Sask. hunting pilot project will see more elk licenses in 5 rural municipalities

FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2006 file photo, a bull elk keeps a watchful eye on a herd of cow elk in Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes Park, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

A total of five rural municipalities (RM) will receive an extended hunting season for the first 10 days of November as part of a pilot project aimed at helping producers who are dealing with abnormally high wildlife damage to their crops.

The Government of Saskatchewan unveiled the “Big Game Management Extended Hunt” pilot as another tool to manage human-wildlife conflict in the RMs of Livingstone, Hazel Dell, Kelvington, Bjorkdale, and Leask.

Each RM will be allocated 50 antlerless elk licenses on top what is made available in the Big Game Draw.

"Regardless of population status, deer and elk are attracted to and may congregate in areas with easy access to unprotected agricultural products, especially during severe winters," Environment Minister Christine Tell said in the announcement.

"This hunting opportunity will allow us to mitigate damage from wildlife while also ensuring their populations remain sustainable into the future.”

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According to the province, extended hunts are implemented if certain criteria is met. It includes if damage by game species to agricultural products has been reported to the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) and if producers in the affected RMs have exhausted all other preventive measures.

Licenses will only be available to Saskatchewan residents through the online Hunting, Angling and Trapping licensing system.