Let the young bucks walk

[h20hunter]

I've got you beat by a longshot 'Lope....I've personally bettered the herd health of blacktail as well as muley....throw whitetail in there and I'm the poster boy for buck/doe ratio betterment!

[bobcat]

This wasn't about the permit system just saying that people don't have to shoot the first thing they see.

In general seasons most people are going to do just that- take the first legal animal they see. I usually do. Except this year, I did pass up a spike at 50 yards during the early muzzleloader season. The only other times that I have passed up legal bucks has been during special permit hunts.

[Skillet]

I don't want this to improve "trophy" hunting, but to provide a more quality hunting experience. I think limiting the number of hunters would actually help in recruiting young hunters, as they would have a much better experience when if they are drawn for a hunt.

Fixed it for ya. 

That's always what people seem to think would happen. I don't. Look at Oregon. They're draw only for mule deer, yet kids don't have a problem drawing tags. Many units can be drawn every year and many others, every other year. Why is our state so much different that we can have unlimited numbers of deer tags, while ALL other western states do not?

Frankly, I no longer trust the WDFW on any level to fairly administer a draw tag system without making its primary intent of increasing quality secondary to a their desire for another revenue-generating scheme.  And since the WDFW doesn't run draws in other western states, that's why it's so much different here.

[Fishcrazy82]

I'm all for a permit system there would be more deer and the people who want meat would have units with large quotas. Look at all the other states with awesome hunting you want meat there's units in Wyoming with 2 or 3 cow elk tags or go shoot 2 or 3 does.

[Gutpile]

I pass only if I draw a late tag or if I draw a multi season tag. I passed a lot of deer this year in the general season tjat I never would have if I didnt have a late tag. I would never in a million years judge someone for shooting a small deer, 9 days isnt a lot of time especially if all you have is weekends so I have zero problem with someone shooting a dinker. Been there, done that, many times. 

[h20hunter]

I'm all for a permit system there would be more deer and the people who want meat would have units with large quotas. Look at all the other states with awesome hunting you want meat there's units in Wyoming with 2 or 3 cow elk tags or go shoot 2 or 3 does.

Here's my issue with you simply saying let them walk. Number one, I don't have time or $$ to make that trip. Number two, you are simply trying to dictate what others shoot. Its legal. Fill your tag if you chose. Your opinion frankly isn't worth anything to me what I hang my tag on when done legally. Now, you want to put forth some proposals on general season vs draw based on herd/harvest data based on Wa numbers then good, put that out there and we can have a discussion. However, you saying let 'em walk because that is what YOU want done...nope. Hunters like yourself are once again working (apparently) towards restricting other hunters based on your opinion. News flash, your opinion, my opinion, on what hunters hang their tag on (legally of course) isn't worth squat.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

That's always what people seem to think would happen. I don't. Look at Oregon. They're draw only for mule deer, yet kids don't have a problem drawing tags. Many units can be drawn every year and many others, every other year. Why is our state so much different that we can have unlimited numbers of deer tags, while ALL other western states do not?

Kids have trouble drawing if it's a weighted draw. They haven't been putting in for enough years to get the points amassed that it usually takes to get drawn. It's not impossible, but really the odds are against them.

[bobcat]

I do have to say, although in general I support the idea of a limited permit system for deer hunting, I also don't want to decrease our harvest just to have the Native American tribes increase their harvest, and in the end we would see no improvement in deer numbers.

[bobcat]

That's always what people seem to think would happen. I don't. Look at Oregon. They're draw only for mule deer, yet kids don't have a problem drawing tags. Many units can be drawn every year and many others, every other year. Why is our state so much different that we can have unlimited numbers of deer tags, while ALL other western states do not?

Kids have trouble drawing if it's a weighted draw. They haven't been putting in for enough years to get the points amassed that it usually takes to get drawn. It's not impossible, but really the odds are against them.

Like I already mentioned, in Oregon many mule deer tags can be drawn with zero or 1 point.

[Fishcrazy82]

It's encouraging to see that there are actually a lot of people open to change.

[stevemiller]

Bobcat thats perfect that you brought up the tribes,Why should hunters let the smaller ones go just to be harvested later on the off season legally by a tribal member.This op. should have just stayed with the owner of the first post in this thread.       Also as stated so many times in the past HERE WE GO AGAIN ANOTHER HUNTER VS HUNTER THREAD   

[stevemiller]

It's encouraging to see that there are actually a lot of people open to change.

Where do you see a lot?

[Sitka_Blacktail]

My point of view is that all the other states with far better hunting control the numbers of animals killed by using a permit system. So we all both about only seeing small buck and some peoples once in a lifetime bucks that don't really need to be. All it would take is people not to kill the first leagal hair they see. Maybe that tiny 3 point will be that once in a lifetime type buck in a couple years. So maybe you go without a year or two but wouldn't it feel good to look at a big buck once in a while?

I just hunted in Idaho, which some would say has better hunting than Washington. Most whitetail deer hunting there is shoot any deer you see, spike, 5x5, does, towheads. It actually keeps balance in the herd. Then your habitat isn't just supporting a herd of does who have a few young bucks left to service them. You don't get more big bucks by killing them all. And you don't get good breeding by killing the big bucks and leaving the immature bucks to do the job.  Better to spread the harvest around and save some big boys for breeding.

Some people just want to get a deer in the easiest most economical way possible, which comes down to taking the first legal animal they see. They may not have the time nor the money or even the desire to hold out for a once in a lifetime deer every year.

In the meantime, that little three point isn't guaranteed to grow into a once in a lifetime deer. First off, he may not even be genetically inclined to a huge rack. Then he may be taken out by predators or a bad winter. He may catch some deer disease like CWD or Blue Tongue. Or he may be hit by a car. There are a lot of ways for deer to die besides from a hunters gun.

Go ahead and hold out if that suits you. Just don't be thinking it suits everybody.

[bobcat]

I don't see this as hunter versus hunter. It's simply a discussion of how to better manage the deer in Washington state. Surely it doesn't hurt anything to hear other people's opinions. That's what makes this forum useful.

[h20hunter]

Bobcat....I agree and I don't.  So far this IS hunter vs. hunter. When our OP provides something to discuss other than "let them walk so they grow big" then we have a discussion. No discussion so far by our OP.