Mule Deer Initiative for WA State

[KFhunter]

I would encourage any of you that have a free minute or two to go to our website and check out our IRS 990 forms.  They show where every cent of our money is spent, and it will help you to understand how we operate.  We won't hide anything, so if there is something you want to know, if I don't have the answer, I'll get it for you.  We are forming new partnerships often, like the Master Stewardship Agreement we recently signed with the Forest Service in this region.  It will enable us to procure more dollars, based on timber sales, for mgmt. of Mule Deer, and other partnerships we are getting with local companies, like energy companies and mining industry folks.
BTW, just got an email today about a meeting I will be attending on Tuesday about the Methow fires.  This meeting is to discuss strategy, teaming up to tackle the issues, etc.  Those invited are: MDF, Colville Confederated Tribes, Methow Salmon Recovery Foundation, Okanogan Conservation District, Okanogan County, Okanogan County Cattleman, Okanogan County Farm Bureau, O.C. Health District, O.C. Horticulture Association, O.C. Noxious Weed Board, O.C. PUD, Trout Unlimited, Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board, USDA Forest Service, NRCS, Bureau of Reclamation, US Fish and Wildlife Service, WA State Conservation Commission, WA State Dept of Agriculture, WA State Dept of Ecology, WDFW, WA DNR, WA State, University Cooperative Extension, and the Yakama Nation.
As you can see, they have invited basically everyone.  This will be a great time for MDF to stress the importance of restoring the habitat for the herds, and offering ourselves to accomplish these goals, as well as form some partnerships with like-minded groups.  I will make sure and post some results of the meeting so you all are in the loop on how things are progressing.

They missed WPHA

[dingle]

Good to see a straight forward shot at the truth.
 

[Maverick]

Split the state deer tag into three parts and have hunters declare their region. West, east, and northeast. This would help all three deer species. imho.

Agreed!

[Maverick]

Draw only for modern, similar to Oregon.. Predators are next on the list.

Problem with this is you'd have a ton of hunting switching to muzzle loader and a bunch guys running around flinging arrows. The 3 point rule works great here. Honestly I disagree with adding anymore restrictions to hunting until the tribes are restricted. Us restricting ourselves is just going to make hunting better for them. Sorry if I offend anyone on here. But tribes being restricted would help.

[bobdog86]

I'd like to see a way to cull some of the 20+ inch 2 points that I see every year. I personally like the 3 pt rule, i hunt in the SE part of the state. My only grief, is the increase in the large numbers of older, breeding 2 points that I see every year. How about a youth/senior tag for any buck, to include 2 points? or make it 2pt or larger draw option, just an idea. Maybe i'm wrong, and it wouldn't be the first time, but seeing multiple slick 2 points in an area that exceed 20-25" wide seems odd.

[Stizz]

Theres a huge point being missed here....WHITETAILS. Whitetails have expanded and grown in population throughout eastern wa. What happens is this growing population helps support more predators. A study out of wazzu suggested that cats were selecting mule deer disproportionately over whitetails, maybe because theyre easier to catch. Anyways you get the point here- more whitetail encroachment= more predators=less mule deer. Trying to control the predators is a futile effort in this day and age, so i think we need to focus on more whitetail tags. Like mentioned before, the mule deer doe harvest is ridiculous, maybe we should be making those whitetail doe tags instead!

And to be clear, on the cougar and wolf research out of wsu that has helped influence our new management plans...just realize these folks are passionate hunters that care about the resource as much as we do.

[Ironhead]

I would like to see all Mule Deer hunting go to draw only. Let the Bio's  and Science determine the number of permits in each separate unit, Buck and Doe tags.  Leave Whitetail and Blacktail OTC. Just my 2 cents.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Just an idea I had while riding thru the Methow after the fire this last Tuesday.

Since all the game fence is destroyed on HWY 153 and it will need rebuilt, why don't they go and put in under pass crossing for wildlife to cross the valley and river?

I know it would take a lot due to the fact fence then would have to be on both sides of the road, but hey what a perfect time get it fixed right.

Just lump it in with bill that is already going to get funded hopefully by disaster funds.

And the sand/salt pile in Early Winters state she'd needs to be enclosed some how to keep the attraction to the deer gone.

When ridding off the pass we stop on the east bound wide spot and dress down there often and see and smell dead deer frequently, along with live ones licking the salt off the pile even during the heat in mid day.

Then just down the road the deer/car collision count sign, duh the WASDOT is baiting the deer advertantly to the highway, doesn't take rocket science to see the problem there!

[grundy53]

I would like to see all Mule Deer hunting go to draw only. Let the Bio's  and Science determine the number of permits in each separate unit, Buck and Doe tags.  Leave Whitetail and Blacktail OTC. Just my 2 cents.

I would be fine with this with one caveat. If you put in for a mule deer permit then you cannot buy a Whitetail/Blacktail tag.

sent from my typewriter

[grundy53]

Theres a huge point being missed here....WHITETAILS. Whitetails have expanded and grown in population throughout eastern wa. What happens is this growing population helps support more predators. A study out of wazzu suggested that cats were selecting mule deer disproportionately over whitetails, maybe because theyre easier to catch. Anyways you get the point here- more whitetail encroachment= more predators=less mule deer. Trying to control the predators is a futile effort in this day and age, so i think we need to focus on more whitetail tags. Like mentioned before, the mule deer doe harvest is ridiculous, maybe we should be making those whitetail doe tags instead!

And to be clear, on the cougar and wolf research out of wsu that has helped influence our new management plans...just realize these folks are passionate hunters that care about the resource as much as we do.

I disagree with your view of those doing the research studies at WSU. Those so called  passionate hunters are one of the reason we have such a jacked up cougar plan.

sent from my typewriter

[Maverick]

I would like to see all Mule Deer hunting go to draw only. Let the Bio's  and Science determine the number of permits in each separate unit, Buck and Doe tags.  Leave Whitetail and Blacktail OTC. Just my 2 cents.

I disagree with this. Some areas need less seasons. Way to many people can shoot does which is a problem as well. I'd personally like to see a 3 point minimum rule for blacktail as well.
And does anyone thing the bios do all that great of a job in our state?

I'd like to see a way to cull some of the 20+ inch 2 points that I see every year. I personally like the 3 pt rule, i hunt in the SE part of the state. My only grief, is the increase in the large numbers of older, breeding 2 points that I see every year. How about a youth/senior tag for any buck, to include 2 points? or make it 2pt or larger draw option, just an idea. Maybe i'm wrong, and it wouldn't be the first time, but seeing multiple slick 2 points in an area that exceed 20-25" wide seems odd.

Problem with this is how would they decide how big of a two point is legal to shoot. The mature 2 points are the ones that need taken out if the gene pool not the young ones. A lot of people can't tell the differance.

[luvmystang67]

Things like this certainly help the cougar claims...

Came down due to drought... bs.  It came down because it ate everything up high.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Cougar-fatally-injures-horse-in-Eastern-Wash-269390491.html

[MuleDeer]

A couple of points: the new Okanogan Trails Chapter in Omak is working on finding funding for some highway underpass work in the county.  We are currently working on insurance companies, WSDOT, and any other groups that may be able to help put funding into these much needed projects.
There are a lot of great comments on this thread and I appreciate all of them.  But there is definitely a split between opinions on managing for quality vs. quantity.  So, I am starting a simple poll asking which you prefer as a Mule Deer hunter in WA state.  That poll will also help show WDFW and the MDI writer, as well as other groups involved what we as a majority want.  Make sure to hit the poll and make your voice heard, and thanks!

[bearpaw]

Theres a huge point being missed here....WHITETAILS. Whitetails have expanded and grown in population throughout eastern wa. What happens is this growing population helps support more predators. A study out of wazzu suggested that cats were selecting mule deer disproportionately over whitetails, maybe because theyre easier to catch. Anyways you get the point here- more whitetail encroachment= more predators=less mule deer. Trying to control the predators is a futile effort in this day and age, so i think we need to focus on more whitetail tags. Like mentioned before, the mule deer doe harvest is ridiculous, maybe we should be making those whitetail doe tags instead!

And to be clear, on the cougar and wolf research out of wsu that has helped influence our new management plans...just realize these folks are passionate hunters that care about the resource as much as we do.

JEESH... WDFW is supporting the huge predator (cougar) population by having such low harvest quotas on cougar. Open up the cougar season and increase the cougar harvest, predator impacts on mule deer will go down without killing off all the whitetails. 

[Maverick]

Theres a huge point being missed here....WHITETAILS. Whitetails have expanded and grown in population throughout eastern wa. What happens is this growing population helps support more predators. A study out of wazzu suggested that cats were selecting mule deer disproportionately over whitetails, maybe because theyre easier to catch. Anyways you get the point here- more whitetail encroachment= more predators=less mule deer. Trying to control the predators is a futile effort in this day and age, so i think we need to focus on more whitetail tags. Like mentioned before, the mule deer doe harvest is ridiculous, maybe we should be making those whitetail doe tags instead!

And to be clear, on the cougar and wolf research out of wsu that has helped influence our new management plans...just realize these folks are passionate hunters that care about the resource as much as we do.

JEESH... WDFW is supporting the huge predator (cougar) population by having such low harvest quotas on cougar. Open up the cougar season and increase the cougar harvest, predator impacts on mule deer will go down without killing off all the whitetails. 

Bring back hound hunting!

I remember not too long back reading wsu's study on why cougars have been showing up I'm towns more and more and they said it was due to cougars being over harvested and how the young males are like teenagers and get into trouble. What a bunch of crap! They're over populated!!! Allowing hound hunting for cougars would help a lot!