Survival and Recovery Estimates of Male Elk in a Harvested Inter-Jurisdictional Population

Demographic rates are critical pieces of information for understanding ungulate population dynamics and effectively managing populations. In harvested elk Cervus elaphus canadensis populations, human harvest is often the greatest source of adult male mortality. In the Cypress Hills of southeast Alberta and southwest Saskatchewan, Canada, hunting is a tool to mitigate conflicts between elk and agricultural producers in the area. We estimated survival (S) and animal recovery (f) rates based on individually marked male elk (n = 47) using hunter-returned ear tags from 1998-2001. Recovery rate differed between jurisdictions and was substantially lower in Saskatchewan (f = 0.16, SE = 0.05) compared to Alberta (f = 0.31, SE = 0.08). A constant survival rate (S = 0.61, SE = 0.15) was most supported. The average longevity for male elk in the Cypress Hills was 2.02 (SE = 0.51) years after surviving their first year of life. This research highlights the importance of considering regulatory regimes and requirements when investigating and interpreting demographic and population dynamics of populations managed across jurisdictions.