Yakima herald reporting on deer herd todays paper

[RadSav]

I doubt it has much effect in that area.  No longer running cats with dogs probably has the greatest effect IMO.  Save one kitty = 20+ dead deer each year plus dozens of turkey polts.  Eat all the deer = kitty moves on to better hunting grounds.  But at least we don't harass the poor little kitty and endanger the poor little puppies.

Protect predators, kill off all the big game, close hunting seasons, greenies win and the master plan is complete compliments of WDFW, WSU activists and uneducated voters of Washington.

[Karl Blanchard]

I doubt it has much effect in that area.  No longer running cats with dogs probably has the greatest effect IMO.  Save one kitty = 20+ dead deer each year plus dozens of turkey polts.  Eat all the deer = kitty moves on to better hunting grounds.  But at least we don't harass the poor little kitty and endanger the poor little puppies.

Protect predators, kill off all the big game, close hunting seasons, greenies win and the master plan is complete compliments of WDFW, WSU activists and uneducated voters of Washington.

don't forget rad, if there is no hunting then why do you need a gun.............

[turbo]

What a frustrating read... No S--t the predators are killing the dear. Bring back hound hunting.. Like someone else said, ask the fricken hunters!!

All I got out of that is the WDFW I broke? Wut? How?  Sound like they manage their money and the WDFW as well as they manage our state wildlife. Pathetic!

[finnman]

Just look at the number of tags given out for the Yakima Firing Center and tell me the herds are rebounding? I suppose there are pockets of habitat that are in good condition but overall its a tough pill to swallow.

[kirkl]

Yep they use to give 60-70 tags out there.  Now a certain group has free range out there.

[RadSav]

don't forget rad, if there is no hunting then why do you need a gun.............

That's exactly it too! 

If the wolves prove to control numbers in the park then why do we need hunters to control populations everywhere else?  Bye bye guns and all hunting, welcome predators.  And then you don't want to disrupt the predators so no motor vehicles off pavement, no hiking off of trails and no timber cutting...the greenies and enviroterrorists dream come true.

[stevemiller]

No matter how the greenies feel nature will alweays need us,Unless they have a bunch of real live smoky the bears,Of course the way they think they might believe he is real.(most forest fires start from lightning,and if we didnt clean the over growth it would be ten times the fire).WE as people conserve all matters of nature no matter how you look at it. 

[sakoshooter]

They could have saved about $175,000 and just asked hunters.  No big secret the cougar population in that region is out of control.  In fact it seems to be spilling over the mountain too.  We've seen a spike in cougar numbers all the way to the Southern Toutle.  No coincidence the deer numbers have been crashing at the same time!  Over half the hoof rot elk we see dead in spring have been fed upon by cats too.

I know a few Klickitat bowhunters that have seen more cats over the last few years than deer.  Not saying they are good deer hunters...but apparently they stumble upon plenty of cats.  Hard to find a Klick turkey hunter that doesn't have a cat story or two.  Could probably cut down on the number of cats quite a bit if they extended the late cougar season until May 1st.  That would give turkey hunters 15 days to help thin the population.

Definitely have to agree w/ya on this one RAD.
From the emails and a single phone call with the WDFW, the answers I received were cougars and Indians.

[chinookie23]

They could have saved about $175,000 and just asked hunters.  No big secret the cougar population in that region is out of control.  In fact it seems to be spilling over the mountain too.  We've seen a spike in cougar numbers all the way to the Southern Toutle.  No coincidence the deer numbers have been crashing at the same time!  Over half the hoof rot elk we see dead in spring have been fed upon by cats too.

I know a few Klickitat bowhunters that have seen more cats over the last few years than deer.  Not saying they are good deer hunters...but apparently they stumble upon plenty of cats.  Hard to find a Klick turkey hunter that doesn't have a cat story or two.  Could probably cut down on the number of cats quite a bit if they extended the late cougar season until May 1st.  That would give turkey hunters 15 days to help thin the population.

Definitely have to agree w/ya on this one RAD.
From the emails and a single phone call with the WDFW, the answers I received were cougars and Indians.

Ya its not the 250,000 sporties in the woods deer hunting. its just the cougars and indians .... PLEASE!!! you WHINE because there hunting and WHINE when they are actually trying to help figure out why the herds arent rebounding...... the state isnt doing anything at least someone is trying to....

[Tbar]

 
I also believe they have the resources and ability to address the predator problem.  The people conducting these are competent and  knowledgeable.

[stevemiller]

Most importantly they can actually do what needs to be done no matter what it is without some bureaucratic BS.  Sad thing is if they do great it will be because of something else, If they fail its all their fault. 

[canyelk48]

Interesting that they didn't factor in the annual slaughter of deer by their own tribal members and the Yakimas as part of the reason that the population isn't rebounding.  They fill the beds of their pickups with deer (and elk), every year until the snow gets too deep on the roads for them to drive their rigs.  Too many people have witnessed them doing this for anyone to deny that it doesn't happen.  Two-legged predators is the real problem.

[stevemiller]

I suppose,  But me personally I havnt heard so much with the indians killing a bunch of deer,Just the Elk.Can you point me to the deer stories?

[canyelk48]

There were several posts on this site about this happening and I've talked to a few locals who have also witnessed this.  2012 was a particularly bad year for this since the snows came late so it was easy vehicle access.  Sorry, can't find the posts; they're either buried in the forum somewhere or were deleted because of the bashing that these types of posts always turn in to.

[jdb]

I suppose,  But me personally I havnt heard so much with the indians killing a bunch of deer,Just the Elk.Can you point me to the deer stories?

don't ever kid yourself they slaughter deer as well