Isn't it interesting that the only parts of the government that are shut down are those programs related to the citizens of the country. As far as I can tell, the government itself is operating as always.

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Elk stand up to 5ft tall (at the shoulder) and can weigh over 1,000 lbs. A large deer may weigh 400 lbs and stand just over 3 ft tall. Elk can run up to 45mph in short bursts; mulies run at a similar speed. Whitetails can reach about 35mph. An elk can (and sometimes will) kill you.

Hunting elk for non-residents in Idaho costs something in the neighborhood of $1100: the license, the tag, other expenses. For residents, the cost is something around $100 not including transportation. Non-resident hunting fees cover ½ DNR's budget; almost $30M/yr. That's a lot of hunters coming from out of state.

Lots of people come here to hunt critters: bighorn sheep, moose, bear, pronghorn, lions, wolves, and of course elk (along with other smaller critters). It's not hard for a non-resident (or residents either for that matter) to spend $10k or more for guided hunts. Elk hunting is particularly popular; so popular, they hold a lottery for permits to hold the number of hunters down.

However, for some of us, the problem isn't hunting elk, it's chasing them out of the garden.
Some of y'all think deer* can cause damage to a garden ... elk can render a garden into non-existence.

This photo was taken in my (former) back yard.

*All elk are deer, deer are not always elk

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