Are we losing elk and deer permits to big timber companies in SE Washington??

[jackelope]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/2015/04/apr09_2015_08_presentation.pdf

http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/2015/03/mar20_2015_07_summary.pdf

2 branch antlered bull permits, 2 late mule deer buck permits, 2 late whitetail buck permits and 10 antlerless elk tags per year to Bennett Lumber that come directly out of our permit quota.

Curious to hear what you guys think of this.

[Woodchuck]

I have been told by a few folks that have contacted Bennett Lumber about access that they were basically told "there would be no access granted to the general public"

[kirkl]

Reservation only hunts are a joke. All they do is let their family and friends hunt.

[Woodchuck]

In this case that is very true. One person I know that spoke to the land manager was told that all those permits were already given to employees and family of Bennett Lumber.

[huntnphool]

In this case that is very true. One person I know that spoke to the land manager was told that all those permits were already given to employees and family of Bennett Lumber.

 I had a friend call them several weeks ago about acquiring a permit and was asked by the Bennett contact "how did you find out about these?"

 And for the record, it's BS! The state should control the tags through a 1 ticket per Wild ID raffle.

[jackelope]

In this case that is very true. One person I know that spoke to the land manager was told that all those permits were already given to employees and family of Bennett Lumber.

 I had a friend call them several weeks ago about acquiring a permit and was asked by the Bennett contact "how did you find out about these?"

 

[Bob33]

I would like to hear justification for this practice. I can't see any.

[Woodchuck]

In this case that is very true. One person I know that spoke to the land manager was told that all those permits were already given to employees and family of Bennett Lumber.

 I had a friend call them several weeks ago about acquiring a permit and was asked by the Bennett contact "how did you find out about these?"

 And for the record, it's BS! The state should control the tags through a 1 ticket per Wild ID raffle.

Agree'd. The general hunting populous should not lose quality oppurtunities to a single private entity that has no intention of allowing any access to said populous.

[Bob33]

Send you comments to the commission. I just did.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/contact.html


In a presentation made by Brian Calkins which is referenced below, Bennett Lumber has been given multiple tags for deer and elk.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/2015/04/apr09_2015_08_presentation.pdf

It is my understanding that these tags reduce the number of tags available to the general public via permit drawings.

I have received confirmation from several hunters who have contacted Bennett Lumber that they give their LHP permits to family members and employees only, and none to the general public.

What is the justification for this practice? What are general hunters receiving in return for the loss of special permits?

[huntnphool]

Send you comments to the commission. I just did.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/contact.html


In a presentation made by Brian Calkins which is referenced below, Bennett Lumber has been given multiple tags for deer and elk.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/2015/04/apr09_2015_08_presentation.pdf

It is my understanding that these tags reduce the number of tags available to the general public via permit drawings.

I have received confirmation from several hunters who have contacted Bennett Lumber that they give their LHP permits to family members and employees only, and none to the general public.

What is the justification for this practice? What are general hunters receiving in return for the loss of special permits?

 

[7mmfan]

I don't hunt the area, but I do not agree with this at all. I also just submitted the same message that Bob33 posted, hopefully it doesn't fall on deaf ears.

[emac]

Tag

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[Woodchuck]

I might be misreading this, but doesn't it state that the company is putting more land into huntable access in exchange for additional special permits?

Yes, that is supposed to be the idea. However most of Bennett's land is "hunt by reservation". The problem is that from what I understand the average person will not be getting a reservation.

[Fl0und3rz]

If Bennett is only offering access to employees and friends and family of employees, it certainly does seem to run counter to the goals of the Private Lands Access Program, and the WDFW should reconsider whether Bennett is contributing to the program in good faith. 


This is from p. 2 of the .pdf proposal.

[runamuk]

I hate to do copy pasta but seeing as I don't know this land or permits it was the best I could do.  Because that whole deal sounds like a heaping load of bovine excrement.