| The Olympic Elk Herd is one of ten that have | | | | access to legitimate hunters and to poachers. |
| been identified in the state of Washington. It's | | | | The biggest source of mortality in the Olympic Elk |
| located on the Olympic Peninsula, west of Hood | | | | Herd is harvesting by hunters. The increased |
| Canal, and north of the Chehalis River. This herd, | | | | availability of roads has encouraged this, as easier |
| unlike many others, has a similar modern | | | | travel makes finding animals and transporting |
| distribution to the one it has held historically. The | | | | them a simpler task. Bigger clearcut areas mean |
| herd's numbers were the highest in the late 1970s. | | | | hunters have an easier time seeing animals in the |
| A conservative estimate put the number of elk in | | | | field. Overhunting in the 1980s produced a major |
| the herd at that time at around 12,000 members. | | | | decline in the numbers of this animal. The most |
| Currently, based on a number of data sources, | | | | likely reason for this decline is a large harvest of |
| including telemetry studies, mark-resight surveys, | | | | antlerless elk during the late 1980s and early |
| and harvest data, the population is estimated to | | | | 1990s. A low reproductive rate, coupled with |
| be at around 8,600. | | | | overharvesting of cows, can cause the population |
| Much of the land used by elk in this area is publicly | | | | to decline speedily. However, the current numbers |
| owned. There are over 922,000 acres in Olympic | | | | are up thirty-four percent from the mid-1990s |
| National Park. Additionally, the Olympic National | | | | estimated population of 6,000 elk. This means |
| Forest lands near the park make up another | | | | that recent restrictions on human access to the |
| 643,000 acres. Through the Department of | | | | animals is replenishing their population. |
| Natural Resources, the State of Washington | | | | Currently, goals for management of the Olympic |
| manages 368,000 acres of forest lands in this | | | | Elk Herd include cooperating closely with affected |
| area. Another 255,000 acres are part of Indian | | | | Native American tribes, as well as managers of |
| Reservation lands. The remaining land belongs to | | | | private and public land. Maintaining adequate elk |
| private residents, agriculture, and industrial timber | | | | habitat on lands controlled by these groups is an |
| companies. The central core of the area is made | | | | important part of managing these animals. |
| up of the Olympic Mountains. They are | | | | Additional goals include increasing the combined |
| surrounded by very low lowlands nearly level. | | | | numbers of elk to at least 11,350 individuals |
| Strips of lowland vary between two and ten miles | | | | outside of Olympic National Park, maintaining a |
| wide on the east side, ten to twenty miles wide | | | | proportion of twelve bulls to every hundred cows |
| on the west side, and thirty miles wide along the | | | | after the hunting season is over, and increasing |
| peninsula's south side. | | | | and improving habitat where it is a limiting factor |
| Human impact on this elk herd has occurred both | | | | in achieving the population goals in the |
| directly and indirectly. Commercial timber | | | | management plan. |
| harvesting and management of the forest land | | | | Since elk can be a nuisance to private landowners, |
| afterwards have had the largest impact, opening | | | | minimization of damage caused by elk is also a |
| up areas with abundant forage for elk. Numbers | | | | concern. Work with landowners to minimize road |
| of elk increased, resulting in the highest population | | | | densities in areas where too much traffic is a |
| during the 1970s. As more intensive management | | | | problem is planned, as well as work to enhance |
| in logged areas has begun recently, the amount of | | | | available elk forage and habitat on private land. |
| forage available to elk has decreased. Since | | | | Better survey accuracy is also desired, so as to |
| burning clear cuts has been curtailed, less ideal | | | | have a more accurate idea of the current elk |
| environments for the development of forage for | | | | population. Generally, the management plan calls |
| elk have been created. Instead, timber companies | | | | for the reversal of the Olympic Herd's decline in |
| have chosen to spray herbicides, removing plants | | | | numbers, in order to ensure that populations in |
| that are eaten by elk. Road construction for | | | | the Olympic Peninsula will be huntable for the |
| logging activities has also had an impact, as elk | | | | foreseeable future. |
| avoid roads, and these roads also give more | | | | |