WATCH: Hundreds of deer and elk cause daily damage to Plunkett farm

The damage large populations of deer and elk have done to Scott Martin’s fields has left him in a situation that’s hard to swallow.

“We can’t chase them. We can’t hunt them,” he said. “We can’t do anything. We just have to tolerate it.”

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The growing number of wild deer and elk bounding through his fields just south of Plunkett has Martin pushing for more hunting licenses to be issued in the area, in order to protect his cattle operation and feedlot.

“It hamstrings us in a lot of ways,” he said. “I’m not sure how we’re going to deal with this.”

Martin shared a video showing a large herd of deer running across across the road near his farm.

He said the hungry wildlife have caused “substantial financial losses” for his operation. He said he’s decided to restrict swath grazing at his farm, because its “impossible” to keep the wildlife out.

“The deer and the elk herd here, in our opinion at least, it’s out of control,” he said.

Martin said he sees around 400 deer and 300 elk each day, eating up feed and damaging silage and fencing.

He said he’s made efforts to protect his feed supply by covering silage in a wrap. The process adds another cost to his bottom line, and he said it isn’t completely shutting out the wildlife.

“The elk, they tend to like to dig,” Martin said. “They’ve got sharp hoofs. They make holes in the silage.”

Drone footage shows how elk have shredded Martin’s silage. (Scott Martin/ Submitted)

Martin said the number of animals in the area has also presented safety concerns for drivers. He said he’s seen eight collisions with wildlife in the area over the past year alone, including a collision involving one of his staff members.

“Something needs to be done,” Martin said. “There’s no signage.”

With large herds and populations of deer, Martin said he also has concerns about disease like bovine tuberculosis and chronic wasting disease potentially spreading from the elk or deer to his cattle.

“They are just a headache around the yard,” he said. “In the feed, with manure on the ground.”

Martin would like to see more hunting tags be issued for his area to help lower deer and elk populations. Over the hunting season, he continuously grants requests for hunters to access his land.

Hunting would be one solution to the problem, but Martin would also like to see more help from the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation to cover fencing to keep the wildlife out.

Martin has reached out to different departments with the Ministry of Environment for help, but said he has not seen much movement to take action against the wildlife overrunning his operation.

“There’s been lots of empty promises about helping and increasing the tags and whatnot, but I don’t think hunting alone is not going to solve this problem,” he said. “If we want to continue on with grazing, winter grazing, fencing is the only real solution that we’ve got.”

Martin said when the price of cattle falls due to the trade war between Canada and the United States, it could mean even more financial trouble for his farm.

“When we get back to tight margins and stuff again – which will come – every dollar counts,” he said.

Until help arrives, Martin said the hundreds of hungry deer and elk will continue to hover around his yard.

Wildlife group pushes back on late-season elk hunting

Saskatchewan’s environment ministry has issues hunting licenses for elk in three areas around the province – none of which include the RM of Viscount where Martin’s farm sits.

Starting on Monday, hunters will be able to purchase one of 175 total licenses to hunt in Zone 39, which includes the RMs of Stanley and Leask, until the last day of the month.

The late-season hunt has led to ethical hunting concerns raised by the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, because elk will be in calving season in a matter of weeks.

Martin said he’s hoping for more hunting licences to be issued in his area to help control the wildlife problem. (Scott Martin/ Submitted)

The wildlife federation has chosen to limit hunting on its habitat trust lands during this period due to those ethical concerns.

Martin didn’t share the same concerns with hunting licenses being issued at this time of the year. He said he was disappointed that his area was passed over for more tags this time around.

“I’m gonna keep lobbying on this and see if we can get the change of policy,” he said.

In a statement, the environment ministry said some areas were chosen to receive licenses due to above average wildlife damage seen by producers, while other were chosen in order to collect samples to test for disease.

As part of terms for the late-season hunt, heads must be submitted to the province for bovine tuberculosis testing by March 31.