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

[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.

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...

I've lived in Washington since 1997. I've hunted here in WA since about 2002 I think. I've killed 4 whitetails and 6 mule deer(mostly dinks) I think. I've never killed a blacktail. I've probably put in a legitimate 7 days max hunting blacktails in that time and I've never even seen a legal buck in the woods.

[predatorpro]

So should black tail be more regulated before mule deer?

[Special T]

Most people dont have the patience to hunt BT. They are also the hardest to study of the 3  ecuse thier range is so thick and thier range is small. Wt have had lots of universities study them, & lots of people love big mulies. I like hunting bt because they are near home, and if you can out fox a big one with a bow I think you can consider yourself an assassin in the woods. Most people I know shoot them with a rifle.

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[Karl Blanchard]

Well of course the deer have bounced back in the last ten years.  How could they not when you look at the epically dismal numbers they were at post winter of 96 and the hair loss.  I saw more legal bucks this year locally than I have in a long time but not even close to the numbers we used to see.  Oh and I live on the east side, born and raised.

[jackelope]

So should black tail be more regulated before mule deer?

I don't think so. I believe it has everything to do with habitat and their habits. Blacktail live in the jungle, very difficult to hunt, tough to see, they don't come out much in the open, etc. Quite frankly, they're super frustrating to hunt if you're me. I don't have the patience for them. I think a lot of folks are like me in that regard. I have a ton of respect for the folks that consistently kill mature blacktails. Those folks have skills.
Mule deer typically live in more open country, are not very skiddish, are easily seen, etc. They're just easier to find and easier to kill.

[predatorpro]

Well of course the deer have bounced back in the last ten years.  How could they not when you look at the epically dismal numbers they were at post winter of 96 and the hair loss.  I saw more legal bucks this year locally than I have in a long time but not even close to the numbers we used to see.  Oh and I live on the east side, born and raised.

Me too...from most hunters here I have talked to its way better now than is was 30 plus years ago....at least in the area we hunt...when we are hunting coyotes at night we have run across over a thousand in one night...the last time I didn't get a buck I was a little kid...I don't see a need to permit it...at all...

[jackelope]

Well of course the deer have bounced back in the last ten years.  How could they not when you look at the epically dismal numbers they were at post winter of 96 and the hair loss.  I saw more legal bucks this year locally than I have in a long time but not even close to the numbers we used to see.  Oh and I live on the east side, born and raised.

Me too...from most hunters here I have talked to its way better now than is was 30 plus years ago....at least in the area we hunt...when we are hunting coyotes at night we have run across over a thousand in one night...the last time I didn't get a buck I was a little kid...I don't see a need to permit it...at all...

Just curious, and I assume you are, but are you hunting and seeing all those deer on public land?

[rtspring]

I too grew up on the eastside, And along with what Blrman says I seen more deer this year than I have in a long time.  I also killed the biggest buck ever in the area I hunt which isnt known for deer let alone mature deer. 

I think the big mule deer areas, okanogan and such have seen declines but other areas are doing great.. 

I think the way it is is fine other than killinv does in areas that show decline

[predatorpro]

Mostly a mix...drive through the desert unit at night...there is so much prime public land out there...some of the biggest bucks I have ever seen are on public land...just gotta get off the road to hunt em...if ya wanna hunt private land...do the work to build relationships with landowners...the deer are there....and if they have made such a great comeback from horrible numbers with really no added regulations to really bring their number back....why change it?

[Karl Blanchard]

Two things.  Deer numbers may be up in the last decade but the are FAR from what they have been.

Second, you can't compare a unit like the desert, which is 100% permit only, and always has been, to other public land units with general seasons. 

[predatorpro]

Two things.  Deer numbers may be up in the last decade but the are FAR from what they have been.

Second, you can't compare a unit like the desert, which is 100% permit only, and always has been, to other public land units with general seasons.

sorry drive up the swakane entiat Waterville alot of public land and it's hunted hard aND I see more deer there than the desert unit...I'd tell ya where I see the most but that's where I hunt...lol

[stw]

It amazing how people want to give up hunting for mule deer  you think the  game department actually  going to do anything. If they actually cared at all they wouldn't of planted wolves here in the first place. Washington  doesn't want hunting just wants are money we pay more for hunting license then almost every state and we get less time to hunt then all the States I don't see giving up are right to hunt mules  we only get one week obviously the don't care if they add 2 days to the season last your .if we had more days to hunt there be less crowded .

[baldopepper]

Seems to me some of the posts on here play right into the permit system.  It's obvious some units are seeing a very healthy herd growth and others are seeing a very dramatic decline.  One of the arguments for the permit system is the ability to aim hunting pressure in those areas that are doing well and decrease pressure in those units that aren't.  Seems to me like we, to a certain extent, already have a permit system with the various regulations for the various units.  Personally I'd rather see a permit system for a unit that just plain issued a certain amount of either sex permits than the current plethora of antlerless permits they give out. I think we would also have to combine certain units into one draw as trying to regulate the many units we currently have out there would be difficult.  I would rather see a permit system than an outright closure of certain units as enforcement of closed units with open units nearby is very difficult. (I was very suspicious of the many small bucks I saw in the back of trucks in units 133 and 101 when unit 121 was a 4pt unit for whitetails) Also, when you outright close a unit it simply sends more pressure into other nearby units and tips the pressure over the top in those units.  Mule deer regulation is more difficult that whitetails because of their migration habits.  For later October hunts you might have the animals still up very high in one unit and the next year snowed down lower into a completely different unit.  Not sure how you pre issue permits for that possibility. Like it or not, I still suspect we will see a permit only situation within a few years as the follow leader thing seems fairly common in game management. Won't say I'm for it, but won't say I'm totally against it either.

[jackelope]

Mostly a mix...drive through the desert unit at night...there is so much prime public land out there...some of the biggest bucks I have ever seen are on public land...just gotta get off the road to hunt em...if ya wanna hunt private land...do the work to build relationships with landowners...the deer are there....and if they have made such a great comeback from horrible numbers with really no added regulations to really bring their number back....why change it?

Using the desert unit as your example just amplifies the benefits of permit only hunting.
 
I killed my buck this past year on private land. Most of the deer I've killed have been on private land. I have no issue developing relationships with landowners.
As far as making a great comeback...that may be the case, but they haven't made a "great" comeback...they've only made a comeback. Deer numbers aren't booming...maybe they're just back to normal.

[jackelope]

Two things.  Deer numbers may be up in the last decade but the are FAR from what they have been.

Second, you can't compare a unit like the desert, which is 100% permit only, and always has been, to other public land units with general seasons.

sorry drive up the swakane entiat Waterville alot of public land and it's hunted hard aND I see more deer there than the desert unit...I'd tell ya where I see the most but that's where I hunt...lol

Do those sorts of deer numbers happen in the Swakane and Entiat in September/October too or only in December/January/winter when the deer are down for winter? I've only ever hunted the Swakane during the late archery and I agree, tons of deer.