West side muzzleloader permits

[gee_unit360]

Why is there only 3 Quality Elk choices and a handful of Bull Elk choices for west side muzzleloader special permits? 3 choices, that's terrible. There's a total of 22 special permits for West side quality elk muzzleloader.

[CP]

This is why I've given up on ML hunting in this state.   ML always gets the dirty end of the stick.  Last year I went with archery, this year, for the 1st time in over 30 years, I bought a modern firearm tag.

[bobcat]

They added many good GMUs to the early muzzleloader elk season last year. You don't need a special permit to have a good hunt. If you look at archery and modern rifle there aren't many special permit hunts on the west side either. The bigger issue is no access now that all Weyerhaeuser lands require an access permit.

[JimmyHoffa]

 
Lots of new GMUs added to the early season.  The early season on the westside this year opens Oct 1.

[gee_unit360]

I realize you don't need a special permit to have a good hunt, but 3 units and 22 total permits for Quality Elk seems a little ridiculous. Then they have a whopping 8 units with 34 total permits for Bull Elk. Compare that to the 21 units West side modern firearm hunters get and the 113 permits they receive for Quality Elk. West side archery receives 4 units and 71 permits for Quality Elk. It just seems like muzzleloaders  on the West side are getting the shaft in the special permit department. 

[bobcat]

There's only so much room on the calendar and they just can't fit in more hunts than what they're already offering. What would you suggest?

To add muzzleloader permits, they'd have to take away from somewhere else. One option wouid be to make some of the general season muzzleloader units a permit hunt, and call it quality. Of course people would complain because their general season opportunity was reduced.

The simple solution that I always suggest to your dilemma is to go with a modern tag or an archery tag if you feel the opportunities are better.

[kentrek]

Muzzle loaders have some of the best over the counter hunts available....if you'd like you can hunt archery and have about two more options? ? Not alot of options for west side really unless your a rifle hunter

But who cares...you don't need to draw a tag in order to kill a nice bull, take your musket, go to one of the many units that just got opened up last year and go slay a Giant !!! They are out there !!

[WAnoob]

Do you guys have a short list of the new units that opened? This is my second year in the state, first year elk hunting and I elected go go Western Muzzy this year. Didn't want to deal with the modern crowds.

[elkh8me]

i think a lot of it has to do with the permits on the east side are in spike only general hunts.  no defending it I complain to my friends about the same thing...

[TomT]

Hey WAnoob.  Look up the muzzy hunts in 2015 regs.  Everything in red was new last year.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01712/wdfw01712.pdf

[WAnoob]

Hey WAnoob.  Look up the muzzy hunts in 2015 regs.  Everything in red was new last year.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01712/wdfw01712.pdf

Thanks!