Thumbs up to the Muks

[RG]

I have been a critic of tribes and their hunting and fishing practices for years. I have twice recently come across tribal biologists from the Muckleshoot tribe while they were involved in mule deer surveys.  I spoke at length to their biologist this week and learned they are spending tens of thousands of dollars in a joint project with WDFW to study mule deer mortality in Washington. WDFW has no funding available to do the study so they stepped up and paid the bill and supplied the people and equipment.  The results have already provided a lot of valuable information that would not have come to light. 

I may not be a fan of tribal hunting and fishing practices in our state but I absolutely have to give them credit for their commitment to this effort which will benefit all mule deer hunters in Washington.

I think it is important to give credit where credit is due sometimes.

[Taco280AI]

  If you're going to call someone out when they mess up or do wrong need to do the same when they do well

[RG]

If you're going to call someone out when they mess up or do wrong need to do the same when they do well

thank you

[Eli346]

 

[buckfvr]

I hope you have contact info for the tribes bio so you/we can hopefully get an accurate accounting of what was determined.........maybe find out some things we wont hear about after wdfw edits for content.

[CAMPMEAT]

The tribes do better than our WDFW because, they CAN, do something about something. Unlike our WDFW, that has to go through Conservation Northwest and all of the other liberals monies to get an OK to do anything about anything. I have never bitched about the tribal seasons, or anything else, because we weren't here when any treaty was signed.

[bigtex]

Guess I'll be the devil's advocate on this one. Obviously since we're talking mule deer this is on the eastside. Up until a couple years ago the Muckleshoot's couldn't even hunt the eastside until they petitioned WDFW and were granted the opportunity on the eastside. This royally pissed off the Yakama Tribe which supposedly is looking at suing WDFW and the Muckleshoots. So it's just hard for me to really be "happy" the Muckleshoot's are doing anything on the eastside, ya it's great their doing bio work, but realistically they shouldn't because they should stick to their historically ceded areas, and not "new" areas. Also, just to let you guys know, the Muckleshoots have shot some Bighorn Sheep on the eastside...

[lewy]

They have got plenty of money to spend, no doubt. I wish they would police there own bad apples with some of it......

[GUscottie]

Guess I'll be the devil's advocate on this one. Obviously since we're talking mule deer this is on the eastside. Up until a couple years ago the Muckleshoot's couldn't even hunt the eastside until they petitioned WDFW and were granted the opportunity on the eastside. This royally pissed off the Yakama Tribe which supposedly is looking at suing WDFW and the Muckleshoots. So it's just hard for me to really be "happy" the Muckleshoot's are doing anything on the eastside, ya it's great their doing bio work, but realistically they shouldn't because they should stick to their historically ceded areas, and not "new" areas. Also, just to let you guys know, the Muckleshoots have shot some Bighorn Sheep on the eastside...

Due to my profession...I spoke to a kid who shot two in one year with one shot. Got me pretty upset. But he "paid his fee to the tribe" and that was that, no further repercussion and he and his dad kept the two rams.

Sorry to thread jack.

I also agree that I'm glad to see they're paying to study mortality and such, but it frustrates me when they're hunting in areas that they had never hunted before the recent permission.

[huntnphool]

I spoke at length to their biologist this week and learned they are spending tens of thousands of dollars in a joint project with WDFW to study mule deer mortality in Washington.

  They really need a study? Have them set up tents at each entrance into the Entiat on December 1st, and count how many bucks are trucked out of there until their antlers drop, that should give them a good start.

WDFW has no funding available

No balls either!

How about diverting some of their wolf recovery cash.

[vandeman17]

I spoke at length to their biologist this week and learned they are spending tens of thousands of dollars in a joint project with WDFW to study mule deer mortality in Washington.

  They really need a study? Have them set up tents at each entrance into the Entiat on December 1st, and count how many bucks are trucked out of there until their antlers drop, that should give them a good start.

WDFW has no funding available

I was going to mention the same thing. Easy to do a winter "study" that way. Might also just follow the tire tracks and tennis shoe prints to the gut piles next to the roads.

[chinookie23]

Guess I'll be the devil's advocate on this one. Obviously since we're talking mule deer this is on the eastside. Up until a couple years ago the Muckleshoot's couldn't even hunt the eastside until they petitioned WDFW and were granted the opportunity on the eastside. This royally pissed off the Yakama Tribe which supposedly is looking at suing WDFW and the Muckleshoots. So it's just hard for me to really be "happy" the Muckleshoot's are doing anything on the eastside, ya it's great their doing bio work, but realistically they shouldn't because they should stick to their historically ceded areas, and not "new" areas. Also, just to let you guys know, the Muckleshoots have shot some Bighorn Sheep on the eastside...

Due to my profession...I spoke to a kid who shot two in one year with one shot. Got me pretty upset. But he "paid his fee to the tribe" and that was that, no further repercussion and he and his dad kept the two rams.

Sorry to thread jack.

I also agree that I'm glad to see they're paying to study mortality and such, but it frustrates me when they're hunting in areas that they had never hunted before the recent permission.

The young man that shot 2 sheep did get a big fine (4 digit fine) from the tribal court along with his cousin who was with him. They also had there hunting rights taken away for 2 years and 1 of them also got hit with being a felon in posession of a firearm. They didnt shoot 2 rams, 1 was a yew which they didnt get to keep.

As far as them hunting over on the eastside. the Muckleshoots hunted anywhere in the state until the Buchanan decision. Then they had to show anthropological evidence of them being over there and hunting which they did. So they werent actually given permission to hunt over there.
As far as the mortality study goes. They along witht he state are trying to find out why the deer herd isnt recovering like it should be being that it is closed for harvesting does. Is it hair loss, predators, poaching, low pregnancy rates ...... nobody knows hence the study. I hope somebody figures it out so the herd can rebound like we all want it too. thats what i know...... which isnt much i know.

[huntnphool]

Is it hair loss, predators, poaching, low pregnancy rates ...... nobody knows hence the study.

Nobody knows huh? How convenient that you left out the slaughter of mature bucks after December 1st!

[j_h_nimrod]

The tribes do better than our WDFW because, they CAN, do something about something. Unlike our WDFW, that has to go through Conservation Northwest and all of the other liberals monies to get an OK to do anything about anything. I have never bitched about the tribal seasons, or anything else, because we weren't here when any treaty was signed.

Neither were they...

[mossback91]

The tribes do better than our WDFW because, they CAN, do something about something. Unlike our WDFW, that has to go through Conservation Northwest and all of the other liberals monies to get an OK to do anything about anything. I have never bitched about the tribal seasons, or anything else, because we weren't here when any treaty was signed.

Neither were they...

  I agree with nimrod.......Equal rights my a** Sorry but this crap gets old........