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The province is taking a new step to deal with large herds of elk damaging crops by allowing hunting outside of the regular hunting season.
Environment Minister Darlene Rowden said they get several hundred complaints every year from livestock producers and grain farmers dealing with elk damaging their land.
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“When the same pressures keep resurfacing without responsive measures, both the frequency of losses and the impact on producers’ livelihoods will continue, and the emotional toll is real. Seeing crops or feed trampled, eaten, or contaminated by wildlife only adds to the strain,” she said.
Rowden said the Ministry of Environment will be offering eight depredation permits to producers who have a history of dealing with elk causing significant damage on their land, where prevention measures have not helped.
Environment Minister Darlene Rowden said paying out claims to producers for damage caused by elk herds year-over-year isn’t a sustainable, long-term solution. (980 CJME/Abby Zieverink)
She said the permits are meant to bring immediate relief to farmers and producers who are experiencing damage.
“In a perfect world, those producers won’t have elk on their property again, or as many. The big thing is, we’re trying to disperse these big herds, to get them dispersed and … hopefully permanently moved off areas where they’re causing damage and havoc.”
Rowden said the permits can be used on properties with issues from Jan. 15 to March 31 next year.
“After the end of the hunting season, each eligible producer identified by SCIC (the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation) will be given eight depredation tags at no cost, to be used to remove elk that are causing depredation problems,” said Rowden.
“If the producer is not a hunter themselves, a family member or friend can be designated to remove the elk as long as they are a Saskatchewan resident and can legally hold a hunting licence.”
While producers can currently make damage claims through the SCIC, Rowden said paying out claims year-over-year isn’t a sustainable, long-term solution.
The province said the SCIC will administer the tags through its wildlife damage claims and prevention processes that are already in place, with eligible landowners showing a commitment to implementing fencing and other preventative measures.
Agriculture Minister David Merit (Right) and Environment Minister Darlene Rowden announcing the new elk depredation permits, to help farmers and producers dealing with damage on their land from large elk herds. (980 CJME/Abby Zieverink)
“The one thing about the depredation program that everybody should know is you don’t have to be in crop insurance to make an application, so this will really affect all producers. It’s a combination, not only of crop grain farmers, but also livestock producers as well,” said Agriculture Minister David Merit.
Merit said the elk depredation permits are targeted, explaining elk isn’t a problem across the entire province.
“There are parts of the province where there are virtually no hunting for elk, so this really looks at areas where we’ve had historic claims, wildlife claims, and elk (where) we know those numbers are high.”
“We’ve heard from our colleagues, we’ve heard from municipal leaders that there are herds of 300 and 400 out there. We know of cattle ranchers that are rolling out bales, and the elk are there, it’s almost one to one, so obviously it’s a challenge.”
Rowden said she spoke with the Wildlife Federation, and said they are “understanding.”
“Do they like depredation tags? No, neither do I. I wish this problem wasn’t happening, but they did seem understanding of why I was doing this, along with Ag (the Ministry of Agriculture), and they were happy to hear about the fencing options and stuff like that,” said Rowden.
“So we’re not just handing out depredation tags. We’re also providing mitigation things to hopefully mitigate this problem permanently, so they’re understanding.”
After the implementation of the permits in 2027, the province said it will evaluate the results and consider them for future planning of wildlife management in Saskatchewan.
Farmers looking for solutions
For some farmers, fencing and silage just can’t keep away elk from treating their fields like an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Larry Bryck said elk never used to be an issue at his farm near Ituna, but herds have grown over the last several years.
“They got to do something because the population is increasing,” he said. “The more they increase, the more they spread out, so it is going to be making more damage.”
Bryck said the extra tags are something he would consider applying for.
Larry Sommerfeld, the Reeve of the RM of Lost River, said the elk are occasionally a problem for people with cattle in his area.
He’s never had issues with elk, but said he had issues with deer in his fields.
“I think they know what they’re doing when they put out those depredation tags,” Sommerfeld said. “I think they’re necessary.”
Concerns of privatization
Todd Smith, the executive director with the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, said he understands there needs to be a balance between wildlife and agriculture.
“I’m not sure going down the path of of continually hunting the elk is the best course of action,” he said.
“We need to explore other issues to work cooperatively and reduce access to the food sources that are seem to be the focal point of these over-winter issues.”
Smith said he would like to see proof land owners used all prevention methods — like silage and fencing — to keep the elk from their fields before requesting elk tags.
Wildlife is a public trust resource in Saskatchewan, but Smith said the additional hunting tags don’t provide an equal opportunity for all people who want to participate.
He said he has issues with this approach because it leans towards the privatization of wildlife.
Smith said there could also be issues with illegal outfitting, and there should be proper safeguards to prevent the sale of the elk tags.
He said the SWF was not consulted by the province before the announcement.
— with files from 980 CJME’s Gillian Massie
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