Let The Methow Herd Destruction Begin

[WAcoueshunter]

Was there a drop in hunter numbers?

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9863 hunters in 2013 with a 14.2% success rate for general modern (buck) season.
9309 hunters in 2014 with a 19.5% success rate for general modern (buck) season.  [doe tags are permit hunts and not included in totals.]

For comparison, I just eyeballed the numbers for 2003.  Looks like about 10K hunters with a blended percentage rate among the units of 17-18%. 

[wolfbait]

Was there a drop in hunter numbers?

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9863 hunters in 2013 with a 14.2% success rate for general modern (buck) season.
9309 hunters in 2014 with a 19.5% success rate for general modern (buck) season.  [doe tags are permit hunts and not included in totals.]

For comparison, I just eyeballed the numbers for 2003.  Looks like about 10K hunters with a blended percentage rate among the units of 17-18%.

Every season will be a better season then the last, right up to the point where there is nothing left to hunt, look at the Lolo elk herd as an example, but worse.

It's a numbers and BS game.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Was there a drop in hunter numbers?

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9863 hunters in 2013 with a 14.2% success rate for general modern (buck) season.
9309 hunters in 2014 with a 19.5% success rate for general modern (buck) season.  [doe tags are permit hunts and not included in totals.]

For comparison, I just eyeballed the numbers for 2003.  Looks like about 10K hunters with a blended percentage rate among the units of 17-18%.

Every season will be a better season then the last, right up to the point where there is nothing left to hunt, look at the Lolo elk herd as an example, but worse.

It's a numbers and BS game.

The Lolo herd would benefit from a big fire.

[grundy53]

Was there a drop in hunter numbers?

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9863 hunters in 2013 with a 14.2% success rate for general modern (buck) season.
9309 hunters in 2014 with a 19.5% success rate for general modern (buck) season.  [doe tags are permit hunts and not included in totals.]

For comparison, I just eyeballed the numbers for 2003.  Looks like about 10K hunters with a blended percentage rate among the units of 17-18%.

Every season will be a better season then the last, right up to the point where there is nothing left to hunt, look at the Lolo elk herd as an example, but worse.

It's a numbers and BS game.

The Lolo herd would benefit from a big fire.

And less wolves...

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[mkcj]

I can't remember when I have seen this many hunters here in Winthrop and the surrounding hills when I was out driving around this morning and most were probably not even on the road to come over yet.

[steen]

We have 3 of the doe tags and are staying on the Westside.  My daughter was so looking forward to this hunt prior to the fires and the redraw.  It was going to be a chance to harvest some good eating whitetails but now are staying home hunting local.

Bummer. I'd take her if I had all the time in the world.  Nothing better than taking a kid hunting on a high percentage hunt and give them the best chance they can have.  Took 4 of my daughters on hunting like this and it was so rewarding to see which enjoyed the hunt for what it was and which decided then would not take a doe this year!

[Tbar]

We have 3 of the doe tags and are staying on the Westside.  My daughter was so looking forward to this hunt prior to the fires and the redraw.  It was going to be a chance to harvest some good eating whitetails but now are staying home hunting local.

Bummer. I'd take her if I had all the time in the world.  Nothing better than taking a kid hunting on a high percentage hunt and give them the best chance they can have.  Took 4 of my daughters on hunting like this and it was so rewarding to see which enjoyed the hunt for what it was and which decided then would not take a doe this year!

She did well last year.  I guess you could call or blacktail hunts high percentage hunts.  Our time in the Methow is as much to see family as it is a hunt. 

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Boy they are nailing some big bucks this year and still 3 more days to go. Gonna be a little tougher for my late hunt in 8 days.

How can that be with all the mismanagement I keep reading about on the internet? Somebody must be yanking your chain.

[wsmnut]

Just tried to take my wife's Methow 3 pt to Lind's Meats in Kent.  Mike Lind refused it.  They are full.  No room for another deer.  He said it had never happened like this before.  He's been turning deer away for three days.  He's hoping to get caught up
because Elk is about to open.
     Thomsen's Meats in Twisp has triple the amount of deer.  Fitkin is going to be gloating all over the newspapers about the marvelous success rates.  It just took several hundred square miles of fire to concentrate the deer for him.
     I guess I should be happy that the sage and bitter brush will grow uneaten next year.
     

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Just tried to take my wife's Methow 3 pt to Lind's Meats in Kent.  Mike Lind refused it.  They are full.  No room for another deer.  He said it had never happened like this before.  He's been turning deer away for three days.  He's hoping to get caught up
because Elk is about to open.
     Thomsen's Meats in Twisp has triple the amount of deer.  Fitkin is going to be gloating all over the newspapers about the marvelous success rates.  It just took several hundred square miles of fire to concentrate the deer for him.
     I guess I should be happy that the sage and bitter brush will grow uneaten next year.
   

Haha Complain when you don't get anything and complain when the hunting is great. No wonder managers can't please anyone.  Might as well shoot them all to starve the wolves that are suppressing the deer herd too. 

When are you guys gonna admit that maybe the managers know more about what they are doing than you do?

[mountainman]

Just tried to take my wife's Methow 3 pt to Lind's Meats in Kent.  Mike Lind refused it.  They are full.  No room for another deer.  He said it had never happened like this before.  He's been turning deer away for three days.  He's hoping to get caught up
because Elk is about to open.
     Thomsen's Meats in Twisp has triple the amount of deer.  Fitkin is going to be gloating all over the newspapers about the marvelous success rates.  It just took several hundred square miles of fire to concentrate the deer for him.
     I guess I should be happy that the sage and bitter brush will grow uneaten next year.
   

Haha Complain when you don't get anything and complain when the hunting is great. No wonder managers can't please anyone.  Might as well shoot them all to starve the wolves that are suppressing the deer herd too. 

When are you guys gonna admit that maybe the managers know more about what they are doing than you do?

sitka, as the comment states, it has nothing to do with managment, or mis-management, but everything to do with burnt ground. Stir elsewhere..

[2labs]

Fishing at banks got really good when they drained it

[Cascade]

Fishing at banks got really good when they drained it

Duck hunting on Royal creek is amazing when the reserve freezes and the creek is the only open water!


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[idahohuntr]

Perhaps this thread can be filed next to the one where wolfbait and others predicted idaho would be depleted of elk by now. 

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[MtnMuley]

How about season dates plus 2 extra days.   Is this really rocket science? They DEFINATELY have a "better buck to doe ratio" now. Congrats to those sussessful. You'll never see another like this ever. Destroys the 93 season.