New note for Skookumchuck hunts

[Antlershed]

Scrolling thru the new regs, I noticed a new note for the Skookumchuck unit special deer tags; "Private timberlands; vehicle access may be limited by the landowner." Is this part of Weyco going to "pay to play"? The note doesn't exist in the general season area, or for any other gmu that is predominantly Weyco land... 

[alwaysontop]

I heard that you have to pay to hunt vail tree farm.  750 permits at 150 dollars from Aug. 1 to Dec. 31.  Meeting was on Wed. April 17 2013, approved by weyerhaeuser.

[Antlershed]

I heard that you have to pay to hunt vail tree farm.  750 permits at 150 dollars from Aug. 1 to Dec. 31.  Meeting was on Wed. April 17 2013, approved by weyerhaeuser.

Yep, I got a call from a buddy with inside knowledge saying the same thing. Plus Weyco employees will get first crack @ $75/permit.

[Bluegirl92]

Any truth that Weyerhaeuser is doing that on all their land? I hunt Ryderwood and Toutle areas

[madmack76]

that hunts had limited access for years think they just decided to note it, cause of complaints

[bobcat]

Well, that should make the Skookumchuck late deer permit easier to draw. I just might put in for it this year. Don't think I'd pay the $150 Vail access fee though.

[throttlejocky20]

I would pay the $150 there is alot of ggod hunting that could be great hunting if they would limit the people that hunt it. Now if it would go to 2 pt min I would get real exited

[SkookumHntr]

Still dont mean they will let you in during the permit hunt. I doubt there giving keys out and the gates will still be locked then.

[alwaysontop]

gates will be open to all that buy the permit for 150.00.  aug 1 to dec. 31. That also means the permit hunt in november.

[SkookumHntr]

I seen that! wow! some big changes for sure!

[Brushbuster]

Haven't hunted Vale for years & live in Rainier. If they limit the number of hunters & let permit buyers access the forest Aug 1-Dec 31st. I'd be willing to pay the $150. Better check the regs to see what hunt options I would have first. I drew elk & of course deer multi tags. This could get spendy. 

[bobcat]

I'm wondering how many minutes it will take for the 750 permits to sell out.

[Antlershed]

I'm wondering how many minutes it will take for the 750 permits to sell out.

My cousin and I were talking about that today. If the website goes live at 12:01am on June 1st, I'm thinking you better be awake at 12:01am to get yours.

[duckmen1]

Just remember the fire danger closure like last year. There is still a chance you won't be able to hunt if the weather stays to warm. Last year they didn't let hunters in all the way through the start of modern season.

[Antlershed]

 

I won't be buying the access permit for either tree farm 

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

The permit is $200

[brokenvet]

Any truth that Weyerhaeuser is doing that on all their land? I hunt Ryderwood and Toutle areas

Ryderwood area is $200

http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/pdfs/businesses/recreationalaccess/PeEll-Hotline-Message.pdf

[Antlershed]

The permit is $200

Not for Vail 

http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/pdfs/businesses/recreationalaccess/Vail-Hotline-Message.pdf

[throttlejocky20]

Just remember the fire danger closure like last year. There is still a chance you won't be able to hunt if the weather stays to warm. Last year they didn't let hunters in all the way through the start of modern season.

Vail was one of the only places open last year!

[duckmen1]

Open when. It was closed the first weekend of modern and during part of early archery season. After that it opened back up.

[Rodney107]

So do u need a permit for walk in access or just drive in access

[Antlershed]

Both

[jackmaster]

bobcat, i would wait a couple years to put in for that permit, the numbers should recover pretty quick in there, it would be worth the money for the permit by then, i have always hoped that they would close it down and manage it like the green river watershed, it would be the best blacktail huntn known to man within 3 to 4 years, even with selling the permits though it should really help, probably see the elk herd really explode in there as well, but either way they are gonna have to do something about the cats 

[throttlejocky20]

Just remember the fire danger closure like last year. There is still a chance you won't be able to hunt if the weather stays to warm. Last year they didn't let hunters in all the way through the start of modern season.

Vail was one of the only places open last year!

Early archery it was open most of the early season untill they finally shut it down!

[Curly]

That might be good news for the deer in Vail.  Their numbers and quality may go up with less pressure in there, but what happens to other areas in the state that will get increased pressure due to all the hunters that would normally hunt Vail?

If 3,000 hunters normally hunt there and now it will be restricted to 750, where will everyone else go?  Capital forest?   There are practically no deer in USFW lands due to no logging going on there, so that leaves DNR lands where there are clearcuts to provide forage for deer.

There is likely to be a big decrease in hunter numbers in the future because of access issues and lack of good hunting.  Future of hunting does  not look good in this state.

[throttlejocky20]

I believe all this pay to play stuff will make alot of honest people start breaking the laws in one way or another! 

[bucklucky]

It wont help the elk in there, it will make more get killed as elk hunting season the gates are closed , only the employes were driving in .

[Yelm hunter]

The permit is $200

The permit is $150.00 just listened to the whole message.

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

Depends on what unit.  Go to website it has all info on the page with how many permits they are selling.  Its $150 for vail I believe with 750 permits and $200 for Pe ell and 650 permits.

[bobcat]

The permit is $200

The permit is $150.00 just listened to the whole message.

Listened to it?   

I never do that anymore, not since they made it available on the website in a PDF format that you can read. Much quicker and simpler that way.

[PolarBear]

This year only Weyco is going to allow kids who draw a 667 early or late youth tag to hunt Vail without buying a permit.  Next year even the kids will have to purchase a pass to hunt a draw tag.

[haus]

Considering the amount of homes, random access points and gates along the north side of Vail I'm curious as to how or even if they are going to be able to adequately regulate the area.

[Old Man Yager]

This year only Weyco is going to allow kids who draw a 667 early or late youth tag to hunt Vail without buying a permit.  Next year even the kids will have to purchase a pass to hunt a draw tag.

Polarbear, not doubting you, just want to confirm before I pick the hunts for my kid. Where did you get this info? Thanks, appreciate it.

[PolarBear]

Got it from a buddy who went directly to Weyco and asked.  He also lives at the foot of Vail and puts his kid in for the youth buck hunt.

[Old Man Yager]

Thanks PolarBear, I appreciate the info

[PolarBear]

 
Just remember that it is for this year only!  Next year even youth permit holders will have to buy a pass.

[jackmaster]

sweet definatly putting my daughter in for that hunt, my son drew it when he was 11 and it was a blast

[madmack76]

why would someone put in for a skookumchuck permit for there kid back then its not hard to kill any thing in there I am looking forward to the lock up might be a good chance for good hunting in western wa.

[Curly]

why would someone put in for a skookumchuck permit for there kid back then its not hard to kill any thing in there I am looking forward to the lock up might be a good chance for good hunting in western wa.

Good hunting for the Weyco employees that will be buying the permits.  Most everyone else will be locked out.

And the permit hunt for a kid was probably more enjoyable due to the limited amount of hunters in there during the permit hunt.

[Old Man Yager]

why would someone put in for a skookumchuck permit for there kid back then its not hard to kill any thing in there I am looking forward to the lock up might be a good chance for good hunting in western wa.

Because before everybody hits it on opening weekend for general rifle, there are actually some good deer still showing themselves. And it's also 1 of only a few youth buck hunts available to kids under.

[jackmaster]

why would someone put in for a skookumchuck permit for there kid back then its not hard to kill any thing in there I am looking forward to the lock up might be a good chance for good hunting in western wa.

Because before everybody hits it on opening weekend for general rifle, there are actually some good deer still showing themselves. And it's also 1 of only a few youth buck hunts available to kids under.

:yeah:BINGO, the youth get to go in there the weekend before opening weekend, the first day we saw 32 deer, 3 nice bucks, my son had a bit of buck fever and missed a stud 3pt that i would have got head mounted for him, but hey thats huntn... its a fun hunt for the youth....but the numbers have decreased over the years on the vail tree farm. hopefully there permit plan help the numbers recover

[Old Man Yager]

   Thanks for the backup Jackslacker

[bobcat]

Here's what I'm wondering- knowing that last year after the draw was done, the WDFW changed the opening date for both the doe and buck Skookumchuck youth permits, because they said it conflicted with the general season muzzleloader hunt, WHY are the season dates the same this year? Are they going to change it again AFTER the draw is finished?

They have the youth permit season opening October 5th this year, which is the Saturday before opening weekend of the general season, and also opening day of the early muzzleloader elk season. Last year they had the youth hunt starting on the 6th, which was opening day of early muzzleloader elk season last year.

My cousin drew the Skookumchuck doe permit last year and I planned on taking him out that first weekend to try to help him kill his first deer. But as I said, they decided to change the permit season so that it opened the same day as the general season.

Question is, are they going to do that again this year? And if not, why not? I guess since Weyerhaeuser is limiting access to the Vail tree farm, maybe it isn't considered to be a conflict anymore? I don't even plan on hunting on Weyerhaeuser land. I have other places in the Skookumchuck unit that we will hunt.

But, it would be nice to know the actual starting date for that permit, so he can decide if he wants to put in for it or not.