Blue Mountains - Quality Elk permits drop

[jackelope]

Per numbers from Bob's spreadsheet-

Modern = -39%
Archery = -21%
Muzzleloader = -36%

Not to start infighting, but the pain wasn't spread across the groups very well, IMHO.  The guys with bangsticks must enjoy sharing the woods with the wolves than the sharp stick guys...

See my above post. The gun guys(muzz and rifle) had good success rates and the archery guys did not.

[B.G.hunter]

The one thing I can't figure out is why did they increase the archery bull tags in Lick Creek, where muzzleloader and modern decreased?

Poor archery success rates. I think 1 archery tag was filled last year in there?? Tag numbers are relative to success rates among other things. The goal is x amount of bulls killed. If they want 10 bulls killed and there's a 50% success rate, they're going to offer 20 permits. I pulled those numbers out of my hind quarters but you get the idea.

But they dropped or stayed the same in every other unit for archery except that one.  And Lick Creek is already a rat race with the general cow archery tag.  My question is why that one unit?

[Maverick]

hmm... not sure which way i want to swing on this subject.... i think its good they decreased permits, but they didnt need to because the blues still has great quality hunting. and now itll be even harder to be drawn when it already felt near impossible (except when i got drawn for the blues last year  ) the blues definetly needs a wolf season. we all know they are going to be a huge problem just like they are in other states.... and them dropping permits makes me think its because of the wolves. why should we sacrifice for a non native species? i never understood how the state doesnt like non native species like bass and walleye because they eat salmon but they love wolves that eat deer and elk???

[Landowner]

The tag numbers are now back to where they should be 

Agreed

[bucklucky]

Definately Jake, I was pissed when they raised them last year.

[BLUEBULLS]

I wish there were only 1.....     mine! ah, I guess my old man deserves one too.

It seems like we saw a peak in the trophy bulls about 5 or 6 years ago. I'd say the numbers are down due to overharvest more than wolves. The wolves probably will get bad but it's not horrible yet. Give it a year or two.

[bucklucky]

No doubt Bluebulls, been telling the wife that she needs to draw soon . We are giving it 2 more years and if it keeps going south( the decline on the elk quality) we are just gona head out of state . 

[igotbigbulls]

The wolves will absolutly make a huge impact on the best elk heard in our state and one of the best in the country.

Lentils, garbanzo beans, peas, winter wheat, and Nez Perce members are a much bigger threat to the Blue Mountain herd than wolves are.

The nez perce are definetly making an impact on the elk, I have family that live in Lewiston Id and they have had problems with that tribe since before I was born. I can't think of the other tribe that hunts that area but they are bad also.

Umatillas hunt there also.  But very few do. Very few.