Remeber the "temporary" license increase for W. wa pheasants?

[bobcat]

When you think of all the time and money you have invested in a bird dog, $90 is a very small price to pay to get your dog into some birds, instead of just sitting at home and laying around the house doing nothing.

[Special T]

 
I can honestly say that I did it for my dog this last year and likely will do so again next year.

[pjb3]

I will be on my own now, lost my baby 2 years ago
Will be doing man-VS- bird

[bobcat]

If that's the case, I wouldn't waste my money. Even when it was only $35, I only went to the release sites to get my dog into birds when I didn't have time to go east.

If I want to hunt birds without a dog I go for grouse.

[Bullkllr]

The release sites are a compromise for certain. I too like the wild birds of E wa but how else can you get your dog on a bunch of birds every year?

Exactly.

I think its all silly.  Hunt native wild animals. Whats next?  Emu?   Maybe they should try to bring the grouse pop. back?  But that would require burning again.

Guess it's a good thing the state doesn't have a similar view with say, hatchery raised fish.

[AspenBud]

Weyco wants $150.00 to hunt their St. Helens Tree farm. Good luck getting into birds there as easily as you can on a release site.

E Washington is great, but it takes time and money to go hunting there if you live west of the mountains and for a lot of guys that's a once or twice a season trip. That's not acceptable if you have a bird dog or two. $90.00 is a small price to pay to get your dog(s) into some birds over and above what you can find and/or squeeze in with wild birds.

Or put another way, you'll likely pay as much in gas just to go across the mountains and back on one trip as you will for a release site permit. It's a steal and the release sites serve a purpose for many, one that grouse, even if their habitat was better managed, can't replace here.