UNDIVIDE WASHINGTON STATE

[SnakeEyes]

One thing I have often wondered is how many people in Washington buy an elk tag to apply, but never actually hunt if not drawn.  I was talking to some guys that said that is what they do.  Buy tags to apply, but basically just hunt deer half of the years.  Was totally incomprehensible to me     But made me wonder...?

This is what I have done for at least the last 10 years. My dad and I will usually hunt other states if we do not draw a WA tag. We started off hunting Oregon, but now will try to hunt Idaho when we can.

[huntnphool]

One thing I have often wondered is how many people in Washington buy an elk tag to apply, but never actually hunt if not drawn.  I was talking to some guys that said that is what they do.  Buy tags to apply, but basically just hunt deer half of the years.  Was totally incomprehensible to me     But made me wonder...?

 

[kentrek]

I really don't understand the waiting till you draw a tag to hunt bulls theory.....i mean give or take on the unit, after 15 years of waiting you still only have a 5ish percent chance to draw a tag....and thats rounding up usually! Then once you get a tag you still have a typically less then 25% chance of even filling that tag ? Let alone with a big bull ??

So your going to plan on shooting one maybe two big bulls I'm your life ? Doesn't really seem like a recipe for success

Obviously if you can afford to put in for ten different states so you draw an upper tear tag ever year youl do alil better but I'm just talking the average guy here in Washington

[JimmyHoffa]

One thing I have often wondered is how many people in Washington buy an elk tag to apply, but never actually hunt if not drawn.  I was talking to some guys that said that is what they do.  Buy tags to apply, but basically just hunt deer half of the years.  Was totally incomprehensible to me     But made me wonder...?

I know of some that buy all their tags about a week before the season, then the day before the opener will look at the weather forecast and just not go.  The forecast usually always has some chance of rain for November on the coast.

[SnakeEyes]

I really don't understand the waiting till you draw a tag to hunt bulls theory.....i mean give or take on the unit, after 15 years of waiting you still only have a 5ish percent chance to draw a tag....and thats rounding up usually! Then once you get a tag you still have a typically less then 25% chance of even filling that tag ? Let alone with a big bull ??

So your going to plan on shooting one maybe two big bulls I'm your life ? Doesn't really seem like a recipe for success

Obviously if you can afford to put in for ten different states so you draw an upper tear tag ever year youl do alil better but I'm just talking the average guy here in Washington

A person can hunt OTC Idaho or Oregon every year for Archery and have some pretty nice hunting if you do not draw a Washington tag. We are not limited to spikes and it is nice to explore other areas. I grew up hunting Washington on the Wetside and then later on in life the Eastside. It is fun to learn new areas with better opportunities. I am a very average guy.

[Odell]

Odell that's not a bad idea. I always apply for tags so makes no difference to me but to jot put infor permits and have the whole state to hunt is an interesting thought.

It leaves people freedom to pursue what they really value most. It might also take some people out of quality applications and improve odds for those who really want that hunt.

[ridgefire]

I buy my elk tag every year so i can put in for the draw but end up hunting in Idaho. Once I draw my quality tag I'm done buying my elk tag. Would rather pay the extra money and have a quality hunt every year in Idaho. I would be all for having a undivided state as long as they could still manage the herds.

[MAVsled]

watching eastern WA state decline so much in quality of elk animals & elk hunting experience since 1968. But with current regs big bulls have increased slightly in my hunted GMU. I still buy the tag & apps, hunt general spike if not drawn.

WDFW needs to bite the bullet budget wise and copy AZ somewhat.
drawn tags only good for specified GMU units; You don't draw, you don't hunt.
harsh change, yes.
Better; I'd like it see move to a 100% draw on all 3 tags (spike-new, cow or any bull) for a specific unit/GMU.
You can only hunt the GMU you draw for and limit application to only one unit choice.

[TheHunt]

It will give all of us more area to hunt, spread out hunters,and also be less pressure on the elk herds.Also you would be able to apply for tags,on both sides of the state,and no be forced to hunt that side if not drawn.This would be a big revenue increase to the WDFW,with more tags to draw for.Personally I don't see a downside to it.

Downside is that when folks don't draw eastside branch antlered bull tags they'd all head west to hunt bulls rather than hunt spike bulls. There are hardly any good quality permit hunts on this side, so what would happen is everyone would apply for eastside permits and hunt the westside when they don't draw. People complain about a lack of good quality westside permits all the time. This idea would sure solve that problem, but would cause overcrowding on the westside. Just my 

Totally agree,  BUT another idea would be to increase the legal bull tine numbers.  One could say a certain unit is only 5X5 and above or 6X6 and above.  I like that idea.

[T Pearce]

I would not support that idea. I would support choosing sides for deer like we do for elk..so the East side mule deer would not get hammered as hard.

[Duckslayer89]

I would not support that idea. I would support choosing sides for deer like we do for elk..so the East side mule deer would not get hammered as hard.

The west side might get a break though as well. Early season everyone heads east, then they shoot spikes and 2 points during the late buck hunt on the west side.

[mfswallace]

I would not support that idea. I would support choosing sides for deer like we do for elk..so the East side mule deer would not get hammered as hard.

The west side might get a break though as well. Early season everyone heads east, then they shoot spikes and 2 points during the late buck hunt on the west side.

 

[Duckslayer89]

I would not support that idea. I would support choosing sides for deer like we do for elk..so the East side mule deer would not get hammered as hard.

The west side might get a break though as well. Early season everyone heads east, then they shoot spikes and 2 points during the late buck hunt on the west side.

 

  is that not true?

[stewcamp]

AMEN!

[PolarBear]

[/quote]

The west side might get a break though as well. Early season everyone heads east, then they shoot spikes and 2 points during the late buck hunt on the west side.
[/quote]
  So much truth to that statement!