Future of Washington Hunting Season's

[billythekidrock]

Change it - slightly

I have already mentioned some of the things I would like to see on the draw hunts.

Keep points
Go back to the "if you apply your penalized 3 days)
Drop hunt choices back to one (or maybe two)
Pre pay on the big 3

[wannahunt]

I think if you put in for a special hunts then you have to miss out on the opening week-end for general season hunts even if you aren't drawn. That will lower the number of folks putting in for the special hunts. On the other hand it seems that Oregon's system is pretty well accepted by the folks down there. At least the ones I have talked to. 

[GOcougsHunter]

I second Billy the kid rock's idea...  I'd be more than willing to push my season out 3 days in order to have better draw odds.  (I only seriously hunt late season anyway)

[Dman]

 Understand your point of view, but from a public land's perspective (that we all pay for), the east side has 60-70% of the State total. Considering that the bulk of State money used to manage and purchase those lands comes from the west side, west sider's should have opportunity also, particularly since their IS overcrowding on the west side and much more shrinking of hunting land's than on the east side -the east side has actually expanded in new land's in recent years while the west side has lost ten's of thousand's of acres in private timberland opportunity. If you penalized wet siders in that way, hunting would die out altogether in Wa. financially.

[jackelope]

That side of the discussion could open up a whole new can of worms

[GoldTip]

I fully agree with billythekidrocks idea of pre-pay to apply for the big three.  At $5 an application, that is the PRIMARY reason the drawing odds have gotten so bad.  Also increase the cost of applying for deer/elk special permits to $10 per species.

[WDFW-SUX]

Duckfvr, If I own land on both sides of the state can I hunt both?

[boneaddict]

I'm not sure about the 3 day lag for the general as I've never really thought of it, and the season is so short anyway.  I do absolutely think the big 3 should be up front cash.  I think they could tank the points if they want to.  I also think they should make it one choice only, and sell leftover tags for those that don't fill up.

[Kent Hunter]

I've heard rumors that we are going "draw only" like some other states in a few years. I would be alright with that.

[littletoes]

DuckFvr-Has a serious good point there.

Sure you guys out number us, three to one, maybe more? Doesn't that mean that our state should do a "Split" like perhaps New York State has done??? All the voting power is in the cities, so to keep our strength or voting power equal, we need to "split" the voting capacity so that we have an equal VOICE.

If you can come up with a good reason why not...Somebody tell me why a city full of people, most raised with one idea in thier heads, should have voting power over those of us living over here?

Sorry to bring this up, but most over by the coast are Liberals, most over here are not. We is country lovin' gun toters, and "WE" should have the voting power over what happens over HERE.

Sure, this is going to offend some folks, but shouldn't YOU have voting power over what happens in YOUR backyard, as WE should have voting power over what happens in OURS???

Common sense?

[Curly]

Littletoes, I'm over here on the "coast" as you guys on the east side like to call western WA.  I totally agree with your opinion; yes it seems like common sense.

[actionshooter]

If you can come up with a good reason why not...Somebody tell me why a city full of people, most raised with one idea in thier heads, should have voting power over those of us living over here?
 

I agree with this, I think this is how we lost hounds and baiting

[Opportunist]

I get discriminated in all of the other states I hunt as a non-resident. I'll be damned if I'll get discriminated in my OWN state.

These biggame animals reside in mainly Federal lands which are owned by all citizens. Wildlife are publicly owned. I buy my eastside tag even though I live westside and have elk in my backyard, but I prefer to hunt big bulls on the eastside, my choice. Everyone has the same odds of drawing. There is already a penalty on the eastside its called spike only if you don't draw!

Let's not split our ranks any further!

I like Oregon's point system the best. It would be an easy transition for WDFW to do. 75% of the tags go to those  with most points then 25% are drawn random luck.  I've seen Nevada's spread sheet for points ( identical to washingtons weighted point system), weighted points don't do you alot of good if you have bad luck. My hunting partner has 8 deer points in Nevada and the tags were drawn this year in the unit he applies for by hunters with fewer points. Sound familiar to Washington? I know of a kid who drew Cleman Mt. sheep last year with 2 points. Great for the kid but unfair for the hunters with max points. 





 

[littletoes]

I get discriminated in all of the other states I hunt as a non-resident. I'll be damned if I'll get discriminated in my OWN state.

So, you don't think "We" over here don't get discriminated by what happens on any kind of vote because of the huge population over there??? King Co. alone outnumbers our entire side of the State. We don't even have a voice, and sad to say, that is with ALL things, not just game animals. Hell, the folks we have to choose from as Officials mostly live over there too. Thats got to help our position, sure. 

As said above, how many negative votes for hounds/bears came from over there as opposed from here, just as one example. Do you realy think its going to get better? Just listen to the voice's from this side....

[Opportunist]

 The bait/hound ban had nothing to do with hunters.  It had to do with a well run campaign by anti's.  This ban affected the whole state not just eastside. 

I am listening to the argument. I just don't agree in dividing this states hunters. The old divided we fall theory, held pretty true for Custer.