Archery season suggestions

[D-Rock425]

Protect all the elk   how many do you think are really in there.  I've hunted in that area my whole life and have never seen an elk in 448.  Always been rumors of a few but that it a few. 

[D-Rock425]

I think early elk season should be the focus get it set to the 8th again.  The other thing I would like to see is more late season blacktail areas open like gmu 448.  407 is open but is hard to find public areas to hunt.  448 has a ton of public land.

We will never see a late archery season in 448. DFW wants to protect all of the elk in that unit from any kind of pressure.  It is a real shame too.  Late season up there has some toad bt's running around.

448 has an open season on elk for all user groups.  Even a late archery season until Dec 15.

[kodiak 907]

TYPO, 418 NOT 448.

[et1702]

Getting a later archery season for elk is certainly a common theme in any discussion about seasons these last few years since we lost the hard start date of the 8th.  We certainly have this as a recommendation to get changed.  The problem comes in when you look at overall success rates between user groups (the main way seasons are allocated).  Archery hunters account for 24.8% of the hunters and 31% of the total elk harvested in general seasons but only 19.9% of the bulls. 

Pushing the season closer toward the rut would likely slightly increase the bull harvest.  Anterless harvest likely wouldn't change significantly.  Therefore, to get the date changed to keep the allocation numbers in line would take a reduction in overall anterless harvest. 

The single best thing having a later season would do is to add another week onto the weather patterns.  We'd likely see cooler average temperatures and, therefore, less lost meat.

Rather than a hard start date (i.e., the 8th) for Archery Elk, I'd vote for a floating start date to coincide with the Second Saturday of the month and running a full two weeks (i.e., three weekends).  Three weekends would still give the people with less vacation time an opportunity to hunt.  As is the case now, the start date would sometimes be earlier in the month (warmer and less rut activity) and sometimes later (cooler and more vocal animals).  Biggest benefit would be cooler temps, less chance of meat loss, and potentially more vocal animals.  The overall success rate would still be only about 10%.  It's not any higher in states that have a month long archery season.  Also, the eastside ML and rifle seasons would be unaffected (i.e., no overlap).  The only eastside tag holder that would potenially be affected would be the one lucky SOB that draws the Rifle rut tag in late Sept.  There are already bear hunters out there with rifles.  One more guys isn't going to require us to wear orange.  I'm not a westside elk hunter, so I haven't looked to see if there are any overlap issues.  But, likely it would be very similar to eastside.  This option would also avoid conflicts with other non-hunting user groups (i.e., Labor day weekend crowd).

Thanks,

ET

[bobcat]

If it started the second Saturday and ran thru three weekends, the last weekend would overlap with muzzleloader deer season. I'm pretty sure the WDFW won't go for that.

And by the way, the Memorial Day is in May so that shouldn't be an issue.   

[et1702]

If it started the second Saturday and ran thru three weekends, the last weekend would overlap with muzzleloader deer season. I'm pretty sure the WDFW won't go for that.

And by the way, the Memorial Day is in May so that shouldn't be an issue.   

Thanks for the edit.  Already thinking about scouting elk Memorial weekend...lol. 

Yep, looks like deer would overlap by two days.  So, push ML deer opener back a week, plus rifle, etc. and give the critters a week break between the various seasons like they do now.

ET

[Curly]

If you were setting the seasons, then what changes would you make and WHY?

I would eliminate all muzzleloader early seasons.  They get in the way of archery seasons and there isn't enough units open to ML anyway........might as well just eliminate them.  ML guys can use their ML's during modern season.

Please don't string me up guys; that is just what I would do if I were in charge. 

[grundy53]

If you were setting the seasons, then what changes would you make and WHY?

I would eliminate all muzzleloader early seasons.  They get in the way of archery seasons and there isn't enough units open to ML anyway........might as well just eliminate them.  ML guys can use their ML's during modern season.

Please don't string me up guys; that is just what I would do if I were in charge. 

I'm sure the muzzy guys would love that.....

sent from my typewriter

[Curly]

If you were setting the seasons, then what changes would you make and WHY?

I would eliminate all muzzleloader early seasons.  They get in the way of archery seasons and there isn't enough units open to ML anyway........might as well just eliminate them.  ML guys can use their ML's during modern season.

Please don't string me up guys; that is just what I would do if I were in charge. 

I'm sure the muzzy guys would love that.....

sent from my typewriter

Yeah, I know.  And I am a muzzy guy.  But it just seems impossible to make everyone happy, so might as well stop worrying about the ML guys (not many left anyway) and get some good seasons for the archery guys. 


 

(Don't worry though, my idea would never happen........so I won't even bring it up to WDFW).  Just saying what I would do.  Seems like that is what they do in some other states. 

[buckfvr]

They simply cant model seasons around peoples vacations or lack there of.........to include making sure there is 3 weekends for every user group, or if you add one for any group, you have to do the same for another.........

Wish all you want, there is only so much they can do, and none of it will be done for the few......................

[dreamingbig]

Archery elk back to Sep 8 to 21st and archery deer back to sept 1 to 30th.  Open little naches for anterless permit opportunity for early elk.


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[Rainier10]

Early archery elk hard start date of Sept 8 ending on Sept 21.  Cooler temps and most of the time keeps the season farther from Labor Day weekend.

[ELKBURGER]

Seems like there is a common answer. But will WDFW listen?

[washelkhunter]

2015 Sept. 5-12. Or always start the 1st Sat. and end on the 2nd Sat.

[bobcat]

Sept 8-21 sounds good to me and I'd also like to ask for the muzzleloader season to be Sept 22-30.


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