This will teach those upscale elk a lesson.

SNOQUALMIE, Wash.-- State wildlife officials have declared open season on a group of elk that have been damaging an upscale golf course.

Officials at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge say the elk have been wreaking havoc on the course, creating large divots and breaking pins.

General manager Ryan Whitney said over the past two years, the golf club has used flares to scare away the elk, traps to frighten them and even tagged several of them to follow their movement. But nothing worked, and the prized playing surface continued taking a beating.

"We've not only seen greater visits, but greater numbers coming," Whitney said.

With mounting damage, the state has finally approved a plan to kill several of the elk.

Expert hunters can even vie for the chance to shoot one of them from a designated area on the course.

The hunting will take place on Mondays, when the course is closed to golfers.

Some might have a problem with the hunt, but other residents on the ridge say as long as it's safe and all the other options have been exhausted, this is the way to go.

"If they are doing a lot of damage and if that succeeds in preventing that damage in driving them away -- they're not even native to the area, I understand -- then I'm okay with it," said golfer Rob Bringardner.

Wildlife experts say if a few elk are killed, the others might learn to steer clear of the golf course.

More that 30 elk have been killed throughout the Snoqualmie Valley in the limited hunt.

I saw one the other day sporting a Cutter & Buck pull over and Nike soft spikes. About time they are put in their place.

Not native to the area ?? ? ? Like the guy who said that has generations in the local cemetery. . . .. .. . hmmmmm ..

How'd that migration route get onto OUR golf course?!?

The city of Snoqualmie banned hunting a few years ago, about the same time the ridge development cleared a few square miles for houses and the golf course. Just east of the golf course is the Hancock forest where the Elk live. The hunting closure goes right up to the edge of the forest. When hunting season opens up the herd heads into the no hunting area, typically settling in the fields of Meadow brook farm (now a park) until the season ends. With no predators and all of the great forage provided by the landscaped homes and golf course it is a great surprise that the elk have moved into the area. What’s even more surprising is that people are surprised by this. 75 Elk were relocated from Olympic National Park in the early 1900's to an island in the mill pond of the Weyerhaeuser mill. One year the Snoqualmie River flooded and the Elk swam off the island for good and the herd has grown to about 250 head calling the North side of I-90 corridor their home. There are some big bulls in the herd that never get touched by hunters because they stay in the no hunting zone all season. You can see them laying the Meadowbrook fields starting in late August. The biggest I have seen is an 8x8 and they are at least 10 6x6’s as well.

Make the city a draw permit Archery tag with a trespass permit and a city escort for the hunters and the elk problem will end.

I'm not a golfer, so maybe my perspective on this is a bit skewed...but I think they have a golf course problem, not an elk problem...and I'm pretty sure the golf course isn't native, nor are all the people living around it.

Fish on...

Todd

Had a six point bull refuse to let us play through on the Cascade Golf Course, near North Bend, a few years ago. It was just after the rut and he was still a bit surly. He and his harem had no fear what so ever of golfers on foot. It took a golfer in a cart to move them off the green and a nearby tee box.

Snoqualmie Ridge golfers should follow the lead of Packwood golfers and adopt local rules for turds, tracks, and divots left by elk.

With all the horrible chemicals they spray all over golf courses I'm not so sure I'd want to eat something that spends a lot of time eating golf course grass...

Fish on...

Todd

Elk do not eat grass they eat the forbes(clovers etc) or new growth on brushy plants. Their favs in suburbs are roses or fruit trees.

<= only eats organically grown apples...you're right, there's a ton of crap sprayed on your food...besides tasting better, organically grown produce won't kill you.

Fish on...

Todd

Were do I sign up for a permit?????????????????????????????????.........Good luck,
SZ

+ MANY

The horrible stuff they spray all over golf courses is the same horrible stuff they spray all over most crops, so good luck avoiding it.

And just remember, if you only eat organic food, you'll only die from organic cancer.

That's why I don't eat "most crops" either, Danno

Fish on...

Todd

Busch beer is organic?

Not exactly a crop...and I do get organic beer at the store here, believe it or not...it's from Bellingham.

Fish on...

Todd

Shrooms are organic.

Hops and barley aren't crops?

I was at that golf course a few years ago for a meeting. Fantastic view of a golf course built on old clear cuts. There's one like that up near Mt. Vernon too. The hills and ravines are so steep, you're required to ride a golf cart around the back way to get from the tee to the greens. Funny, but I don't know a thing about golf.

click- Varmit Cong