N A W A C - Field Study Discussion

[Guest]

http://digital.library.okstate.edu/oas/oas_htm_files/v82/p89_94nf.html

 

Elk (Cervus elaphus) were once widespread in North America and occupied every major natural vegetation type (1). The public is usually surprised to learn that elk occur in Oklahoma, but as a game species several populations are relatively large and productive enough to sustain a restricted annual harvest. Merriam's elk (C. e. merriami) were native to Oklahoma prior to the 1900s, but the last known Merriam's elk was harvested on Rainy Mountain, Kiowa County, in 1881 (2). In 1908, a bull of unknown stock and origin was released into the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge (WMWR), followed by five Rocky Mountain elk (C. e. canadensis; one bull, four cows) from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in 1911 (1,2). Relocation efforts were successful, and the elk population in WMWR is maintained at about 500 through annual harvests (J. Kimball, WMWR Wildlife Biologist, personal communication). Elk have migrated from WMWR through fence-breaks south to the adjacent Fort Sill Military Reservation (FS) and north and west to adjacent private land (PL) outside WMWR and FS. To further establish elk in eastern Oklahoma, elk from WMWR were introduced into Cherokee, Cookson, LeFlore, McCurtain, Pushmataha, and Spavinaw wildlife management areas (WMA) in the late 1960s (3).

Successful elk restoration has occurred in Pennsylvania and Michigan resulting in self-sustaining herds (4,5), causing other states to assess the feasibility of elk restoration (57). The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) has regulated elk harvests to control expanding elk herds on private lands and provides hunting opportunities for Oklahoma residents on wildlife management areas. We summarize harvest strategies and total harvest of elk in Oklahoma from 1987 to 2001.

STUDY AREA AND METHODS

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/hunting/elk.htm

 

Elk

Late September finds the bulls with gleaming antlers, swollen necks and short-tempers. Elk are polygamous, and once the mating season arrives, bulls assemble females, or cows, into harems. A harem contains as many cows as a bull can successfully defend from competing bulls.

Bull elk use a high-pitched, flute-like call, or bugle, to attract cows and to announce their willingness to defend their cows and breeding territory against competing males. The fall mating season is the only time males and females are commonly found together.

In Oklahoma, the largest free-ranging elk herds can be found on the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, as well as at Pushmataha, Cookson Hills, Spavinaw and Cherokee wildlife management areas. Small herds also inhabit private land in Kiowa, Comanche and Caddo counties.

Because their natural predators have largely disappeared, unmanaged elk may overpopulate their available range, causing habitat degradation. In 1966, the Wildlife Department and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service reached a cooperative agreement that provided for an annual controlled hunt to manage elk populations at the Wichita Mountains NWR. Since then, the agreement has proven instrumental in controlling herd numbers while allowing a few fortunate hunters, selected through an annual drawing conducted by the Wildlife Department, the opportunity to pursue the American elk in its native habitat

 

http://www.sequoyahcountytimes.com/archives/article_53816c50-061e-510d-b6e7-2696348218fe.html

 

This would be South of where we were in Sequoyah but relevant also NW of us there is herd free range near Talequah

[Guest]

Shocking that there are animals in places the authorities say they aren't. Shocking. 

[Cotter]

^LOL!  No kidding!
 

Thx for the reply Bipto.

I guess that I hadn't felt you had mentioned that sort of activity all that much.  I do recall hearing described on Episode 51 some of the grunt/huff type stuff.

 

I suppose though when you have sightings and interactions, the vocal part of it doesn't rise to the top as much.

[Guest]

Yep, from what I understand that besides the big Northern variety of Black bears introduced decades ago (seen a huge one myself on Hwy 1 in the 90's) they also supposedly reintroduced Wolf's too.  Combine the huge white tail population and everything else it makes for quite alot of potential Squatch protein sources !  I hope the Elk can make it as hearing about the mass deaths of Elk from a brain disease or parasite is saddening.

[Guest]

I suppose though when you have sightings and interactions, the vocal part of it doesn't rise to the top as much.

 

Yeah, that's right. There's only so much time, you know. 

Combine the huge white tail population and everything else it makes for quite alot of potential Squatch protein sources ! 

 

I don't think we've ever seen any elk sign. It'd be pretty cool to see one down there. We have seen some suspiciously wolfy looking coyotes from time to time. Never know. 

[southernyahoo]

 

Well I've found sand I leave very little impression on, then suddenly go up to my ankles because there's something soft underneath. A light rain could remove the slight impressions on the hard stuff, leaving the deep ones. Some sand is highly variable in weight bearing with water content, which can change in hours.

 

This is true, some tracks could have been washed away with rising and falling water levels like with a river bed, assuming the sand bar was dome shaped and the tracks went across the highest point.

 

We've heard Ohio Howl-type vocalizations and returns in the area, even during the day. We've heard the occasional whoop. I've personally heard whistles in the dead of night (so clearly not birds, though it didn't sound like any bird) that was responded to by a tongue click/cluck sound (the click/cluck thing also led to an aggressive display the next day when one of our guys made the sound back). We've also heard sounds like pant hoots (a chimp thing), assorted growls, chatter, whispering chatter, and strange thudding sounds that you feel more than you hear. 

 

Additionally, we've heard honks and coughs that are hard to pin on a more mundane animal (almost elk-like, though there are no elk in the region). The strangest (and rarest) things we've heard are a weird swishing gurgling sound as if something was sloshing its tongue around in its mouth (we've heard that from multiple directions at once) and very strange multi-tonal almost choir-like sounds.

Interesting accounts. I recall a recording from OP endurance that was like a pop gun being shot at an empty bucket. Was that like the click/cluck sound or was it more obviously done with the mouth?

[Guest]

The click/cluck sound was first heard during OP (year two) but wasn't recorded. When we first heard it, it was from a bit of a distance. We couldn't really make out what it was except we knew it wasn't a sound we had heard before. It almost sounded like a low volume/close proximity wood knock or something (my field notes had exactly that, "Wood knock?") but it wasn't a wood on wood or hard surface sound. It followed immediately after a whistle sound. The whistle was fairly close and came from the SW while the click/cluck was a little further away was from the south. We felt it was a "where are you?" "I'm over here" kind of thing. Three of us when to investigate and felt quite confident that we were very close to both animals. I related that experience in BFS 38. That whole night was kinda crazy. 

 

The next day, one of our guys heard it again at very close range and determined it was the sound of a tongue being clucked off the roof of a mouth (hard to describe this thing I know we've all done). Since then, we've heard it several more times. Not sure if they're using the sound more or if we're just more attuned to hearing it now. 

 

In any event, no, there's no recording of it from OP and yes, to us, it seems very obviously to be some kind of mouth noise. 

[Painthorse]

Bipto, the click cluck got my attention. Was hoping as I read on that you had it recorded, bummer you don't. I've got a recording of something that "might" be similar, but maybe not. Have "never heard it in person" only on the recording but does sound like a tongue being clicked off the roof of a mouth. But would like to post it out of curiosity if it is anything close to what ya'll heard. Not from this area though, but from down in Florida.

[Guest]

I'd love to hear it. If you can post it here, please do so. If not, I'm at bipto67@gmail.com. 

[Airdale]

Brian, have you folks recorded any slaps on the outside of the cabins? If so, would it be possible to post it here or in a PM. I was awakened by 5 or 6 slaps outside our bedroom window in August of 09 that literally shook the wall, followed by heavy bi-ped footfalls running down the backyard towards the ravine our creek has cut. Neighbor about 100 yards up hill from us was awakened by a single slap the same summer and ran out to investigate and found nothing even though the house has only a few trees around. Also, do you experience both single and multiple slaps? Thanks!

Edited October 11, 2013 by Airdale

[Guest]

As far as I can recall, they're single slaps. I don't ever remember hearing about multiple strikes at the same time. We may have one recorded, though I don't have the file. I'll ask around. 

[Airdale]

Thanks, appreciate it.

[ShadowBorn]

Bipto, the click cluck got my attention. Was hoping as I read on that you had it recorded, bummer you don't. I've got a recording of something that "might" be similar, but maybe not. Have "never heard it in person" only on the recording but does sound like a tongue being clicked off the roof of a mouth. But would like to post it out of curiosity if it is anything close to what ya'll heard. Not from this area though, but from down in Florida.

I have heard this click cluck sound as well and have always blew it of as a  buck clucking away. This is the only way i can explain it since it was loud and clear. The best way to descibe it this sound is by making it using your tonge and clucking it by using the roof of your mouth.

[Guest]

Brian, have you folks recorded any slaps on the outside of the cabins? 

 

I've asked around and I don't think we do. 

[Airdale]

Thanks for checking. I keep my Sony Night Shot on my headboard now, so if it ever happens again maybe I'll at least be able to get a shot or sound of the retreat. I suspect it or they may have selected my neighbor and me because we're among the very few with acreage on or near the creek that don't own dogs. It was certainly a rude and adrenalin charged wake-up, and at the time I had no idea what it was as I had not yet renewed my adolescent interest in bf and had no clue that wall slapping was a commonly reported behavior.