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

[JLS]

How is it legal for WDFW to give state property (elk tags and deer tags) to private entities to profit from.  WDFW will say they can't sell the tags but they can sell access.

Sounds a little like having your cake, and eating it too.  It does make you wonder why out of all of the landowners in a part of the state that is mainly privately held would one landowner get such special treatment?  This should be a bigger deal to people, these are some of the best tags the state has to offer, and yet there are the same handful of people on here discussing the subject.  No one else even bothers to join the discussion they would rather post on the bigfoot thread instead of being proactive about issues that directly affect the opportunities we have as sportsman.

Because they 1) Knew about the LHP program and wanted to enter it and 2) The timing was right that they could enroll.  LHPs are capped, and when the 4-0 went to public ownership that eliminated a previously existing LHP.  Bennett Lumber just happened to be in the right place, right time, with interest in the program.

As I've stated earlier in the thread, I don't like the program at all and this is a perfect example of why.  All of a sudden you are looking at your neighbor getting a sweetheart deal when you've offered free access for years.  It's a broken system.

[emac]

And all it is doing is shutting down the neighboring properties that did give out permission. They are turning people away because of this

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[huntnphool]

There are some who care unfortunately the handful of us that take the time to send a few emails, or donate time, and resources to the cause are in the minority.  The hope is by talking about all of these things that some others will wake up, and start to take a proactive stance towards protecting our outdoor heritage.

 +1

[KDB]

I talked to Bennett today and they do get one bull tag and in exchange Bennett allows access through the Reservation System which is run and controlled by the Department of Wildlife . Bennett has no say on who get chosen to enter their land through the reservation system

REMEMBER HUNTING ON PRIVATE LAND IS A PRIVELAGE NOT A RIGHT

[jackelope]

I talked to Bennett today and they do get one bull tag and in exchange Bennett allows access through the Reservation System which is run and controlled by the Department of Wildlife . Bennett has no say on who get chosen to enter their land through the reservation system

REMEMBER HUNTING ON PRIVATE LAND IS A PRIVELAGE NOT A RIGHT

Just FYI, they get a lot more than "a" bull tag.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/2015/04/apr09_2015_08_presentation.pdf
Page 9 of 11
:
•
Multiple Parcels
•
9,835 Acres
•
Landowner permits: 6 buck, 2 bull, 10 cow
(1 bull in following years)
•
In lieu of special permits:
–
Larger parcels: Hunt by Reservation
–
Smaller parcels: Feel Free to Hunt
•
Creates more opportunity


So the question at this point is not what they get, moreso it's what is up with the signs I posted pictures of that seem to be new? Where is the 9835 acres that we have access to?
They have late mule deer buck permits that they give to their employees and family members that are good in units that don't have late mule deer buck permits available to the general public. They have a bull tag, cow tags, late whitetail and mule deer permits, all of which come out of the harvest numbers we are allotted through the state. As in, that's that many less permits that we get to draw.
Recently when a hunter I know called the WDFW to inquire about access to a piece of their ground that is open in the reservation system, why does WDFW tell that person they have to arrange that through Bennett Lumber and not until 2 weeks before the hunt starts? I thought the land in the WDFW reservation system booked through WDFW's website.

[SemperFidelis97]

I talked to Bennett today and they do get one bull tag and in exchange Bennett allows access through the Reservation System which is run and controlled by the Department of Wildlife . Bennett has no say on who get chosen to enter their land through the reservation system

REMEMBER HUNTING ON PRIVATE LAND IS A PRIVELAGE NOT A RIGHT

The signs that are posting on their land don't seem as if they are allowing access in any way whatsoever.  I have seen hunting by reservation signs so I know they are available, it seems as if Bennett is going our of their way to make it as challenging as possible for people to access their lands.  I also don't agree with the amount of very sought after tags that are given to them which is completely disproportionate to what is being done to open up access with neighboring land owners.  I understand that they are not at fault because they happened to come out ahead in a broken system.  Though I think everyone can agree that this system needs some changes in order to provide maximum return on the incentives the wdfw are giving out.