The blues are closed...

[Lnk]

ftp:// did Paul say how long u have to make a decision weather to chance it or get ur points back?

[tonymoe]

He said they will call in the next week/week and a half to give me an option

[nw_bowhunter]

This very unfortunate situation. I hope all the permit holders/general season tag holders across the state wont be locked out or least have options. I do wish though the posts about the closures could be clearer as it seems sometimes all the facts are not provided. As a permit holder is very stressful!

[Firedogg]

Any bets on the Watershed hunts being cancelled too?  I know they aren't until Oct. 31st, but Walla Walla is pretty sensitive about that area.

[SkookumHntr]

Paul wik (east side bio) just called me and updated me that the wilderness is not going to be open for the hunt. He said WDFW has no control over the usfs closure, and that I can take a chance on them opening the hunt or get my points back. He said they are meeting Monday to discuss it further, but he wasn't even sure if the muzzy guys would even get a chance on there tags.
He also said its gonna take 2" of rain before they open it.

they won't get 2" of rain by November!

[j_h_nimrod]

This is probably one of the few years that many people NOT SELECTED are actually happy about it 

If you did draw    I can imagine it is pretty stressful at this point.

There is still hope but it is fading fast in many areas.

[vandeman17]

not to derail the thread but for those guys getting points back from closures, does that mean they just have to put in next year or what about moving tag to next year?

[JimmyHoffa]

This is probably one of the few years that many people NOT SELECTED are actually happy about it 

If you did draw    I can imagine it is pretty stressful at this point.

There is still hope but it is fading fast in many areas.

I noticed in the raffle ticket numbers that the wetside elk raffle ticket had a lot more tickets sold than the eastside, which is unlike what has been in years past.  Wondered if maybe a bunch of people figure that too much of the eastside would likely be closed down?

[Woodchuck]

not to derail the thread but for those guys getting points back from closures, does that mean they just have to put in next year or what about moving tag to next year?

All I have ever heard of is getting points back, so if they do that the current permit holders just get to get back in the pool of diminishing return...
I feel horrible for the folks with green cards in their pockets right now. 

[coldsteel3d]

So it looks like the only people who are entirely locked out of their entire hunting area are the 3 of us that have Wenaha West tags and possibly the East tag holders as well right? It looks like portions of the other units are closed but not the entire units right?

[Woodchuck]

The entire Wenaha/Tucannon wilderness is closed. The issue for other guys is that all the road closures to the wilderness also closes access to most of the Dayton unit that isn't private.

[bobcat]

I noticed in the raffle ticket numbers that the wetside elk raffle ticket had a lot more tickets sold than the eastside, which is unlike what has been in years past.  Wondered if maybe a bunch of people figure that too much of the eastside would likely be closed down?

I bet it was only one person who decided  he really needed a west side elk raffle tag this year, and purchased a couple thousand tickets.

[B.G.hunter]

So it looks like the only people who are entirely locked out of their entire hunting area are the 3 of us that have Wenaha West tags and possibly the East tag holders as well right? It looks like portions of the other units are closed but not the entire units right?

No the whole Wenaha Wilderness is closed so both east and west.  And I have heard that Grouse Flats is on a Level 2 Evacuation order.

[tonymoe]

So it looks like the only people who are entirely locked out of their entire hunting area are the 3 of us that have Wenaha West tags and possibly the East tag holders as well right? It looks like portions of the other units are closed but not the entire units right?

Looks that way. It is a little frustrating, especially after putting a ton of time in. I would love to be grandfathered in for next year, but that just wouldn't be right to others. At this point I'll take my points back and lick my wounds.

Here's spikey, spikey....here spikey

[Mxracer532]

So it looks like the only people who are entirely locked out of their entire hunting area are the 3 of us that have Wenaha West tags and possibly the East tag holders as well right? It looks like portions of the other units are closed but not the entire units right?

Looks that way. It is a little frustrating, especially after putting a ton of time in. I would love to be grandfathered in for next year, but that just wouldn't be right to others. At this point I'll take my points back and lick my wounds.

Thats where you and I disagree, I am a East Wenaha tag holder and I think it all tag holders should be grandfathered into the next year. It to me is 100% fair. We got lucky and are due 1 season to get to hunt. If they grandfathered in situations out of anyones control and everyone knew that those particular units were not an option then guys could make the decision to either take a points option or put in for a different unit. I dont see if fair to tag holders to shove them back into the lottery and potentially not be drawn for many more years or depending on age maybe never draw.
Here's spikey, spikey....here spikey