Hunters Reward3ed For Helping Research

Ten Idaho elk hunters who participated in Idaho Fish and Game's brucellosis testing program this fall will get a chance to spend some unexpected cash.

They received $50 gift certificates donated by Sportsman's Warehouse. Fish and Game Wildlife Veterinarian Phil Mamer came up with the idea of rewarding hunters for participating.

"I thought I'd do something to increase the enthusiasm of hunters to return samples to us," Mamer said, "so I went to Sportsmen's warehouse and they contributed 10 gift certificates at the Idaho Falls store and the Meridian store."

Fish and Game has been distributing brucellosis test kits to hunters in Idaho since 1998. Each year hunters who receive the kit are encouraged to return blood samples of harvested elk. This year 2000 kits were sent out to hunters participating in controlled hunts in southeastern Idaho. Those who return the kits play a vital role in the monitoring program.

"The hunters are very important because if they don't return the blood sample from the elk, then we have nothing to test," Mamer said. "So they are really important, and we really appreciate their help with this program."

Hunters returned 247 samples this year. Their names were put into a special drawing for the 10 gift certificates.

The department is continually monitoring herds in Idaho for brucellosis, a disease that causes elk cows to abort their calves. The primary concern is the disease being transmitted to domestic cattle and endangering Idaho's livestock industry's brucellosis-free status. So far, the only elk that have tested positive are in herds along the Wyoming border and Yellowstone National Park.

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