tribal killing of elk

[logger]

    Have to agree with rougheye, they would cry like a cut cat.

[NCWCracker]

kudos to Big Jim for putting all that thought into it. 
I like it....better than just complaining for sure.

You should send the ideas to your State Rep - and ask him/her to pass it on to Mike Armstrong, who is now leading up Indian Affairs.

Have you looked at this topic under the "WDFW Announcements, hunting politics, and Activism"?

[NCWCracker]

There is an article titled "Tribes Killed the Elk" in the December 2008 issue of The Reel News, written by John Fulwiler.  Read it if you can.

Also, if you like - read this letter I have sent to my local area State Politicians, including Rep. Mike Armstrong.  If you like it, put your name on it and send it also. Flood them with your discontent, and they will be more inclined to act.  Here it is,


 Hello XXXXXXX,

The tribal hunting abuses of the Colockum elk herd continue to get worse every year.  Recently an article was published by John Fulwiler on “The Reel News”; December 2008 issue.  It has been posted on Hunt Washington in a discussion, and many of us in this State are fed up with the abuses and mis-management of the herd, and would like to see changes ASAP. 

The WDFW appears to be more concerned with political correctness than with trying to right a wrong.  The Yakama Tribe is not working to control hunting abuses on elk in the Colockum.  The WDFW Elk Mgt. statement for the Colockum area indicates that the Yakama Tribe is to assist in the management and share harvest data, etc.  From what I’ve heard, this is not happening. 

Please take the time to read John Fulwiler’s article.  It is indicated that close to 50 branched antlered bulls were harvested by the Yakama’s from the Colockum area in 2008.  The total number of elk harvested by them must be a substantially greater number. 

The Yakama’s website in regard to hunting this area indicates that they are to hunt for sustenance and ceremonial purposes only. 
As taken direct from their website (http://www.ynwildlife.org/pdf/yakamahuntingrights.pdf) 

  “Members of the Yakama Nation, and other tribes, hunt throughout their
ancestral lands in Washington State for the purpose of gathering meat for sustenance and ceremonial purposes. It is not the custom of tribal people to hunt or gather food for sport or leisure, but is instead a traditional and cultural activity that is needed to provide food for funerals, memorials, name givings, food feasts, and family dinners. On the reservation and ceded areas, these laws and rights override the jurisdiction of the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife.”

We all know that they are more often hunting for trophy elk and very often, selling the antlers for substantial profit.  There are rumors of many of them driving closed roads, hunting on the Game Reserve, and hunting at night.  These activities are clearly; legally, ethically, and morally wrong.

I know that if someone were to document this abuse of treaty rights with video, and slip it to the mass media, there would be huge public outcry.  What also needs to be done, because it sounds to me like the Yakama’s treaty rights in regard to hunting the area will not likely go away; is that WDFW and the Yakama’s need to be forced to sit and come up with a workable, enforceable management plan for that area which will stop the blatant tribal hunting abuses.  Currently, they are threatening this resource for everyone – it is a sickening thought.

Something needs to be done before the herd is completely decimated, and/or someone takes matters into their own hands against these tribal hunters.  We as taxpayers are paying to have that area’s game managed, and currently, the Yakama Tribal hunters are undermining all efforts in a very significant way.  What are your suggestions for solving this problem?  What would you suggest to best draw attention to this issue?

Sincerely,

[Skyvalhunter]

I do like Big Jims thinking on this. One issue seems to be that rarely do the Native Americans seem to do what I would consider hunting. Meaning they drive around and if it can't be shot from the road then they don't make the effort. Prime example was where they drove on the logging roads around Wauconda and shot nothing but bucks. One of the farmers there saw them driving around and when they didn't make a quick kill on a buck and it died in his field they left it.  Not thats just not right. Wheres the guilt, sportmanship, and so called traditional hunting ways in that? 

[boneaddict]

Well thought out Big Jim


Can't recall the post but the short of it I was at the feeding station early one morning and a van full of tribal members pulled up and were going to shoot that big bull thats on here.  They tried pulling out their .270 and I said oh no you are not and they said it was their right and essentially I said over my dead body.  I can't even remember if there were 5 of them or 7.  I was good to go.  Finally  a woman showed up with her kid and they lost interest in scalping this white man.  What really pisses me off is I know they had to have been watching out of their warm office but did nothing.  I could have let them shoot I guess and then took a bunch of pics, but that elk wasn;t going to die by their hands that day.   

[fishunt247]

Big Jim, excellent.
Bone, way to stand up.

[boneaddict]

A few people thought I was nuts and that I was going to get myself killed, but you know at the time the thought never crossed my mind. 

[fishunt247]

We've nearly done the same in confronting guys on quads where they weren't supposed to be. There may have been chasing with sticks involved, threatening them to get of the damn things. Crazy what passion and adreneline will do.

[boneaddict]

Thats especailly true if you have spent the last three hours hiking there

[buck470]

I think we should all send out a copy of NCWCrackers letter, via e-mail, won't cost us anything but a few minutes!

[Wenatcheejay]

A big part of the problem is the propaganda that "Whitey" brings upon himself. In our public schools they teach that "The White Man" owes his very existence to the Tribes during the early years of America. I should read some of the bull that these poor brainwashed kids regurgitate. I have to give major points to one of my son's teachers two years ago. She let me give a presentation to her homeroom when they were studying the animals of North America. (3rd grade) One of the kids talked about how "White men" killed all of the Buffalo, Elk, Deer, every animal, and that is why there are so many endangered animals now. I got to give the side of conservation and hunting to the class. I got to tell them it was the "White Man" who introduced through relocation the elk, and turkey, and that deer and many other animals are at historic high numbers because of hunting. It is hunting, firearms, bullets and arrows that allow this through special taxes. I was shocked that I got to do it, even hunting pictures were allowed. The kids were so excited. Nobody was horrified.

Is it fair to say that while some of what the Tribes want is fair; Some of their hunting rights are fair? Sure.  However, the big gripe that we have with our people and our government is that when we break the law, if we were to step outside of the legal taking of game even by accident, we stand to loose our trucks, our guns, everything. Plus thousands of dollars in fines and legal fees plus loss of hunting rights in many States. (Even over stupid trout.) But, if they get caught outright intentionally poaching they might get a talking to, or at worst hunting rights suspended for one year. I think the place to work from is to try to hold the Tribes to a higher standard. If they will not, then what needs to be stated is that they do not hold game in the same regard as we do, publicly. Tim Eyman was just another blowhard until he started publicly exposing tax and government waste. He changed a lot for better or worse.  That is my bitch, it is the apathy to take any real action against even those that they call a poacher. That might be a place to start. When one of theirs is caught we should try to show up at their "tribal trial." I'd imagine we would be tossed out, but it would be interesting. If anyone gets word of one, post it.

[hornhunter]

NCWCracker good work on your letter! 

We need to video the Treaty Abuse when we see it.  Deliver the video to all the news stations.  Better yet get some Yakima newspaper guy who is looking for a story...........

[bowhuntin]

Is it fair to say that while some of what the Tribes want is fair; Some of their hunting rights are fair?

That is funny because in the treaty they signed it says that hunting is a privilege not a right. They have a right to fish but not hunt. The courts screwed this sh*t up because they ruled that when it came to the treaty that privilege meant the same as right when you were reading it. That is total BS if you ask me. The indians in our region survived off of fishing not hunting. I am sure that is why they didn't write in the treaty they had a right to hunt because fishing made up most of their diet NOT venison. They especially have no right to hunt elk that were brought in by sportsman and thrived because of conservation and game management.

[norsepeak]

The chances of change are poor at best.  In 1995 I was a wildlife biology student at WSU and came home on the weekends and volunteered to feed elk at Oak Creek with John McGowan.  One weekend I'm home feeding elk up the Nile feed station and actually saw two Yakamas loading up two very nice 6pt bulls that they had killed right on the feed station on the old hay from the day before.  When I pulled up in the WDFW truck, the first thing out of thier mouths was "I'm indian, here is my tribal card."  then they asked me to help them load the animals in their truck.  I nearly reached out the window and strangled the guy with my bare hands.  Long story short, me and the county prosocutor tried to prosocute for close to 4 years, until it was finally thrown out of court.  So even if you catch them breaking the law, and follow the proper route to justice, they are basically untouchable except, by long range lead!  I would never do it, but I know some very pissed off rednecks, that if they were caught in the right mood, you'd find a truck with 3 dead indians in it!

[NWTFhunter]

Norsepeak, why was it thrown out ?