Elk hunters want later elk season

[Wenatcheejay]

This was a bad year as far as weather goes. To hot in September for my Archery Idaho hunt, still to hot and no snow for Oct. in the same area. Then all at once we had MASSIVE weather, far to much for my December Elk hunt. It's not right, but it is fair, it is part of life, part of weather. I guess that is why it is called "hunting." Now, I do think that WDFW does not manage things very well, IMO probably due to polititcs. I think that it is time I take a much more active role in going to public meetings and discussing my views with the parties involved. It seems the days of just going into the field are over unless I want to start paying outfitters and ranches directly. I am nearly to the point of giving up DYI, not there yet, but seesh, after this year?

[DOUBLELUNG]

Take the Teanaway late season tags this year! There are 100 cow tags and I believe 15 bull tags! I only know of one elk for sure taken out of this unit! All of the pet elk are down on privet land being fed by the locals.....people who would rather see elk die of starvation and predation....than see a hunter get his animal! At the first sight of snow...the elk all dropped down into town where they could be safe and sound and fed good by the land owners!
My main question would be....why does our AMAZING game department give out tags to an area that they know is mostly privet....and that they know the history of the locals not allowing people to harvest animals? Do they really want us to harvest any of these elk?? Or is it what I think....They get our money pre season....than to hell with us!

Here's a thought.  Maybe we shouldn't apply for a permit in areas we know the elk end up on private land we can't hunt.  Then, maybe the neighbors, friends and families of those landowners who can get access, could draw more of those tags.  

Nah, it's the stupid game department's fault if we draw a permit where we know we can't get permission to hunt; likewise, it's their stupid fault if a hunter draws a permit they know nothing about.  Heck, a game warden or bio should arrange private land permission for us, then take us out and show us the best animal in the area, gut it after we shoot it, and load it into our truck for us, right?    

By law, any license buyer with the appropriate tag, can put in for permits for that tag.  That doesn't mean we aren't responsible for knowing the facts about the areas and permits we put in for.  Like it or not, there are TONS of landowners who will allow a local - or only people they know - to hunt on their land.  Pretty darned frustrating when someone else draws that permit, knows nothing about the area, can't find a landowner to call on the phone to get permission, won't take the time/effort preseason to locate a place to hunt, and ends up giving up either barely utilizing the permit, or never going at all - thereby depriving a hunter who COULD use that opportunity of that permit.  

Say, for example, the Peshastin permits.  Lots of those landowners have been: 1) burned by jerks in past years who didn't abide by their rules: drove where they weren't supposed to, hunted the area they were asked to not hunt, trespassed onto the neighbors to kill elk where they didn't have permission (and sometimes claimed they were told to go and kill elk there by the other landowner who did give them permission for HIS land!), or killed other game besides elk, and 2) are pissed because they, their families and hunters they know can't draw the permits because of everone applying for them.  They want elk killed, but not badly enough to let more unknown people on - especially those who don't visit preseason, in person, and want permission based on a phone call from someone they don't know, from a different area code.  

Geez, I'm sure glad I don't work for that stupid game department!

[Wenatcheejay]

I am definatly in the "Do not pay landowners who shut out public access" from the taxpayer honey pot. In fact, to say that not only should they be paid but to give them exclusive rights to pass out tags & get paid? Heck why not allow them to sell off all of the tags in THEIR GMU to the highest bidder? Man, I guess that would be sweet. Yep, hunting is becoming a rich man's sport. The point is when the game becomes a nuisance and they will not cooperate with the most effective way of game management they should not get one dime of Government resource. And, if so much as one hair is harmed on any wildlife then the full arm of the law should prosecute them.

There is a lot that has changed in many units. Those of us that have (or had) 335 late season tags understand why perhaps they need to change up the GMU and/or seasons. The lower elevation should be a hunt with the little "c" next to it meaning that it is mostly private land. It should be it's own hunt. The upper unit has a good amount of public land, basicly the two are not the same. I talked to many locals and they are not happy with the draw hunts either. They say that the MF tags need to be in the general season and not so late to be effective. That comes from the people who live there. The WDFW people I have talked to said that things are difficult in the 335 late season tags and there has been a "round table" formed to try to address it. Are they wrong? I don't think so. The crying about, "I know of a bad hunter once that did something, or those Seattleites know no honor." the truth is that times have changed and people are more selfish. They see wild game as theirs if it is on their property. They do control access. However, they do not own the animals. Taxpayers, "The People" do. If they want to shut out "The People" then all Government funds should be shut out as well. I even talked to the Forest Service and some of these nuts denied access to the Forest Fire Fighters durning the big fires. The problem is Washington is now "California Lite" with all of the greed and selfishness that comes with it. THEY have their eyes on where we live and where we go to hunt. They have their eyes on their little peice of heaven and it is all theirs. NOT yours. There are many developers who are looking to lock up public land from public access. That should not be allowed.

[fc2038]

I have one question that I cannot ever get a good answer for. WHY DOES THE WDFW MANAGE ELK POPOULATIONS AT 50 TO 55K. I am sick of the department changing policy when a few elk die because of a bad winter. 100 elk die in the st. Helen's area and now there is a overpopulation problem. the area cannot sustain the current population. Just a year before they wanted to manage the same population at 15,000 animal now they have to cut it down to 12K? the department has plenty of land to work with i can see this state holding 75 to 80k animals. I men really what is the departments goal with the elk? Colorado manages their elk for opportunity, Arizona for quality, Wyoming is kind of in the middle. i think their needs to be a change in the way the seasons are. Maybe a draw like colorado for 3 different seasons, spread the hunters out through a three week period with a elk/deer week. hunters have to decide what season they want to hunt and then put in for that week. This would make the woods less crowded (East side)
There are a bunch of ways to change it, someone in the department need to do it.

[Geno]

Make it to where if a land owner does not give permission to hunt his land....then they do not get damage money!

This has to be the rule! Don't complain about damage and ask for compensation if you do not participate in damage control hunts.

[fc2038]

  Why does the wdfw have to compensate when the land owner will not support hunting on his property. I guess they just rather bitch and moan until they get PAID 

[Ray]

If people are permitted to hunt the wintering grounds then I don't see much difference between that and Indians killing them on the wintering grounds. Although they are not regulated the same in every aspect it is a similarity to some degree.

[fremont]

If you want a better quality hunt, we are going to have to go all permit and that means some of those 55,000 elk hunters are staying home.  Maybe never to go again.

Suits me fine.

[NoBark]

While that may suit you fine, it does mean fewer hunters and even less of a voice in the public arena. 

I understand wanting to see fewer people in the field. 

However, we also need a strong voice in politics because unfortunately, in this state,
wildlife management is partially dictated by politics..

[Wenatcheejay]

It will be interesting when we compound the net loss of wolf kill into the mix here in a few years.

[Geno]

While that may suit you fine, it does mean fewer hunters and even less of a voice in the public arena.  

I understand wanting to see fewer people in the field. 

However, we also need a strong voice in politics because unfortunately, in this state,
wildlife management is partially dictated by politics..

We had roughly 90,000 hunters in the field this year.....If there was a voice to be heard, it wasn't very loud! It fell on deaf ears anyway.

[boneaddict]

Just stubled upon this..... HOGWASH!  If he doesn't like it, quite applying.  Its PLENTY late.  Then what, push the archery guys into hunting even later into December.....doesn't matter.  He is either a hunter and knows that seeing 10 elk is a possibility or he needs to become a better hunter.  I love how one voice somehow gets broadcasted as this is what we all think.   Too bad something isn't written about how we feel about tribal hunting rights or something.

[270Shooter]

Too bad something isn't written about how we feel about tribal hunting rights or something.

[PolarBear]

Just stubled upon this..... HOGWASH!  If he doesn't like it, quite applying.  Its PLENTY late.  Then what, push the archery guys into hunting even later into December.....doesn't matter.  He is either a hunter and knows that seeing 10 elk is a possibility or he needs to become a better hunter.  I love how one voice somehow gets broadcasted as this is what we all think.   Too bad something isn't written about how we feel about tribal hunting rights or something.

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