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Tribes balk at plan for hunters to cull elk at Hanford Reach monument

Elk graze on the shrub steppe of the Arid Lands Ecology Reserve near and on the Hanford nuclear reservation. There now are too many elk on the reserve and federal wildlife officials say they will kill as many as 60. (File/Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
By Rich Landers richl@spokesman.com(509) 459-5508
Elk graze on the shrub steppe of the Arid Lands Ecology Reserve near and on the Hanford nuclear reservation. There now are too many elk on the reserve and federal wildlife officials say they will kill as many as 60. (File/Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Elk graze on the shrub steppe of the Arid Lands Ecology Reserve near and on the Hanford nuclear reservation. There now are too many elk on the reserve and federal wildlife officials say they will kill as many as 60. (File/Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

HUNTING — The Fish and Wildlife Service may allow hunting on Hanford Reach National Monument land near Rattlesnake Mountain to cull a herd of elk damaging nearby wheat fields.

Over several years, managers hope to reduce the heard of about 700 elk to about 350.

But area Indian tribes are balking at the proposal, as reported by Northwest Public Radio .

See the agency’s draft plan . Deadline to comment is Dec. 30.

The Tri-City Herald reports the Fish and Wildlife Service is accepting public comment this month on the proposed elk hunt that would take place next fall.

The hunt would be limited to 10 hunters a day and would be managed by the state Fish and Wildlife Department and the Yakama Nation.

The Energy Department opposed an elk hunt in 2005 but is not opposing the current proposal because cleanup work has been completed in the area.

* This story was originally published as a post from the blog "Outdoors Blog." Read all stories from this blog