Methow Herd Reduction is Official

[Skyvalhunter]

Better to eat the doe permit.

[boneaddict]

I can understand folks excitement over their children getting a chance to utilize this tag.  That's about the only positive I see from this.  However, I think its another blunder by the WDFW.      Its another sad day for the Methow Valley

[7mmfan]

I got my email last night and will only use it on a whitetail doe. Every mule deer in the valley deserves as good of a chance as they can get, so I'll remove one invasive species from the mix for them. Maybe 2....

[boneaddict]

Thank you 7mm.

[Ripper]

I got this email today and I called to verify what it means. I had already been drawn for a second deer tag on Whidby island so I should not have gotten the email. So if you already got drawn for a second tag, you can not buy another for these hunt's. It is only for whitetail does, so you all can settle down about mulie does being shot.  Make sure you all know the difference before you pull the trigger. There will be a lot of youth hunters over there as well so make sure they can properly identify a white tail doe before pulling the trigger.

[Rainier10]

I can understand folks excitement over their children getting a chance to utilize this tag.  That's about the only positive I see from this.  However, I think its another blunder by the WDFW.      Its another sad day for the Methow Valley

[huntnphool]

I got my email last night and will only use it on a whitetail doe. Every mule deer in the valley deserves as good of a chance as they can get, so I'll remove one invasive species from the mix for them. Maybe 2....

 

[grundy53]

This sucks!

I agree it sucks but what's the alternative? Let hundreds of deer starve to death because of over grazing available winter ground? Even with aggressive feeding it would be an ugly winter for the Methow herd IMO.

Alot of folks agree that this sucks including myself,there are alot of other ideas,options,reasons,thaughts etc.ect on the other anterless methow thread in the deer hunting section.....this is a crying shame! Nothin wrong with taking out the white tails but were gonna need all the breeding stock mulie does we can muster comming out the back end of this winter.....

sent from my typewriter

[MtnMuley]

Does anybody know what came about the feeding programs that they were going to start?

[bobcat]

Ripper,

Are you sure the extra permits will only be for whitetail? It sure didn't sound that way in the latest news release they put out:

WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
NEWS RELEASE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
September 17, 2014
Contact: Jim Brown or Matt Monda, (509) 754-4624


         
Hunting and fishing outlook still good
in the wake of Carlton Complex wildfire


OLYMPIA - Plenty of hunting, fishing, and other recreational opportunities are still available in north central Washington despite this summer's wildfires and mudslides. Most areas that were temporarily closed are now accessible.

"Contrary to what some might think, most of Okanogan County did not burn," said Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) North Central Regional Director Jim Brown. "Many great outdoor opportunities remain, even in some areas touched by the fires. Most people's hunting and fishing trips will be as enjoyable as ever."

WDFW wildlife areas and water access sites in the north central region are open, and information about recreation on federal lands is available from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest: http://www.fs.usda.gov./detail/okawen/home/?cid=stelprd3812214.

The Carlton Complex Fire burned more than 250,000 acres - about 400 square miles - including lands in the Methow and Okanogan river valleys that have provided much of the winter range for a herd of 14,000 mule deer. The herd includes year-round resident deer as well as "high-country" animals that move to lower elevations in the winter.

Brown said natural regeneration of the burned wildlife habitat has already begun, but the area will not be able to support the usual number of deer this winter. WDFW wildlife biologists estimate reducing the population by 7 percent will improve long-term range restoration as well as the herd's overall vitality.

Matt Monda, WDFW regional wildlife manager, said the department will issue more special hunting permits to help reduce the number of deer to a level that the remaining winter range can support.

"We're being conservative in reducing the size of the herd because we are still assessing the amount of regrowth that is occurring, and we can't predict winter conditions," he said. "The additional deer harvest will be tightly controlled."

Monda said no new permit application process or general season opportunities will be created. Instead, additional permits will be drawn from unsuccessful applications for the special hunt drawing last spring. The new permits will go to youth, seniors, hunters with disabilities, and applicants for antlerless hunts in Game Management Units 224, 239, and 242. New permit holders will be notified this month for hunts scheduled in October and November.

Reducing the number of deer this year and next will help the winter range recover and will speed the growth of bitterbrush and other shrubs that represent important food sources for mule deer. Too many deer will stunt recovering shrubs, Monda said.

Monda added that the Washington chapters of the Mule Deer Foundation are contributing funds for post-fire habitat restoration efforts.

"In the long run, fewer deer on the land and our re-vegetation work will help the range recover more quickly and will contribute to a more robust mule deer population," Monda said.

More information on wildfire restoration efforts is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wildfires/

[Boss .300 winmag]

Ripper,

Are you sure the extra permits will only be for whitetail? It sure didn't sound that way in the latest news release they put out:

WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
NEWS RELEASE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
September 17, 2014
Contact: Jim Brown or Matt Monda, (509) 754-4624


         
Hunting and fishing outlook still good
in the wake of Carlton Complex wildfire


OLYMPIA - Plenty of hunting, fishing, and other recreational opportunities are still available in north central Washington despite this summer's wildfires and mudslides. Most areas that were temporarily closed are now accessible.

"Contrary to what some might think, most of Okanogan County did not burn," said Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) North Central Regional Director Jim Brown. "Many great outdoor opportunities remain, even in some areas touched by the fires. Most people's hunting and fishing trips will be as enjoyable as ever."

WDFW wildlife areas and water access sites in the north central region are open, and information about recreation on federal lands is available from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest: http://www.fs.usda.gov./detail/okawen/home/?cid=stelprd3812214.

The Carlton Complex Fire burned more than 250,000 acres - about 400 square miles - including lands in the Methow and Okanogan river valleys that have provided much of the winter range for a herd of 14,000 mule deer. The herd includes year-round resident deer as well as "high-country" animals that move to lower elevations in the winter.

Brown said natural regeneration of the burned wildlife habitat has already begun, but the area will not be able to support the usual number of deer this winter. WDFW wildlife biologists estimate reducing the population by 7 percent will improve long-term range restoration as well as the herd's overall vitality.

Matt Monda, WDFW regional wildlife manager, said the department will issue more special hunting permits to help reduce the number of deer to a level that the remaining winter range can support.

"We're being conservative in reducing the size of the herd because we are still assessing the amount of regrowth that is occurring, and we can't predict winter conditions," he said. "The additional deer harvest will be tightly controlled."

Monda said no new permit application process or general season opportunities will be created. Instead, additional permits will be drawn from unsuccessful applications for the special hunt drawing last spring. The new permits will go to youth, seniors, hunters with disabilities, and applicants for antlerless hunts in Game Management Units 224, 239, and 242. New permit holders will be notified this month for hunts scheduled in October and November.

Reducing the number of deer this year and next will help the winter range recover and will speed the growth of bitterbrush and other shrubs that represent important food sources for mule deer. Too many deer will stunt recovering shrubs, Monda said.

Monda added that the Washington chapters of the Mule Deer Foundation are contributing funds for post-fire habitat restoration efforts.

"In the long run, fewer deer on the land and our re-vegetation work will help the range recover more quickly and will contribute to a more robust mule deer population," Monda said.

More information on wildfire restoration efforts is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wildfires/

Yep its either species since the permit was for does in the first place.

[dreamingbig]

Can you use it to shoot a wolf instead?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[X-Force]

Yep its either species since the permit was for does in the first place.

WDFW didn't say that in the news release that its any antlerless


Attention Deer Special Permit Applicant:
You were one of many hunters who applied for one of the following deer special permit hunt choices:
•   Second Deer - 1303**, 1326, 1329, 1330 (Must purchase a second deer tag)
•   Deer Youth - 1508, 1511, 1512, 1558, 1559
•   Deer 65 and over - 1605, 1608, 1609
•   Deer Disabled - 1704, 1707, and 1708 
In response to the Carlton Complex fires, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will be allowing more of these permits to be issued. All of these special permits will also give you the option to purchase a second deer tag in your drawn special permit hunt. 
To see the hunt choice you are drawn for use your Wild ID to log in at: https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wa/specialhuntlookup .
The dates for the above hunt choices have been modified as well.  The new dates are Oct 11-31 and Nov. 21-30.
** In addition, special permits for Hunt Choice 1303 Methow will be valid for all public lands open to hunting and private lands with the owner's permission in GMUs 224, 239, and 242. 
WDFW will not be mailing special permit cards for this opportunity. To participate, you must go to your local license dealer with your WILD ID:
•   To get the permit for the hunt choice for which you are drawn you will need to purchase a "substitute special permit" for a $0.50 dealer fee.    If you don't participate in this opportunity your points for the subsequent drawing special permit hunts will be restored by March 2, 2015.
•   To purchase a second deer tag in your current special permit hunt for $43.40 for residents and $252.40 for nonresidents. 
Both of these items will be available at license dealers starting Thursday, September 25, 2014. 
Print this e-mail and have it in your possession, along with your permit, tag, and license when hunting.  If you have any questions please contact us at 360-902-2515.
Sincerely,
Wildlife Program 
WDFW
*** HAVE THIS EMAIL IN YOUR POSSESSION, ***
*** ALONG WITH YOUR PERMIT, TAG, AND LICENSE WHEN HUNTING ***



It looks to me that if you have Antlerless then its antlerless but White-tail Antlerless is still White-tail antlerless

[Bob33]

To be clear, this are not additional deer tags. They are permits. They are an extension of the number (and now the season) of permits that were available in the spring draw for certain categories such as Youth.

The permit allows a hunter with an unused tag to hunt during the designated time period, for the animals designated under the original hunts. It does not allow the harvest of an additional animal. Should the department decide to offer additional tags, that would be a separate action.

The individuals notified this week will need to purchase a "substitute permit" (aka "green card") for $.50. They would need to use a regular, unfilled deer tag to hunt.

[X-Force]

To be clear, this are not additional deer tags. They are permits. They are an extension of the number (and now the season) of permits that were available in the spring draw for certain categories such as Youth.

The permit allows a hunter with an unused tag to hunt during the designated time period, for the animals designated under the original hunts. It does not allow the harvest of an additional animal. Should the department decide to offer additional tags, that would be a separate action.

The individuals notified this week will need to purchase a "substitute permit" (aka "green card") for $.50. They would need to use a regular, unfilled deer tag to hunt.

You were one of many hunters who applied for one of the following deer special permit hunt choices:
•   Second Deer - 1303**, 1326, 1329, 1330 (Must purchase a second deer tag)
•   Deer Youth - 1508, 1511, 1512, 1558, 1559
•   Deer 65 and over - 1605, 1608, 1609
•   Deer Disabled - 1704, 1707, and 1708 
In response to the Carlton Complex fires, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will be allowing more of these permits to be issued. All of these special permits will also give you the option to purchase a second deer tag in your drawn special permit hunt.