease and causing hundreds of thousands of auto wrecks. But the deer problem has proved even more profound, biologists say. Fast-multiplying herds are altering the ecology of forests, stripping them of native vegetation and eliminating niches for other wildlife. ' 'I don 't want to paint deer as Eastern devils, ' ' said Dr. McShea, a wildlife biologist associated with the National Zoo in Washington, ' 'but this is indicative of what happens when an ecosystem is out of whack. ' ' The damage is worse than anyone expected, he and other scientists say. Higher deer densities have affected growth, survival, and reproduction of many plant species which have aesthetic, economic or ecological value. In some cases, many species of trees have also been shown to have reduced growth as a result of high deer density (Environmental Benefits of Hunting, 1). Deer prefer certain plant species over others and frequently feed on economically valuable tree species. For example, they prefer oak and sugar maple seedlings, as well as acorns, over less palatable species like American Beech and striped maple. Thus, less marketable species are more likely to survive to maturity,
Hunters contribute more than any other group to help maintain and keep wildlife habitat. According to this trusted source on hunting, “In 1907, only forty-one thousand elk remained. There are now over one million” , hunters are the reason these elk populations have improved. This hunting source also says, “In 1900, only five-hundred thousand whitetails remained. Hunters have now raised that number to thirty-two million” , hunters protect deer so they can continue to hunt them and keep the population strong and healthy. Waterfowl hunters fight to keep habitat for the ducks and geese to live and thrive in their area. This fact proves the ...
Scientists suggest that hunted species, such as bighorn sheep, now have smaller horns than their ancestors from 30 years ago. Flocken endorses that “.hunters are not like natural predators. They target the largest specimens with the biggest tusks, manes, antlers, or horns.” In Defense of Animals International (IDA) argues that hunters concentrate on “game” populations and ignore “non-game” species that may lead to overpopulation and unequal ecosystems.
Years ago, killing animals for food was part of the average man’s everyday life. While, now a days, hunting is questioned by many across the world because it is commonly viewed as a recreational activity. Many residents have a problem with the dangers that come with hunting. Not to mention, as time goes on, society seems to feel differently about animals and how they should be treated. One of the biggest debates is the harvest of white tailed deer. All over the United States, white tailed deer thrive because of the few predators that feast upon them and the large forests and habitats that these deer can flourish in. However, as buildings and subdivisions pop up left and right decreasing the white tailed deer natural habitat, the debate grows stronger. The heart of the debate is centered around ethical issues, human and deer conflicts, safety, and the benefits hunting has on the economy.
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the brown bear is located all throughout Alaska, mostly in areas that allow them to seasonally hunt salmon (Alaska Fish & Game, 2010). This allows them to become larger and live in higher concentrations than the grizzly bear. The traditional brown bear and the grizzly bear are actually both classified as brown bears, despite having several differences in appearance. Brown bears are one of the most fascinating and powerful species in the Alaskan wilderness. Cubs are usually born during January or February, usually in groups of one to four (Alaska Fish & Game). A fully grown, male brown bear can weigh up for 1,500 pounds and be over 10 feet in stature (Alaska Fish & Game, 2010). Brown bears also have the ability to run at speeds up to 40 mph for short bursts of time (Alaska Fish & Game). All of these unique characteristics make many people upset that it is legal to hunt them. There are several groups that are working to conserve the brown bear population, particularly in Alaska, such as The Northern Forum’s Brown Bear Working Group (Fish & Wildlife Journal, 2010). The bear population in Alaska is thriving and is classified as a status of least concern, by the IUCN Red List (IUCN, 2010). Overall, the brown bear population faces no danger whatsoever.
From the perspective of economy, ecology, and environmental conservation, hunting is very important. Hunting is necessary to protect agriculture and the environment from animal pest or overpopulation. For example, wild boars tear up many farmers land causing many problems as well with the deer population growing eating away farmer’s resources. Also with the growth of white tail deer are damaging every landscape east of the Mississippi river. Unfortunately, the harm is very overlooked, and accepted as somehow “natural”. Over the last 30 years higher dear populations have made a more negative impact due to climate change. (“Is Hunting a Good Thing?”) Hunting was legalized in 1993 to help bring overabundant wild animal populations down. The legalization