Shed season in Washington.

[hunterofelk]

Anyone hear what became of that proposal for a shedding season?

[boneaddict]

I'm putting my head in the sand like an ostrich.  I don't want to know.

[WDFW-SUX]

Well your going to need a special shedding permit to go to the areas that you want and it will be run on the existing special permit season successful applicants will be notified by mid June and the season will run for eight days unless you pay for the extra habitat stamp and donate time to the state Sound good?

[boneaddict]

 
probably closer tot he truth than youknow.

[boneaddict]

I hear ya!
By the way they are outlawing picking up any rocks unless you have a permit.

[Shadow Cat]

Some tree hugger must be afraid that some squirrel or chipmunk isn't going to get there nutrients.... dumb asses... 

[jackelope]

Does this apply to national forest or paper company lands,  or state land in general??  Or is it just for wildlife areas such as oak creek?  (the shed hunting part)

i'm pretty sure it was aimed at areas like oak creek...but look at what happened in utah this past spring.

[jackelope]

Some tree hugger must be afraid that some squirrel or chipmunk isn't going to get there nutrients.... dumb asses... 

it's intent(i think) is to keep the animals from getting harassed while they are on their winter range by *censored*es running up their asses waiting for their horns to fall off.
it's all about $$$ for some people.

[boneaddict]

Problem is that May 1st has nothing to do with this.  Hell, they are theoretically hitting the animals at even a worse time than say April 1st. due to calving season.  I'm usually dang near done shedding by May 1 because of the deep grass and rattlesnakes.
PS look at what a fiasco Utahs season turned out to be.

[boneaddict]

YEP.......

[WDFW-SUX]

I think I'm going to go steal a box of rocks from eastern Washington this weekend..............think anyone will notice

[flashover52]

I've been taking rocks home every trip.....they're all stuck in the treads of my tires!

 

[groundhog]

No worries guys. As of right now we don't have to worry about a shed season. I wrote several letters last year on this and I was actually contacted by the WDFW and they backed off of the horn hunters.
 If an area is critical wintering ground they will make it off limits to all users. Other wise it will be open as usual. The usual feeding areas will be off limits (until May 15th) and they are closing a section of the Colockum but most of the Colockum will be open.

[Bighorse]

Just F***ing rediculous!


I'm moving to Alaska.   

[boneaddict]

I heard from highcountry10 that they shut down the clockum.  Thats the only place though.  I also wrote lots of letters.

[jackelope]

theres closures in the klickitat...
http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/newreal/release.php?id=sep0507a

also the quilomene/whiskey dick area...
http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/newreal/release.php?id=oct3007a

just closed to motorized traffic which is great if you ask me.

[groundhog]

Yep that was the closure I was talking about. It is actually a small part of the Colockum and it is closed to all user groups not just horn hunters. I think they realized that they can't discriminate against just one user group. It is a popular area for folks to ride dirt bikes and four wheelers in the early spring. Most of these folks are just out for a ride.

The WDFW is hoping that by closing it to motorized vehicles the elk will stay in this area and not migrate to the Kittitas valley where they do a lot of damage to private property. I guess it is worth a try. My bet is that now that they know the Kittitas valley is easier living they will migrate anyway.

[HighCountry10]

boneaddict-I meant the traditional wintering ground the majority of the elk used before the extreme pressure from four wheelers leaving the green dot roads.  There are parts of the Clockum that will not be closed, just not where the bulls have been wintering.
I believe there will be a few tickets written this year in this area.  Guys have been sneaking in other areas for years.  I have heard of guys simply climbing the fence to actually riding horses in from above where it is not closed and stock piling antlers until the opening date.  One year a group came out with their pickup full by 11:00 in the morning on the day it opened.  Guys will get caught on the Clockum side because it is so open and they patrol it from the air.