Thoughts on Today's Timber Permit Message?

[plugger]

So the letter says they have no control over what they do as far as charging a fee, that may be true, but they do have control over how many elk or deer can be harvested and the amount of hunters that would have a chance at those animals. I don't think there would be to many leases or access  permits sold if you had a very limited amount of hunting permits issued in those units or change the GMU to reflect the majority of there land and flat don't allow a hunting season on it. I know this would create over crowding else ware but at this point something needs to be done. Maybe its time for permit only in this state.

[bobcat]

So the letter says they have no control over what they do as far as charging a fee, that may be true, but they do have control over how many elk or deer can be harvested and the amount of hunters that would have a chance at those animals. I don't think there would be to many leases or access  permits sold if you had a very limited amount of hunting permits issued in those units or change the GMU to reflect the majority of there land and flat don't allow a hunting season on it. I know this would create over crowding else ware but at this point something needs to be done. Maybe its time for permit only in this state.

    Exactly! That's what I'd like to see. That would be funny. If it's Weyerhaeuser land, there's no open hunting season.   

[Wacenturion]

No it's not time for permit only in this state......even less opportunity.

[buckfvr]

May be time to consider an orchestrated boycot  on a singular issue or even a group of issues.......in the wallet is where wdfw will feel it the most.  Stop spending freely, and they will look up from their comic books.............

[kentrek]

No it's not time for permit only in this state......even less opportunity.

 

[cryfowl]

The area I hunt will be over $200 for the access permit.  The bidding for the exclusive elk area down the road from me starts at $1300.  My entire family worked for WEYCO and everything we own is in part to them, but I feel completely raped by them.  I will be hunting out of state and will not knowingly spend another dollar on anything Weyco.  Disappointed in an industry I supported for years.

[RadSav]

The area I hunt will be over $200 for the access permit.  The bidding for the exclusive elk area down the road from me starts at $1300.  My entire family worked for WEYCO and everything we own is in part to them, but I feel completely raped by them.  I will be hunting out of state and will not knowingly spend another dollar on anything Weyco.  Disappointed in an industry I supported for years.

I starting to believe it is a retaliation thing between Weyco and the state for not including them in the Discover Pass program/benefits.  The more I hear about it the more that rumor is making sense.

[Wacenturion]

So doesnt a portion of Are license fees go back into managing the herds. Stop paying to do it on there lands and force them to do it. Seems like there exploiting a public resource in more ways than one.

I guess if you consider going to meetings and making excuses of why they can't do anything on the ground, then you are right.  Management at WDFW is pretty much all paper management......fact.  The only reason for an example they are spending some money and time on hoof rot is because it's become an issue an they have to appear to be addressing it.

You would be surprised at just how unscientific a lot of WDFW's "mis-management" is.

[fireweed]

The area I hunt will be over $200 for the access permit.  The bidding for the exclusive elk area down the road from me starts at $1300.  My entire family worked for WEYCO and everything we own is in part to them, but I feel completely raped by them.  I will be hunting out of state and will not knowingly spend another dollar on anything Weyco.  Disappointed in an industry I supported for years.

Write some letters and make some phone calls.  Every letter to the editor helps. 

[Kingpuck]

This is just all around sad. Growing up with my grandpa, salmon fishing on his boat in the summer you would almost always come home with a nice keeper. Now the fish are half the size they used to be.

Same thing with hunting. I got into this sport 2 years ago, this will be my 3rd and likely my last. It is not worth spending $200 on licenses, several hundred for gear, and gas money to drive all over hell to walk in the woods where 4 other guys are walking. We have ruined a great sport for the next generation. It is really sad. This has taken all the fun out of a sport that had really captured me.

What's more is that this is becoming a sport that only the rich can partake in. For what it costs to try and harvest an animal it is almost better to go buy grass fed organic beef from a farmer.

To think I had considered buying a new bow and rifle this year.... Guess that money will go elsewhere.

[bobcat]

I don't agree that hunting is becoming only for the rich. Some states, that may be true. But we have plenty of public land here. If you want to get in the most hunting for the least  amount of money buy an archery deer tag/license for $44.90, hunt National Forest and state lands from September 1-26 and November 10-December 31. That's 7 weeks of hunting for only $45, which is only 58 cents per day.

[RadSav]

Same thing with hunting. I got into this sport 2 years ago, this will be my 3rd and likely my last. It is not worth spending $200 on licenses, several hundred for gear, and gas money to drive all over hell to walk in the woods where 4 other guys are walking. We have ruined a great sport for the next generation. It is really sad. This has taken all the fun out of a sport that had really captured me. What's more is that this is becoming a sport that only the rich can partake in. For what it costs to try and harvest an animal it is almost better to go buy grass fed organic beef from a farmer.

To think I had considered buying a new bow and rifle this year.... Guess that money will go elsewhere.

It really hasn't effected deer hunting in this state.  There haven't been good deer numbers in any of those permit areas in about 10 years.  I do hunt on Weyco for my late season deer, but there are days where you only see a couple other trucks.  Get out and hunt deer at least.  With a bow that is about as close to a sure thing as you are going to get in Washington.  These permits don't change that one bit!

[JLS]

For what it costs to try and harvest an animal it is almost better to go buy grass fed organic beef from a farmer.

I realized this many years ago.  However, the peace and enjoyment I get out of hunting is worth far more to me than the money I would save by buying beef.

Last year I had about 2 grand into licenses, gas, etc to spend 20 days hunting in Montana.  I brought home a deer.  The price per pound was pitiful, but the memories of last year are beyond compare.

[RadSav]

For what it costs to try and harvest an animal it is almost better to go buy grass fed organic beef from a farmer.

I realized this many years ago.  However, the peace and enjoyment I get out of hunting is worth far more to me than the money I would save by buying beef.

Last year I had about 2 grand into licenses, gas, etc to spend 20 days hunting in Montana.  I brought home a deer.  The price per pound was pitiful, but the memories of last year are beyond compare.

   It's cheaper to ride the bus when you go into town too!  Doesn't mean any of us are going to sell our trucks and sacrifice our freedom.  It's also way cheaper to buy fish at Costco, but what's the fun in that

[Come Get Some]

I have been hunting Washington for 45 years. I still hunt deer here, We cook a turkey in the woods and take the entire family. As far as elk. We hunt Idaho. Not as expensive as other states. We never see any other hunters and kill multiple bulls every year. Bugled in over 100 elk last year in 2 weeks. We have morte elk hunters per elk in washington than any other state. They manage the hunters based on fees not the resource. I do not miss hunting elk here at all. I have killed over 30 elk in washington. They will see no more of my money.