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Poll

Should all OTC tags be eliminated and draw only hunting be the way forward?

NO - keep the general season open
262 (69.1%)
YES - make all hunting special draw only like Utah
117 (30.9%)

Total Members Voted: 379

Author Topic: Should ALL general season Elk hunts be canceled in favor of permit only hunting?  (Read 35329 times)

Offline KFhunter

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And if we just have 1 tag we could either chill out and drink beer for the rest of the season, or go home early once we get that elk rather than continue what so far has been a quixotic quest for a second animal.  Only difference would be that only those with tags would bother bringing their rifle.

The difference is that most people wouldn't say chilling out, drinking beer, going home early, and not carrying a rifle are actually hunting.

I would be one, that's camping not hunting.

Offline steeleywhopper

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We have enough restrictions on us. As it sits right now we manage the herds so the other user group can shoot any bull while we wait years to draw for a chance. I vote no.
Politicians like Jay Inslee are the reason we have the 2nd Amendment

Offline Dhoey07

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I would vote no to "all" but I wouldn't be against moving some GMU's to controlled hunts.

Offline KFhunter

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We have enough restrictions on us. As it sits right now we manage the herds so the other user group can shoot any bull while we wait years to draw for a chance. I vote no.

not all Elk hunting is around the rez, what about the rest of the state?

Offline sumpnz

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And if we just have 1 tag we could either chill out and drink beer for the rest of the season, or go home early once we get that elk rather than continue what so far has been a quixotic quest for a second animal.  Only difference would be that only those with tags would bother bringing their rifle.

The difference is that most people wouldn't say chilling out, drinking beer, going home early, and not carrying a rifle are actually hunting.



Didn't say it was my first choice.  This year I got a cow elk on day 1.  We kept at it until the old guy in the group couldn't handle another day out there.  Yeah, we liked it better being able to keep hunting.  But at some point saying enough and tackling the problem of having still full growlers of beer becomes more attractive when you've got enough meat hanging already to go around.

Or hunt bear & cougar

I always have my bear and cougar tag.  After I got my elk I kept my rifle on me while trying to help the other guys get onto a bull just in case I had a chance at a bear or cougar.  But, I don't think there's much out there in the way of predators.  The gut pile from my cow hadn't been hit by anything other than bugs after 2.5 days.  I know because I walked 2' away from it so I could retrieve some rope we'd left at the kill site and I took a pretty close look at it.

This fall I'm planning to scout a new place for deer hunting.  I'm going to make sure I go there after bear season at least is open, and cougar season too if possible.  And half the point of that trip will be to try to actually get one of those predators.

Online Bob33

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I would prefer to see actions taken to increase elk populations so general seasons wouldn't need to be cancelled.
Nature. It's cheaper than therapy.

Offline Special T

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@sumpnz wasn't a criticism so much as a need to kill predators despite the states attempt to protect them. I also realize that some areas hold more predators than others. Here in the NW and apparently NE there are plenty to go around.

I too need to try harder to kill predators...
In archery we have something like the way of the superior man. When the archer misses the center of the target, he turns round and seeks for the cause of his failure in himself. 

Confucius

Offline KFhunter

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@sumpnz wasn't a criticism so much as a need to kill predators despite the states attempt to protect them. I also realize that some areas hold more predators than others. Here in the NW and apparently NE there are plenty to go around.

I too need to try harder to kill predators...

It's so bad that a pack of cougars can charge a WDFW officer and he'll just fire warning shots in the air...warning shots??

Offline Special T

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I know right? And you guys in the NE are screwed cause you have cougar bear and wolves!

It's a good thing white tail breed like rabbits!
In archery we have something like the way of the superior man. When the archer misses the center of the target, he turns round and seeks for the cause of his failure in himself. 

Confucius

Offline KFhunter

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I know right? And you guys in the NE are screwed cause you have cougar bear and wolves!

It's a good thing white tail breed like rabbits!

The WT are in bad shape, they're huddled up in small herds on the late winter range and it's still snowed in.  I have to literally crawl through the herds of WT on the road way like they were cattle, don't even want to get out of my way.  I haven't even seen the mulies,  there was a few small herds here and there but they're all gone.  Haven't seen one in weeks.

Offline sumpnz

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@sumpnz wasn't a criticism so much as a need to kill predators despite the states attempt to protect them. I also realize that some areas hold more predators than others. Here in the NW and apparently NE there are plenty to go around.

I too need to try harder to kill predators...

Just looked it up, and assuming it doesn't change from last year, bear opens August 1, and cougar opens September 1.  It's really too bad they don't align bear and cougar openers.  I think I'll be able to scout during August, but probably not September.

Offline Karl Blanchard

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If this were about mule deer I would say absolutely 100% should have been done 5 years ago.  Elk on the other hand continue to thrive in this state.  There is ZERO reason to not have an otc season.
It is foolish and wrong to mourn these men.  Rather, we should thank god that such men lived.  -General George S. Patton

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If this were about mule deer I would say absolutely 100% should have been done 5 years ago.  Elk on the other hand continue to thrive in this state.  There is ZERO reason to not have an otc season.
I agree. Although something needs to be done with the St. Helens herd, the hoof rot is a serious issue, and much of that herd is in a downward spiral.
I may be wrong, but doesn't Utah have OTC elk units?

Offline mburrows

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I say no...i wish washington did the same thing idaho does with their elk tags. Lots of opportunity to hunt bulls across the state via tag quota and otc with a handful of draw only units. No picking a side but you can only hunt the management area you have a tag for.

Offline Karl Blanchard

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Guess I should specify I really know nothing about wetside elk.  But here in central washington there are more elk then there has ever been.  Every year the numbers continue to climb.  Harvest rates are low because output is directly related to input.  Go for a drive in the mountains at noon during elk season and count the number of folks sitting in camp.  Time on the mountain=success, not a permit in your pocket.  I've hunted a lot of the west and I see more elk here in the hills behind my home town than anywhere I have hunted including CO.
It is foolish and wrong to mourn these men.  Rather, we should thank god that such men lived.  -General George S. Patton

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