

August 28, 1998 



P.O. Box 291 



Fairfield, MT 59436 



(406)467-2488 

 Mr. D.J. Bakken, Forester 



Department of Natural Resources and Conservation 



Central Land Office 



8001 North Montana Avenue 



Helena, MT 59602 



Mr. Bakken: 



In response to your letter dated 6/30/98 concerning the Gladstone 

 Creek proposals in hunting district 423, please consider my 

 comments better late than never. If they are too late for use in 

 the E.A., then perhaps they can be of value for future management 

 actions . 



Your condensation of my comments relative to bull elk survival in 

 hunting district 423 were well -worded. As to actual numbers of 

 elk/bull elk observed, please note the following table. 



YEAR TOTAL ELK OBSERVED BULL ELK OBSERVED 



1996 301 10 spikes 



1997 357 4 spikes, 1 brow-tined bull 



1998 346 no bulls observed 



Survey conditions in 1998 did not lend themselves to elk 

 classification from the air. Bulls were very likely present but 

 unobserved. You'll note that percent bulls is low as is bull age 

 structure. Clearly, bull elk survival during the hunting season is 

 low in hunting district 423. Bull elk population parameters 

 comparable to these typically persist in areas lacking large blocks 

 of effective security cover. Roads (logging and otherwise, closed 

 to vehicles or not) and timber harvests have, to date, 

 significantly eroded the finite amounts of bull elk security cover 

 throughout hunting district 423. 



Thank you for the opportunity to provide input into the E.A. 

 process. Please feel free to call or write with any questions or 



comments . 



Sincerely , 



Quentin Kujala 

 wildlife biologist 



