I don't know why they continue to try to re-populate that herd. The WDFW has done it a few times, only to have them hunted back to their original levels, prior to the transplant. I'm not sure who to point the finger at, but there have been a numbers of different user groups responsible. It might be nice to see a closure in the transplant area for a number of years. It would be nice to see some of those St. Helens elk help to restore a smaller herd, rather than to have another large die-off.

I will volunteer for the dart and transfer operation, though. The last dart and collar operation I was in on was quite an eye opener, and I learned a lot of new country.