multi season draw

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Just got an e-mail from WDF&G pimping the multi season draw and their new "low prices". $139.10 for deer and $182 for elk.

I'm still not applying and last year I was drawn for elk but decided against purchasing the tag. I am PO'd at the State for allowing timber companies to charge and limit the number of hunters on their property. I've decided to spend most of my money out of State because this state has allowed the costs to hunt here as a resident to become comparable to hunting out of State as a non resident. The only leverage I have to fight this is by deciding where I spend my money. So Idaho is getting most of it again this year. I'll still buy a deer tag here to hunt with friends and family, but that is it. In the past, I've spent hundreds on tags and applying for permits and raffles, but it's all going bye bye and I could care less if WDF&G goes bankrupt. (I realize that just my refusing to spend money in this state won't do that, but if enough people felt the same way, it could get their attention)

[bobcat]

Great thinking, Sitka. Until you see a nice bull the day before hunting season opens and you have to go to the store and buy a tag! 

Funny you should post this now. After agonizing over it for a few days, just last night I decided I'd attempt to draw the multi-season elk, and if drawn I'll buy it.

The way I look at it is I already have money invested in archery and muzzleloader equipment. I might as well make use of it if I can. I think if I hunt all the seasons it will be worth the $180.

It will allow me to apply for some rifle permits that I normally wouldn't get to apply for, and I'll get to hunt, and learn, more areas than I normally get to hunt. I figure it will give me a big advantage for next year, even without the multi season tag.

Of course, this is only if I draw this year, my odds are only about 20%. So chances are I'll be hunting with a muzzleloader tag this year.

[fair-chase]

Recieved the same.

I have no interest in MS for myself, but thought I would look into it for the kids since their school and sports schedule is fairly restrictive. It would be nice to have the additional time to get them out for more short trips instead of trying to pack everything into a longer single trip. But when I noticed that youth only get a discount on the application fee, and not the tag price, my mind was made up for me. I can take them to Idaho, have more days than the MS tag would give them, and be at roughly 1/4 the price of MS.

[Firedogg]

Just don't do like I did two years ago. I would always buy my license but not select my elk tag because I never knew what season I was going to be able to hunt until too late for permit draws. Well two years ago I also didn't select my deer tag, but thought I had it. Got to hunting camp late up in the Blues after a long road trip, checking everything before going to sleep.  WTF??  Where's my deer tag?  Ohh well, guess it's a trip 38 miles into Asotin to pick up one at the store there that does licenses. Dad asked if I wanted him to go with me, I said no, didn't want to ruin his hunt.  Well, guess what I saw on the Asotin Creek Wildlife area before I got to town, 3 legal mulies at less than 100 yds standing broadside.... grrrr, got some pictures I'll have to dig into my files for of them though.

  So keep track of which tags you select and those you still need to select. Lesson learned the hard way.  I was sure I had it since I had always gotten it before.

[fireweed]

Just got an e-mail from WDF&G pimping the multi season draw and their new "low prices". $139.10 for deer and $182 for elk.

I'm still not applying and last year I was drawn for elk but decided against purchasing the tag. I am PO'd at the State for allowing timber companies to charge and limit the number of hunters on their property. I've decided to spend most of my money out of State because this state has allowed the costs to hunt here as a resident to become comparable to hunting out of State as a non resident. The only leverage I have to fight this is by deciding where I spend my money. So Idaho is getting most of it again this year. I'll still buy a deer tag here to hunt with friends and family, but that is it. In the past, I've spent hundreds on tags and applying for permits and raffles, but it's all going bye bye and I could care less if WDF&G goes bankrupt. (I realize that just my refusing to spend money in this state won't do that, but if enough people felt the same way, it could get their attention)

Be sure to send a letter to WDFW and your state reps. so they have a record of why you are not buying.  If enough of those letters show up, maybe it will make a difference.  May seem like a waste of time, but if enough testimonies with real dollar signs attached show up, they have to get serious about keeping hunters here.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Just got an e-mail from WDF&G pimping the multi season draw and their new "low prices". $139.10 for deer and $182 for elk.

I'm still not applying and last year I was drawn for elk but decided against purchasing the tag. I am PO'd at the State for allowing timber companies to charge and limit the number of hunters on their property. I've decided to spend most of my money out of State because this state has allowed the costs to hunt here as a resident to become comparable to hunting out of State as a non resident. The only leverage I have to fight this is by deciding where I spend my money. So Idaho is getting most of it again this year. I'll still buy a deer tag here to hunt with friends and family, but that is it. In the past, I've spent hundreds on tags and applying for permits and raffles, but it's all going bye bye and I could care less if WDF&G goes bankrupt. (I realize that just my refusing to spend money in this state won't do that, but if enough people felt the same way, it could get their attention)

Be sure to send a letter to WDFW and your state reps. so they have a record of why you are not buying.  If enough of those letters show up, maybe it will make a difference.  May seem like a waste of time, but if enough testimonies with real dollar signs attached show up, they have to get serious about keeping hunters here.

I will be doing that.

[bobcat]

Don't you think the WDFW is already serious about keeping hunters here? Look what they're doing with the changes to hunting seasons for the next three years. It seems to me they're bending over backwards to give us most everything we've asked for.

An early archery season that's ten days later than it was last year.
28 new GMU's open for early muzzleloader elk.
A very large increase in antlerless elk permits in the youth category.
Multiple season tags that are not sold to those who are drawn by the end of July will be sold first come, first serve.
Mechanical broadheads legal
Crossbows legal during modern firearm season
Spring bear tags in the NE will be doubled

And, there are probably more, but it does seem to me like they are listening to hunters and giving us what we want.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

They are charging us more for less opportunity.  Take hunting on the West side where we both live, Bobcat. A Washington resident elk license is $50.40 throw in a multi season license at $180 and $200 for an access permit if any are even available and compare that with a non resident Idaho license at $154.75 and an elk tag at $416.75 and it's pretty close. Plus in Idaho, I can camp, hunt deer at the same time, and ride a quad on designated roads and trails and the seasons are much longer making it more convenient to plan a hunt. Throw in a Washington deer tag at $44.90, and another $200 access permit because I don't hunt deer the same place I hunt elk, and another any season tag at $110 for deer if you were to draw it and compare that to throwing a non res deer tag at $301.75 into the Idaho mix.

So I can have a nice convenient Idaho non res hunt combination deer and elk hunt for $873.25. Or I could end up spending $785.30 for a not so convenient (shorter time frames and different seasons for deer and elk, plus no camping) RESIDENT deer and elk hunt in Western Washington. What a privilege to live and hunt in this State. And that doesn't even consider the hunting leases that are popping up with Timber owners like Rayonier.

[fireweed]

Don't you think the WDFW is already serious about keeping hunters here? Look what they're doing with the changes to hunting seasons for the next three years. It seems to me they're bending over backwards to give us most everything we've asked for.

An early archery season that's ten days later than it was last year.
28 new GMU's open for early muzzleloader elk.
A very large increase in antlerless elk permits in the youth category.
Multiple season tags that are not sold to those who are drawn by the end of July will be sold first come, first serve.
Mechanical broadheads legal
Crossbows legal during modern firearm season
Spring bear tags in the NE will be doubled

And, there are probably more, but it does seem to me like they are listening to hunters and giving us what we want.

True.  But all of these things mean nothing without access...Access is where the state needs to get serious.  The WDFW is nipping around the edges of the problem, so maybe letters to state reps are more important than to WDFW.

[Rainier10]

Don't you think the WDFW is already serious about keeping hunters here? Look what they're doing with the changes to hunting seasons for the next three years. It seems to me they're bending over backwards to give us most everything we've asked for.

An early archery season that's ten days later than it was last year.
28 new GMU's open for early muzzleloader elk.
A very large increase in antlerless elk permits in the youth category.
Multiple season tags that are not sold to those who are drawn by the end of July will be sold first come, first serve.
Mechanical broadheads legal
Crossbows legal during modern firearm season
Spring bear tags in the NE will be doubled

And, there are probably more, but it does seem to me like they are listening to hunters and giving us what we want.

True.  But all of these things mean nothing without access...Access is where the state needs to get serious.  The WDFW is nipping around the edges of the problem, so maybe letters to state reps are more important than to WDFW.

I think they are working on the access issue and I believe that some of the new rules to improve opportunity may be in response to the loss of access.  I just hope they can fix the access issue and we get to keep these new seasons and weapon choices.

[str8meat]

my wife hunts archery, she is disabled companion card for me. my boys hunt modern and i muzzle loader. why should i pay extra for the same oppurtunities that i have now?

[bobcat]

my wife hunts archery, she is disabled companion card for me. my boys hunt modern and i muzzle loader. why should i pay extra for the same oppurtunities that i have now?

Doesn't sound like it would be much benefit for you. For me, I'm the only person in my family that hunts. Hopefully my girls will be in the future, but they're only 7 and 9, so I've got a few more years before that happens.

[WSU]

I've drawn both deer and elk.  If you have the time to devote to hunting all seasons, it can really be a blast.

[Rainier10]

I bowhunt but for the last three years I have purchased the deer permit so I can put in for rifle permits with my daughter and use my points to raise her chances of getting drawn for tags.

The elk is a no brainer to put in for.  Again I bowhunt but when I have drawn the elk permit it is nice to have the option to hunt both sides of the state and put in for rifle permits.

It is all still cheaper than out of state hunts.  Just my 

[ndcasla]

I just got notified by mail that I was picked for multi season deer and elk in the Hunter Ed Instructor draw.
I put in for them on a whim, not expecting to be drawn. I haven't bow hunted is several years nor muzzy either.
I normally get the "big four" for modern firearm. I got to mull this over some before I decide which way to go and
how much money I will be able to put out on tags.

I know that hunting in Washington is not as good as it could be, but it is what it is, it could be worse.