Eastern Washington Elk

[vandeman17]

I have hunted the Blues for twenty years, my dad for many more than that.  We have both applied for a bull permit in units in the Blues with a combined total of over 50 years, can you guess how many times we have been drawn?  00000000000000000000.  I wouldn't want a permit system just to hunt as others have suggested as the state has a proven track record of not drawing based on points, on years put in for the draw, it's a total joke and a huge money maker to the state. 

The spike unit system has its peaks and its downs.  The main idea behind it I believe was to increase the herd size.  Where I hunt in the blues, (Really close to Oregon and pretty far east) the herd size hasn't increased inside the fence for many many years.  Record book bulls have increased.  Cow numbers haven't.  Number of people poaching has went up though.  Have you ever sat near a road from dusk till dawn and notice how many guys drive into the mountains?  It is an insane amount and there not all there just to see the moon. 

Recently the number of Elk inside and outside the fence has increased though with the elk being pushed from Idaho.  Hopefully in years to come it will become common to see different herds of elk and be able to see a spike every year and not just every 30 years. 

The solution I have would be to shut down the Blues and other spike only units for five or so years and let the herds build up.  Anybody caught in the mountains in that time with a rifle not during a deer season should be accused of poaching to help limit some of the herd lose.  I also wouldn't mind to see the season pushed back a week to give the mountains some time to calm down from deer season.

I don't think the spike rule was put into place to increase herd size but more to better the mature bull count and bull to cow ratio. With that being said, by closing the area down for a few years would increase the herd numbers, I don't think it would increase the overall quality and health of the herd. I agree with some of the others who have said that we should go to a permit system of some kind. Maybe a hybrid of our current system with other states. Do something like give out a certain amount of permits per area with the first "x" amount being bull tags and then the rest being spike tags based on the counts and objectives of the reason. That way there will still be lots of tags to be had and a good amount of guys will be able to hunt. I think this will help spread out the hunters as well so that certain areas don't continue to get hammered. This is a very rough concept and would need some tweaks and fine tuning but I think it COULD work if done properly. Of course this is on the assumption that people would follow the rules and that poaching wouldn't be a big issue, which is a whole different monster.

[300rum]

If you only hunt Washington......

I would rather have an opportunity to hunt a nice bull every 10-12 years then kill a spike every year.

Seriously?  So you'd get to hunt elk like 4-5 times in your life?  Not me.

[Reidus]

The reasoning behind the spike only hunting is to allow everyone the opportunity to hunt. The state likes to manage the herds to around 18 bulls per 100 cows. So they have a spike season  so everyone can hunt every year and moderate the number of any bull tags to keep the bull/cow ratio to about 18/100. If they let the herd sizes get too large the landowners complain about crop damage. The fish and game hires seasonal employees that all they do is chase elk off private property. Not an easy task to make everyone happy! I've hunted the west side but just moved to the eastside and plan on hunting Montana when I don't draw a quality elk tag.

[Jimmy33]

Raise the price on the general tag (because that's what the state wants) and make it 5 point or better...those old bulls are smart. Their genes have been spread and most of them are gonna die on a brushy north facing hillside somewhere. I know that I can never enjoy hunting spikes as much again after having a big bull permit in my pocket this year. It was awesome. I may go back to hunting the NE corner...

[Jonathan_S]

If you only hunt Washington......

I would rather have an opportunity to hunt a nice bull every 10-12 years then kill a spike every year.

Seriously?  So you'd get to hunt elk like 4-5 times in your life?  Not me.

I understand and I'm looking into getting into the out of state elk hunting myself but I don't think that's a cool solution across the board 

[bobdog86]

I have hunted the Blues for twenty years, my dad for many more than that.  We have both applied for a bull permit in units in the Blues with a combined total of over 50 years, can you guess how many times we have been drawn?  00000000000000000000.  I wouldn't want a permit system just to hunt as others have suggested as the state has a proven track record of not drawing based on points, on years put in for the draw, it's a total joke and a huge money maker to the state. 

The spike unit system has its peaks and its downs.  The main idea behind it I believe was to increase the herd size.  Where I hunt in the blues, (Really close to Oregon and pretty far east) the herd size hasn't increased inside the fence for many many years.  Record book bulls have increased.  Cow numbers haven't.  Number of people poaching has went up though.  Have you ever sat near a road from dusk till dawn and notice how many guys drive into the mountains?  It is an insane amount and there not all there just to see the moon. 

Recently the number of Elk inside and outside the fence has increased though with the elk being pushed from Idaho.  Hopefully in years to come it will become common to see different herds of elk and be able to see a spike every year and not just every 30 years. 

The solution I have would be to shut down the Blues and other spike only units for five or so years and let the herds build up.  Anybody caught in the mountains in that time with a rifle not during a deer season should be accused of poaching to help limit some of the herd lose.  I also wouldn't mind to see the season pushed back a week to give the mountains some time to calm down from deer season.

While I agree, a break between deer season and elk is a good idea, the notion of shutting the blues down for a few years to build the herd would only accomplish one thing……..It would definitely make it easier for the native americans. They take way more than there fare share, as anyone who spends any amount of time in the mountains can attest. Imagine closing the mountains so only they have access? not logical.

[Snakeriver10]

"It would definitely make it easier for the native americans."

Really, you don't think the whites take more than their fair share?  This argument needs to end, its a stupid, stupid point to make.  (I am white and do get upset at some of the Indians ways they have it, but this argument is absolutely insane to even bring up.........)

[bobdog86]

"It would definitely make it easier for the native americans."

Really, you don't think the whites take more than their fair share?  This argument needs to end, its a stupid, stupid point to make.  (I am white and do get upset at some of the Indians ways they have it, but this argument is absolutely insane to even bring up.........)

….. no more insane than closing the mountains for "5 years or so", which with your logic means a tax paying, law abiding citizen wouldn't be able to either bear hunt, cougar hunt legally in the national forest (or are including the entire Blue Mountains?). Yes, I agree with you, no doubt whites take plenty, both legally and illegally. But closing the mountains for a period of time, isn't the answer. Besides, we all know the state would never give up a cash cow, like our licensing/permit system.

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

There is a easy solution, I grew up hunting the blues, I cherish that place and know it is not being managed to its full potential. I never saw a spike during season, was thrilled with the occasional cow tag, and knew where I would go if I ever got drawn... I moved to Idaho. Sugar coat it however you want,  they don't favor hunters in WA. Maybe a spike season would work if you had more than a week to hunt and more hunters could be successful.   They hamstring you when you buy your tag.   You can see big bulls every day and hope for the day you can hunt them, but it never comes.  I am sad I will never kill a bull where my father and grandfather did, but am thrilled right across the Stateline I can truly hunt elk every year and bring home a bull every year.   Thats elk hunting, not settling for a walk with a rifle and seeing elk you can't shoot. Being successful once every 10 years isn't why most guys hunt, it's to put meat on the table. Don't even get me started on their failure managing the mulie herds up high, it's sickening when I am there and mulies are not present in the mountains.  Its mulie country to a T, but they aren't around. Good riddance is all I can say and spend the money wisely you sobs.

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[krism83]

Our camp as a group has gotten it down fairly well that our total cost for an elk season is fairly low. While I'm not a huge fan of how the season regulations are structured for the eastside and the success (or lack there of) we had this year is frustrating and disappointing. However the money it would cost to hunt Montana every year or even Oregon for that matter is outrageous. So we are kind of in a grit your teeth and bare it situation where we put in for quality permits for the eastside and wait or wade through the masses of westside hunters in every unit to get a rag horn or herd bull.


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[300rum]

If I had to only hunt Washington for Elk and was forced to hunt spikes in the General Season, you bet I would trade being able to hunt every year for a spike for 4-5 really good hunts during my lifetime.  The General Season is a joke and hunting spike only is a joke too.

But, then again, I can be out in the woods in September without a tag and that makes me happy too.     

If you only hunt Washington......

I would rather have an opportunity to hunt a nice bull every 10-12 years then kill a spike every year.

Seriously?  So you'd get to hunt elk like 4-5 times in your life?  Not me.

I understand and I'm looking into getting into the out of state elk hunting myself but I don't think that's a cool solution across the board 

[Easy-E]

I saw 5 spikes this year (not counting the head in camp next to us), and over a dozen branched antler bulls. This is also the first year in maybe forever that I actually saw what I would consider "raghorns" in the Blues. Typically the bulls there go from spike to 5 point in one season. That made me ponder on this genetics thing. My crew has had our fair share of quality tags, and I'm probably in the top 1% all-time for meat packed out with boots on the ground out of the Blues. I admit that I love seeing the branched antler bulls. They are simply majestic. However, I didn't run into one hunter in the Dayton unit this year with a big bull tag. I think they could give out a few more quality tags, or maybe even set a limit where if you have too many consecutive years without a draw you become "garaunteed" for a tag. I will also mention that the spike hunting got a lot harder when the cow tags came back into play.

 

Cheers!

[TheHunt]

Hmmmm,  There are many threads over the years about this.  I personally would like to see the entire state go draw only for bulls or skip every other year in the spike only units so the breading mature bulls are available to bread the cows.  Many of the units the breading bulls are the rag horns and this causes problems because the biggest, strongest bulls are the ones you would want to be the breading bulls. 

But this is all worthless as ALL the Native Tribes will not play and enforce the idea to get bigger bulls in this state. 

That is a dream...   In reality I would support the WDFW should just open up the entire state for over the counter bulls and manage the cows.  Then work through the courts with ALL the Native Tribes a new treaty for elk and deer.

[kentrek]

So what about the guys that bust tail to kill nice bulls every year ? They just kinda get the shaft until they draw a tag because the road hunters can't seem to fill a tag ? If wa goes draw only on the west side il be going to oregon..don't limit my hunting oppertunities just cuz other people can't manage to find elk 

Sorry if that seemed like a jab at road hunters but they have got to be the majority of folks who don't fill tags

[bobcat]

As I've said before I'd like to see some sort of management scheme that limits the number of elk hunters in each GMU, each year, BUT I don't really care what they do until they can get a handle on the number of elk the Indians take. The WDFW and the tribes need to work together to limit harvest. There's no sense in us sacrificing in order to conserve our elk herds, if the Indians don't do the same.


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