Elk project in west Texas + pictures

[89toy]

I have just graduated with my masters in Wildlife Management (1 week ago).  I am curious if anybody would be interested in the project, pictures, and what I have found concerning elk in west Texas.  Many people do not believe we have mountains in west Texas, but I actually live at 4,500 ft. elevation and some of the mountains go a lot higher than that.  My thesis title = Home range and habitat use of elk in the Glass Mountains, Texas.  If ANYBODY is interested in this project and what I have found in relation to home range and habitat use I will definitly add pics and explain a LOT more.  I had 2 captures: one that incorporated darting elk from a blind and also one that incorporated net guns fired from helicopters.  I have since then headed up another capture that involved sedating elk from a helicopter.  Just to let everybody know, and if you are interested in wildlife and elk in general, the only way to get this data is by buying my publication in the "Southwestern Naturalist" or the "Journal of Wildlife Management" (this will be published in about a year or so..but I will not get a profit)...so if you are interested I would really like to share all of what I have found with my marlin buds (and ONLY marlin) before anything is published.

With my experience with wildlife management and rock crawling I plan to work with public lands (wherever I may be) to help conserve wildlife/range but also have all of the public lands open.  This is a huge deal and I would like to work with the people from the far off tree hugger to the far off tree crusher.  We all have to work together to keep our public lands open.

[kneedownnate]

Yes, pics please    And I think you have my dream job too!!

[79coyotefrg]

[brainlessfool]

you have my dream job too!!

I dreamed it frist! 

[Richmondo]

I had no idea we had Elk in Texas, what are the population numbers like?

[89toy]

I had no idea we had Elk in Texas, what are the population numbers like?

We have elk throughout Texas, but most are under high fence...I HATE high fence!!  We have not been able to get an estimate of the population numbers in west Texas since around 1994 (lack of funding to run surveys).  The largest population back then is where my study site is...the Glass Mountains.  In 1994 the pop was estimated to be from 150-180 individuals.  In my opinion, and from what I have seen throughout my field work, I think the population is probably around 400 in that mountain range.  We have 4 other ranges with elk, but most of them are said to have 15-40 individuals (1994).  These ranges DEFINITLY have more than that today from what I have seen and all the landowners that I have spoken to.  Just in case you want to google the other ranges that are out here: Wylie, Eagle, Davis, and Guadalupe mountains.  The largest bull that I have heard of that was taken out here scored a 454...but I think he was "technically" in high fence...I can explain further about the story if anybody wants to know.  We usually have high 300 class bulls.

Ok, working on a few revisions on my thesis and I will put up some pics of the project for breaks.     I love my job!!!!

[89toy]

So I finally have some time to put up a few pics...any questions about them feel free to bring em' on.  I will get some more later 

[brainlessfool]

how did ya cook him?

[79coyotefrg]

so whats he weigh??  about 500    

[89toy]

The bull in the dirt spot weight in at about 650 and the one in all of the vegetation weighed about 850-900.  The 850-900lb bull was the largest one that we captured for the project...that elk was big!!  Not a very large set of antlers, but his body was massive.

[Richmondo]

Are you guys tagging them in those pics?