Thoughts on Today's Timber Permit Message?

[bowhunterty]

Toutle has state land also. Rayonier was charging $150 to $200 last year for their access permits.

[bobcat]

Not to stir the pot but with this and the hoof rot issues I seriously considered calling for the permit change.  But theres nothing to change it to...

This is why I switched to an east side elk tag this year. If I hunt at all, I'll be hunting spikes. (Unless I draw either of the antlerless or quality bull permits I put in for)

[BULLBLASTER]

I also switched to eastside this year.

[WapitiTalk1]

Ahh yes, icing on the cake.  Yet another reason why I spend the majority of my elk hunting time and dollars in another state, and, will continue to do so unless the elk hunting platform changes "drastically" in Washington State.     

[skhunt]

I switched to east side as well and also have an out of state elk hunt planned. It's becoming more like TX where 98 percent of land is private and public land access is very limited (unless you want to pay and are able to do so).

[plugger]

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.

[BOWHUNTER45]

They just sent me another one stating that the drawings will be out by the end of June 

[Fullabull]

Can't wait for my son to graduate from college so we can go to Idaho and hunt. The way things are going it's going to cost just as much to hunt out of state as it is in state :-O

[MLhunter1]

There was a Q note on all the special hunts for toutle mudflow cow winston margeret and others.  If you looked at the index Q meant most or all of the unit is private timberland owned and requires an access fee. 

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

Yeah out of state is the same cost.

[steen]

Not overly surprised to read the WDFW message today that many of the timber areas in a number of the GMU's will now require access permits. Much of W WA just got more costly to hunt. The rest just got more crowded.

Yep!  And they waited till everyone put in for their draws before they sent the e-mail.  I'm glad I put in for points after hearing the rumors.

[Bucks2Ducks]

Sounds like a lot of guys switching to the East side this year. I too made the change.

[RadSav]

At first light, on the first day of the first year they took branched bulls away on the east side, the first elk to walk past be was a 6X7 at 30 yards.  He stopped in an opening broadside and while looking right at me took a piss.  As to say, your hunting season is going suck so bad I might as well start pissing on your season right now!  I remember it vividly.  I also remember the anger I felt and the almost overwhelming desire to break the law in protest!  I vowed I would never elk hunt another day on the east side unless I had a branch antler bull tag in my pocket and a season that allowed me to use it.  A trespassing fee isn't about to get me to change my mind...That was an awful morning

Similar thing happened to me the first day of late elk season in the Winston after they took bulls away from us then too.  If it weren't for my wife enjoying the cow hunt I would never go back there in late season either!  I don't mind tagging a cow or spike...nothing wrong with that.  I just find the value of having a choice worth more than a couple hundred dollars.  Even if the past few elk we have taken over here have been smelly and diseased.  Maybe my first multi-season elk permit will give me the option for an eastside bull tag this year!

[kentrek]

At first light, on the first day of the first year they took branched bulls away on the east side, the first elk to walk past be was a 6X7 at 30 yards.  He stopped in an opening broadside and while looking right at me took a piss.  As to say, your hunting season is going suck so bad I might as well start pissing on your season right now!  I remember it vividly.  I also remember the anger I felt and the almost overwhelming desire to break the law in protest!  I vowed I would never elk hunt another day on the east side unless I had a branch antler bull tag in my pocket and a season that allowed me to use it.  A trespassing fee isn't about to get me to change my mind...That was an awful morning

Similar thing happened to me the first day of late elk season in the Winston after they took bulls away from us then too.  If it weren't for my wife enjoying the cow hunt I would never go back there in late season either!  I don't mind tagging a cow or spike...nothing wrong with that.  I just find the value of having a choice worth more than a couple hundred dollars.  Even if the past few elk we have taken over here have been smelly and diseased.  Maybe my first multi-season elk permit will give me the option for an eastside bull tag this year!

You weren't tho only one with a branches bull in there sites the year they took bulls away in the winston...had a nice five at 30...had to shoot the cow standing to the left....was still a nice cow but 

Seems like an awful lot of options being taken away from us

[SFD2015]

I sent an email to the WDFW telling them that the timing of their email was EXTREMELY late. That email from them should have gone out to their entire email list the day that Weyerhauser announced. I did say that I expected more from the WDFW, but in reality it was par for the course.