Lock The Gates

[Seabass]

Are you serious? How did this topic end up at a place where we might have our hunting limited? You are nuts! There are ares where deer herds are lacking, agreed but how do you get from an over pressured specific area to a statewide draw system.
I didn't know we had an epidemic that wiped out the deer in Washington. Lets not get crazy. This state has a turd load of deer in it!

[Ridgeratt]

Are you serious? How did this topic end up at a place where we might have our hunting limited? You are nuts! There are ares where deer herds are lacking, agreed but how do you get from an over pressured specific area to a statewide draw system.
I didn't know we had an epidemic that wiped out the deer in Washington. Lets not get crazy. This state has a turd load of deer in it!

Serious :  Yes to a point.
Having your hunting limited:     
      Back in the mid 70's I was elk hunting in the Blues with my Dad and had a person tell me we were Dinosaurs and we needed to think about our season's. I had some of the same response you just gave me. back then it was any Bull along with an open cow season. Since then the seasons have changed a shade.

Deer wiped out in the state:       
       Even the site owner has made reference to the lack of deer in some of the areas. part of this can be attributed to the winters of 2008 and 2009 with the heavy snows. Then there is the new topic we have that is decimating the herds as well.

As to the Turd load of deer in this state:       
     Balderdash, The deer numbers are now where what they were in the 60's and 70's But then again they will rise and fall depending on the winters but now we have wolves that will not play into the mix. But never to the numbers I have seen.

So I can tell you what the person told me back then!

Enjoy the Good Old Days. Your hunting them now!

I have stayed away from addressing the Nations hunting, But what they need to realize is they are effecting what will be there for the children and grandchildren as well.

[wilsongideon]

If this was a vote I would say..phooey on the draw only or closing the season on sunday or even closing any areas before november first or on the raising the permit cost to make it a rich mans sport, its already expensive enough. making the regular season draw only isnt really going to help to take pressure off the deer in question, sure any draw only area is going to have better hunting as less hunters equals better hunting no brainer. but the deer that I think phool is concerned with and the original idea was to protect wally the wall hanger from road hunting/poaching some which is legal poaching but is poaching to me.abuse of rights whatever.  the deer that need protection is the Wilderness herd that has nowhere else to go to survive winter. these deer do not need to spend their winter/spring being chased around by trucks, sleds, dogs and dirtbikes. If anyone wants to ever see washington mule deer mature into their potential then helping them get through the winter should be tops on the list. I say close the unit to vehicles after the rifle permit hunt. say november 20th - through may 1. shed hunters can still walk in and that wont hurt the deer much but keep the dogs out. sleds can go play somewhere else, plenty of snow in washington where deer dont winter. open all the roads back up and everyone can drive though and look take their kids up to hunt the local deer. I think this kind of protection should be put in place on all the deer winter ranges where this type of harrasement goes on.  Dont take away rights of the normal hunter. just protect the deer from the knuckleheads in our society

[huntnphool]

 Somehow it got off track. I am concerned with the targetting and harassing of the migratory deer in their winter range after Dec. 1st. I believe closing the gates and banning motorized vehicles off of the mainlines would help. I'm not talking about removing access to the areas or cutting hunting seasons short, just trying to make it more difficult for all but the most determind to get in there and kill these vulnerable bucks.

 I find it hard to believe that anyone concerned with the heard would appose locking the gates and banning motorized vehicles from Dec. 1st through the end of March.

[winshooter88]

Trust me there are people out there that don't want any roads gated in any area no metter if it helps the animals or not. We are dealing with this in a local area right now. All they care about is having motorized access year around snd don't believe that elk or deer are affected by 4X4s or quads or motorcycles at any time. There is a group in Kittitas county that feels this way and will do almost anything to block road closures no matter what.

[skywalker253]

If this was a vote I would say..phooey on the draw only or closing the season on sunday or even closing any areas before november first or on the raising the permit cost to make it a rich mans sport, its already expensive enough. making the regular season draw only isnt really going to help to take pressure off the deer in question, sure any draw only area is going to have better hunting as less hunters equals better hunting no brainer. but the deer that I think phool is concerned with and the original idea was to protect wally the wall hanger from road hunting/poaching some which is legal poaching but is poaching to me.abuse of rights whatever.  the deer that need protection is the Wilderness herd that has nowhere else to go to survive winter. these deer do not need to spend their winter/spring being chased around by trucks, sleds, dogs and dirtbikes. If anyone wants to ever see washington mule deer mature into their potential then helping them get through the winter should be tops on the list. I say close the unit to vehicles after the rifle permit hunt. say november 20th - through may 1. shed hunters can still walk in and that wont hurt the deer much but keep the dogs out. sleds can go play somewhere else, plenty of snow in washington where deer dont winter. open all the roads back up and everyone can drive though and look take their kids up to hunt the local deer. I think this kind of protection should be put in place on all the deer winter ranges where this type of harrasement goes on.  Dont take away rights of the normal hunter. just protect the deer from the knuckleheads in our society

This is a really good post right here. I agree wtih everything you said, except one thing. When I suggested raising the special permit costs and closing the area during the general season; I was not trying to turn it into a rich mans hunt. That was why I suggested a "B" permit at a lesser cost to the hunter, which would still be the exact same hunt. My suggestions were off topic, considering Huntnphool is talking about a very specific group of deer. I still would like to see my suggestion or a variation of it, implemented in certain areas. My main reason, is due to the lack of funding the game department recieves. Currently they create special permit hunts in areas for the sake of selling permits. IMO- they are damaging the resource in specific GMUs. Example 163 Marengo. Use to be the #1 area in the state. Now it is one of the worst areas in WA and has been destroyed. 2 hour hunt on opening day. Get a deer or go elsewhere...
Why not take protect the deer in Entiat by making the unit a draw only and lock the gates. That should at least cut down the road traffic and keep alot of people out. People are not going to walk behind a gate unless they have a good reason too. Limit the good reasons, and less pressure on the herds.

[CAMPMEAT]

People forget, this is public land and is open to all. Some of our roads say closed from Dec 1st- March 1st or 31st. The gates are there but, are NEVER put up to keep people out. The USFS is too lazy to put existing gates back up.
The pieces are laying on the ground right next to the posts. People still go up there anyhow because they don't care about the deer. Not everyone is a hunter in this state and could care less about it. The population out weighs the hunters by far.

[BOWHUNTER45]

The responses to this thread read like a 10 year old with ADHD. It started out with a talk about protecting wintering animals. How did we end up discussing religion and closing the season on Sundays? Ban shed hunting? I say we disallow left handed hunters and those with brown hair.

The guy who thinks people on sleds don't chase deer is BLIND! It happens a lot. I don't need to see a picture (laughable to think you could even capture that) to know it happens. I have seen it and know of others that have seen it as well.

I have never seen a poacher nor captured a picture of one. Does that mean poaching doesn't happen? Silly argument.

My original post was to relieve the pressure on the deer herds in this state which included a 3 point restriction State wide on all deer and then the implementing of no sunday hunting which would also reduce the pressure on the herds.
If we as hunters don't start coming up with something that may not be what we like soon it maybe a draw so that you may only hunt every 2nd or 3rd year and that will cause a poo storm.

All this no hunting on Sunday talk I have to ask one question ...Do you hunt on Sundays now ? or you would gladly not hunt on Sunday if it became law ...I grew up in Pa and as a kid I hated it ...had to go to school all week and only have one day to hunt on the weekend ...No thank you ...Actually I think they have changed that law in Pa or are in the process of doing so ..I also do not believe god cares if I hunt on Sunday either 

[Seabass]

The good o'l days argument has been around as long as the good o'l days. It's all relative. There was also a time in this country where deer were almost extinct. We are a long long way from the days where we are a draw only, no hunt on Sunday or any other drastic measure hunting state.

[skywalker253]

Hunting better not ever close on any day of the week. Stupid!
That is one of the things I hate about fishing Westport. It closes on Saturday. Double Stupid!
Hunting and fishing should not be as complex as it is now. 20 years ago I could walk here or there with no issue. Now I have to have permission from several lands owners, watch a safety video, sign my life away, and carry a breifcase in one hand a cell phone with my lawyer on speed dial in the other. Triple Stupid!

[huntnphool]

People forget, this is public land and is open to all. Some of our roads say closed from Dec 1st- March 1st or 31st. The gates are there but, are NEVER put up to keep people out. The USFS is too lazy to put existing gates back up.
The pieces are laying on the ground right next to the posts. People still go up there anyhow because they don't care about the deer. Not everyone is a hunter in this state and could care less about it. The population out weighs the hunters by far.

I'm betting the bleeding hearts of King, Pierce and Snohomish counties would vote for it if they knew what was happening.

[CAMPMEAT]

People forget, this is public land and is open to all. Some of our roads say closed from Dec 1st- March 1st or 31st. The gates are there but, are NEVER put up to keep people out. The USFS is too lazy to put existing gates back up.
The pieces are laying on the ground right next to the posts. People still go up there anyhow because they don't care about the deer. Not everyone is a hunter in this state and could care less about it. The population out weighs the hunters by far.

I'm betting the bleeding hearts of King, Pierce and Snohomish counties would vote for it if they knew what was happening.

Those are the ones who mainly ruin the entire state anyhow. 

[huntnphool]

People forget, this is public land and is open to all. Some of our roads say closed from Dec 1st- March 1st or 31st. The gates are there but, are NEVER put up to keep people out. The USFS is too lazy to put existing gates back up.
The pieces are laying on the ground right next to the posts. People still go up there anyhow because they don't care about the deer. Not everyone is a hunter in this state and could care less about it. The population out weighs the hunters by far.

I'm betting the bleeding hearts of King, Pierce and Snohomish counties would vote for it if they knew what was happening.

Those are the ones who mainly ruin the entire state anyhow. 

LOL, when was the last time you were even in one of these areas during that time of year campmeat, and why are you so adamant at status quo? Are you seriously okay with what goes on with the deer during these few months?

[antlerking]

The good thing is the snow is falling and soon the roads will be accessable by sleds only, which will help a little.

[huntnphool]

I just got a text from a friends who's buddy was up there yesterday watching a big buck, he took some pics of the buck right before a indian drove up and shot it.