Washington Mule deer hunting by permit only...???

[Special T]

I believe there are a lot more factors that go into the decline of hunting than just the ease of permitting or finding a place to hunt.  Just a simple look at how the world around us has changed in the last few years explains most of it.  When I was young most people hunted because they needed/wanted to fill the freezer, kids didn't have so many organized activities to participate in on the weekends, both parents working with little extra time was not common, kids didn't have a computer and color tv in their bedroom to keep them occupied and groups like PETA didn't exist. Wildlife agencies across the country answered almost exclusively to the hunting/fishing community and were staffed mostly by people with a hunting fishing background.  I don't believe that the difficulty in permitting or finding a place to hunt even enters into the top 5 reasons younger people are not getting into hunting, but making both easier would certainly be a step in the right direction. We, as hunters, seem to forget at times that wildlife agencies across the country no longer manage just for the hunting community. The pressures on them from groups that didn't even exist 20 years ago are intense and have to be listened to as intently as the pressures from hunting groups, they are also voters. Everyone seems to think they are an expert in game management-hunters who want more opportunity, anti hunters who want no opportunity and the majority who don't have an opinion and could care less either way. Hunting was something their grandpa did and if they want a steak they'll go to Safeway to buy it and of course spend 30 minutes picking out just the right wine to go with it. Trying to appease all of these people and the separate groups within the hunting community (do we manage for more opportunity or do we manage for only more trophy opportunity) is a task I don't want any part of. As an avid hunter I'll keep mulling my way thru the proclamations, finding a permit to hunt with and scouting out a place to hunt.  I can't answer for anyone else and don't have enough time left to spend a lot of it worrying or complaining about how the world is continuing to change.

All the thing you say are true.. The WDFW faces many challenges, and perhaps Id be more understanding if we didnt get excuses and they actually tackled problems. WE hunters have a vested intrest in the future of hunting and by extension the WDFW. ANTI HUNTERS DONT! WE supply huge amounts of $ & Time to conservation... Most of the complainers do not. If the department is too scared to show/state that HUNTERS are at the front of conservation and not all these bunny hugging Anti Groups, then there is no way for the WDFW to save itself from its ultimate demise. Why? They are too afraid to embrace the very reason for thier existence, and they cannot Morph into a more PC agency that derives its funds some place else than hunting. Its quite schizophrenic really. They plead for our support to protect them from being combined with Parks and DNR where they would have less attachment to us... When we rally our support they treat us like red headed stepchildren. They do this by constantly favoring what ever Anti group that comes along to steal opportunity and then scold us for not doing more to hang onto our heritage.

[sagewalker]

Why just mule deer?

[Special T]

Why just mule deer?

I think its just a blind attempt to do something since the Department seems rudderless.

[jackelope]

Why just mule deer?

I think its just a blind attempt to do something since the Department seems rudderless.

No blind attempt here from me. I chose mule deer totally on purpose. It was because I believe mule deer are the easiest deer to kill. I'm not saying big, mature mountain mule deer. I mean specifically younger age class, dumb, farm country bucks that stand there and stare at you while you squeeze the trigger. They're too vulnerable. Whitetails would have been long gone a long time ago, they're too skiddish to stand around chatting about the weather, and blacktail, well...they live in the jungle.

[Special T]

Im sorry for my derailed comments. I had to go back and read the OP. Its about helping mule deer specifically and not really about what can we do to improve the state of hunting. I would have to defer to others on the topic of mule deer because I mostly chase blacktail.

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[boneaddict]

You want to help mule deer.... curb tribal harvest in ceded areas, especially in regards to the unregulated tribes.    Then second, curb antlerless harvest.   You can't increase a herd if you are killing your baby makers.   Third, manage predators effectively.  Fourth,  decrease pressure, regulated hunting from 9/1 thru 12/31, or unregulated from August through March. 
 
This is one aspect of immediate help. This doesn't include long term such as range management.   Fire, suppression or the acute lack thereof, blah blah. 

[JDHasty]

As long as those who put in for the permit were not allowed to hunt blacktails if they weren't drawn I'd support it.

 

[hoof rot]

i'll bet just as many muley's r killed by high fences around orchards by cars and get inside the fence and turned into carne asada, and all the doe permits, then hunters harvest branch bucks, tear down the fences cuz they throw out and waste more apples then the deer can eat, and no more special treatment to the orchardists, and keep letting me hunt every year

[predatorpro]

How many who would supprt this live on the east side?

[predatorpro]

You want to help mule deer.... curb tribal harvest in ceded areas, especially in regards to the unregulated tribes.    Then second, curb antlerless harvest.   You can't increase a herd if you are killing your baby makers.   Third, manage predators effectively.  Fourth,  decrease pressure, regulated hunting from 9/1 thru 12/31, or unregulated from August through March. 
 
This is one aspect of immediate help. This doesn't include long term such as range management.   Fire, suppression or the acute lack thereof, blah blah.

[predatorpro]

Honestly...I see more mule deer than I did 10 years ago....I have always thought the mule deer hunting has just gotten better and better

[jackelope]

How many who would supprt this live on the east side?

I think this thread has detoured itself, which is totally fine and expected, from the original subject to looking for whatever ways we can find to improve the future of hunting in our state. I hope that regardless of whatever side of the mountains you live on, you're interested in preserving the future of hunting.
If you want to make it out like it's an eastside versus westside thing, I can tell you that I personally spend tons of time over there and have family over there. Not sure if that makes a difference in the angle of your thoughts, but the thoughts and ideas that come from this thread shouldn't have anything to do with what side of the mountains one lives on.

[jackelope]

You want to help mule deer.... curb tribal harvest in ceded areas, especially in regards to the unregulated tribes.    Then second, curb antlerless harvest.   You can't increase a herd if you are killing your baby makers.   Third, manage predators effectively.  Fourth,  decrease pressure, regulated hunting from 9/1 thru 12/31, or unregulated from August through March. 
 
This is one aspect of immediate help. This doesn't include long term such as range management.   Fire, suppression or the acute lack thereof, blah blah.

I agree.

[predatorpro]

How many who would supprt this live on the east side?

I think this thread has detoured itself, which is totally fine and expected, from the original subject to looking for whatever ways we can find to improve the future of hunting in our state. I hope that regardless of whatever side of the mountains you live on, you're interested in preserving the future of hunting.
If you want to make it out like it's an eastside versus westside thing, I can tell you that I personally spend tons of time over there and have family over there. Not sure if that makes a difference in the angle of your thoughts, but the thoughts and ideas that come from this thread shouldn't have anything to do with what side of the mountains one lives on.

I think naturally your opinion of mule deer hunting differs depending what side of the mountains your from.  I think it would be an interesting poll tho...I could be totally wrong....but I think more hunters from the west side would be more inclined to permit mule deer hunting on the east side me than the east side would....someone from the east is probly more likely to be successful at hunting mule deer here and not see any problem at filling a tag just like someone from the west side is more likely to tag a black tail...If I went over there I would probly have a hard time getting a black tail...maybe my view doesn't actually have any research behind it...just my opinion...

[predatorpro]

I would move out of state to be honest with ya...mule deer hunting is my passion here...I would be irate if I had to try and draw a permit to even go do it every year...