Frustrated with restrictions at Cherry Valley and Crescent lake

[Chesterdog]

Anyone else frustrated with the restrictions at Cherry Valley and Crescent lake that keep you out before 8:00am and after 4:00pm?  I live in Seattle and in years past, I could sneak out from work early and get an evening hunt mid-week.  These restrictions severely limit my hunting opportunities. On the weekends, I load up the boat and hit other areas, but I loved the proximity of the snoqualmie valley for weekday hunts.  The restrictions end when the pheasant season ends, but by then daylight savings kicks in and continues to make hunting out here impossible for me.  Anyone else effected by this?

[jackelope]

I think you're complaining about your inability to duck hunt at a pheasant release site.
 

I don't have a card in this hand as I don't hunt there. You guys wake me up every saturday and sunday morning....well not "you" guys, but the duck hunters that either don't know the rules or ignore them and are in there shooting ducks before 8am. It happens literally every weekend. I'm amazed that the WDFW LEO's don't cash in there every weekend writing tickets to the early birds.

[Special T]

Till Nov 30th http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations/summary_hunting_dates.html
I have meet the manager for that area. He is a nice guy and seems open to suggestions. That area is mostly good after it starts flooding for duck hunting. Since you are a duck hunter i would visit all the areas in that management zone Snoqualmie Valley;     Cherry Valley
Corson Natural
Crescent Lake
Ebey Island
Spencer Island
Stillwater
 Hunt them and think about ways to promote the multiple use of these areas. Experienced duck hunters AND Pheasant hunters need to come up with a solution.

Since i have hunted the still water unit a bunch i would guess that duck hunting the river could provide opportunities while staying safe and not affecting each other too much.

Remember that part of good rule making is clear rules that are easy to follow... I would guess that is why they have the 8-4 rule. 

[aaronoto]

Where in the regs is this layed out?  I've heard about it before on pheasant release sites, but I can't seem to find it.

[Special T]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/pheasant/western/ There are also signs at the units stating the rules. This rule was not really enforced in years past, and with a new manager he is turning over a new leaf.

[aaronoto]

Hmm... Maybe the signs at the units state something different?  From what I read of the regs pheasant hunting hours are 8-4pm.  How does that translate to no one in the area prior to 8am?  Duck hunting hours are 7:10 - 6:05 this week, but that doesn't mean that I can't be in the field before 7:10.

Not trying to be argumentative here but I am curious because there is a pheasant release site that can also be a productive duck spot that I want to make sure I'm following the regs on.

[jennyfell55]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/snoqualmie/

"Snoqualmie Wildlife Area Hunting Hours Reinstated
Hunting hours from 8am to 4pm have been reinstated for all hunters on the following units: Stillwater, Cherry Valley, Crescent Lake. This will be in effect during the Western Washington Pheasant Season. For the rest of the hunting season normal hunting hours, half hour before sunrise to half hour after sunset, will apply"

[aaronoto]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/snoqualmie/

"Snoqualmie Wildlife Area Hunting Hours Reinstated
Hunting hours from 8am to 4pm have been reinstated for all hunters on the following units: Stillwater, Cherry Valley, Crescent Lake. This will be in effect during the Western Washington Pheasant Season. For the rest of the hunting season normal hunting hours, half hour before sunrise to half hour after sunset, will apply"

Thanks!

[jennyfell55]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/snoqualmie/

"Snoqualmie Wildlife Area Hunting Hours Reinstated
Hunting hours from 8am to 4pm have been reinstated for all hunters on the following units: Stillwater, Cherry Valley, Crescent Lake. This will be in effect during the Western Washington Pheasant Season. For the rest of the hunting season normal hunting hours, half hour before sunrise to half hour after sunset, will apply"

Thanks!

No problem! 

[Special T]

It is also my understanding that is also the case at ebey island. 

[jennyfell55]

It is also my understanding that is also the case at ebey island. 

I'm actually very curious about that. Nothing I can find on the WDFW site says anything about it including Ebey Island... but that doesn't necessarily mean much 

[Special T]

That is where i hunted and saw the signs, in addition to talking to the area MGR. 

[D-Rock425]

I really liked duck hunting ebey island before it turned into a release site.

[LndShrk]

I think you're complaining about your inability to duck hunt at a pheasant release site.
 

I don't have a card in this hand as I don't hunt there. You guys wake me up every saturday and sunday morning....well not "you" guys, but the duck hunters that either don't know the rules or ignore them and are in there shooting ducks before 8am. It happens literally every weekend. I'm amazed that the WDFW LEO's don't cash in there every weekend writing tickets to the early birds.

It is not Cherry valley you are hearing. There are hunt clubs all over that valley. Even one on the dairy..

Quit yer bitchin. Get up like the rest of us and go hunt.. 

Part of the reason for the restrictions is because they have to go in and release the birds in the evening.

[CP]

It probably is Cherry Valley, many duck hunters ignore the 8:00am rule.  I haven't seen any signs at CV but is closed and there are signs at Ebey Island.

[SnowDog]

I've seen "Empty Vehicles" at Crescent Lake every weekend before 0800. Weather or not you agree with the rules, it is the hunters responsibility to know all the rules and regulations and follow them. That is part of being a responsible hunter.

If you don't like the rules, provide constructive feedback and propose solutions back to WDFW. Bitching and moaning will get us nowhere.

Cheers!
SD

[singleshot12]

Technically speaking ALL release sites are open from 8:ooam to 4:pm and blaze orange required for duck and phez hunters. I wonder why it's just Cherry Valley and Crescent Lake where it is enforced

[jackelope]

It probably is Cherry Valley, many duck hunters ignore the 8:00am rule.  I haven't seen any signs at CV but is closed and there are signs at Ebey Island.

LndShrk and I are neighbors and we look out over Cherry Valley. He'd know better than I as he dabbles in the duck hunting business more than I do.

[LndShrk]

It probably is Cherry Valley, many duck hunters ignore the 8:00am rule.  I haven't seen any signs at CV but is closed and there are signs at Ebey Island.

LndShrk and I are neighbors and we look out over Cherry Valley. He'd know better than I as he dabbles in the duck hunting business more than I do.

The shooting 45 minutes after legal time that is definitely CV. 

[jackelope]

It probably is Cherry Valley, many duck hunters ignore the 8:00am rule.  I haven't seen any signs at CV but is closed and there are signs at Ebey Island.

LndShrk and I are neighbors and we look out over Cherry Valley. He'd know better than I as he dabbles in the duck hunting business more than I do.

The shooting 45 minutes after legal time that is definitely CV. 

Whats the shooting at 7:15am?
Nowhere else in the valley other than right below my house. They're hunting at the dairy?

[LndShrk]

It probably is Cherry Valley, many duck hunters ignore the 8:00am rule.  I haven't seen any signs at CV but is closed and there are signs at Ebey Island.

LndShrk and I are neighbors and we look out over Cherry Valley. He'd know better than I as he dabbles in the duck hunting business more than I do.

The shooting 45 minutes after legal time that is definitely CV. 

Whats the shooting at 7:15am?
Nowhere else in the valley other than right below my house. They're hunting at the dairy?

Yup there is an older guy and a couple of kids that hunt there

[Heartsblood]

I spoke with a gamie on the phone the other day and was told that if you even want to take a walk at a pheasant release site before or after hours, it's a no no. Snoqualmie Wildlife Area Hunting Hours apply to King and Snohomish counties.

Also, I stopped at the dairy a coupla years ago to get the skinny and they were leasing it at that time for hunting....

[ctwiggs1]

It's 8AM for ALL users.  Those sites aren't just pheasant release sites, they are wdfw sites that pheasant are released on.  People can go there for nature walks, duck hunting, etc.  But ALL USERS must obey the 8AM rule.

Curtis