California Elk...Where are they?

[curtis]

Does anyone know why we don't have elk in the Tahoe area of California? I'm pretty new to the state but I haven't heard of or seen any elk up in the Plumas, Tahoe, Eldorado National Forests. The area looks like it would be great habitat for elk. Is it because of bad wildlife management from the state?

I would like to see if anyone has information on this.

Thanks,

Curtis

 

[squirrelduster]

No elk in that area, there are tule elk south in the Owens valley and north of Eagle lake there are Rocky mountain elk. The north coast along highway 101 from Orick north there are Rooseveldt elk. There are several pockets of tule elk throughout the central valley and the foothills.
Don't get started about the game management or lack of in California. Our mountain lion population is completely out of control destroying our already dismal deer herds. Bears and coyotes do further damage to the deer. I hunt Wisconsin almost every year at a friends ranch and I see more deer in three days of hunting than I do all year hunting here. They kill more deer opening weekend than exist in California.
Pretty sad but the California government has screwed up most everything they touch so why not the wildlife populations as well.

 

[newmexkid]

I lived in the Owens Valley, (Bishop) for 26 years. During that time I saw deer population go from...Which one do I shoot,too... Didn't even see a doe. Poor management at it's best. I too wondered many times why there weren't any elk in the areas you asked about. Who knows. The herd that lives outside Big Pine sure do live in a terrible place. Nothing but sagebrush. However, they sure provide a beautiful opportunity for tourists to take pictures of elk feeding in the alfalfa fields, (where you can't hunt).