What are you going to do

[bowtech721]

I havent heard about the changes so im obviously missing out on all the commotion... where can i find the details? 

[MIKEXRAY]

Hunting my same area east of the mountains, my area avoided the chopping block. Lost a couple of days but not to big of a deal. I've hunted the same area for six years & love it, I would be pissed to lose it. Same hunting for me, bow all. Mike

[Snapshot]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/seasonsetting/#recommendations

Here is a link to the recommendations, bowtech721

[Ironhead]

So archery hunters now have what muzzleloaders have always had...decent opportunities for early season but virtually nothing for late season mule deer.

Actually archers still have it better for late mule deer. As I mentioned in a previous thread,  they still have some good units to hunt, just none in Chelan or Okanogan.

Bobcat, I totally agree with the muzzy guys always getting screwed, they deserve descent hunts also. I see the hunting community in Wa gradually leaning to trophy and quality hunting, permit only is in the future from what I am hearing. When and if that happens the CYW dispute will be out the window and we will all get along once again. This state has divided us ,hopefully the future isn't so dim.

[JBar]

I believe by the next 3 year cycle if not sooner all mule deer hunts will be by permit only. Been seeing the writing on the wall for awhile now and I'm surprised it didn't happen this cycle ( but nothing is set in stone right now so it could still happen). I am all for the "by permit only" gig for mule deer but we should be allowed to hunt all 3 weapon seasons without spending the extra 165 bucks if you get drawn. The only problem I would see is the folks that didn't get drawn would be over crowding the Blacktail / Whitetail areas. I guess we'll see...

[andrew_12gauge]

i think youll be more likely to see otc archery mule deer hunting to go along with the permit only for rifle and muzzleloader if washington is smart they will follow oregons example

[JBar]

[

i think youll be more likely to see otc archery mule deer hunting to go along with the permit only for rifle and muzzleloader if washington is smart they will follow oregons example

" If Washington is smart "  :dunno:There lies the problem! Washington most likely will not follow suit. I would love to be pleasantly surprised but I'm not holding my breath.

[andrew_12gauge]

[

i think youll be more likely to see otc archery mule deer hunting to go along with the permit only for rifle and muzzleloader if washington is smart they will follow oregons example

" If Washington is smart "  :dunno:There lies the problem! Washington most likely will not follow suit. I would love to be pleasantly surprised but I'm not holding my breath.

good point

[bobcat]

I really don't like the way Oregon has over the counter tags for archery mule deer, but permit only for rifle. All that does is it causes all the rifle hunters who don't draw that year to go out and buy a bow so they can hunt mule deer. (and elk too)  They can hunt with a bow every year while they continue to accumulate preference points, until they have enough to draw a rifle tag. If the WDFW ever decides to control the number of people hunting mule deer every year, I would rather see the number of archery hunters limited right along with everybody else.

[WAPITIHUNTER]

I agree Bobcat. That causes some that don't really want to bowhunt to pick one up. Bad scenario.

Although my stepdad, who lives in Bend Or., rather than take up archery he just waits to draw his tag or he hunts the westside for Blacktails as he does not want to hunt with a bow.

[hunt4]

I really don't like the way Oregon has over the counter tags for archery mule deer, but permit only for rifle. All that does is it causes all the rifle hunters who don't draw that year to go out and buy a bow so they can hunt mule deer. (and elk too)  They can hunt with a bow every year while they continue to accumulate preference points, until they have enough to draw a rifle tag. If the WDFW ever decides to control the number of people hunting mule deer every year, I would rather see the number of archery hunters limited right along with everybody else.

Sure you would, but as for now there is 5 times more modern rifle deer hunters (not saying there all mule deer hunters) than archers..so controlling the # of rifle hunters that hunt mule deer would seem the thing to do.  Than if there is a big spike in archery mule deer hunters than start limiting archery.  But i do not think you will see 80.000 rifle hunters convert to archery    It would be great stepping stone in making a great trophy mule deer state.

[bowhuntin]

I really don't like the way Oregon has over the counter tags for archery mule deer, but permit only for rifle. All that does is it causes all the rifle hunters who don't draw that year to go out and buy a bow so they can hunt mule deer. (and elk too)  They can hunt with a bow every year while they continue to accumulate preference points, until they have enough to draw a rifle tag. If the WDFW ever decides to control the number of people hunting mule deer every year, I would rather see the number of archery hunters limited right along with everybody else.

Sure you would, but as for now there is 5 times more modern rifle deer hunters (not saying there all mule deer hunters) than archers..so controlling the # of rifle hunters that hunt mule deer would seem the thing to do.  Than if there is a big spike in archery mule deer hunters than start limiting archery.  But i do not think you will see 80.000 rifle hunters convert to archery    It would be great stepping stone in making a great trophy mule deer state.

If the WDFW switched to draw only for mule deer how would that affect hunter numbers. Would there be a huge swing to archery? Would people quit hunting all together? I don't think that a bunch of new people will pick up bows, but I am sure there will be more hunters than normal. I personally like the idea of switching to a system like oregon, but that is just my opinion. The only thing I would be worried about that this would affect hunter recruitment because people might stop hunting all together if they couldn't hunt every year and that isn't a good thing for all hunters overall. It would be harder to get kids involved in a sport that you couldn't participate in every year. I think by switching to a system like oregon when you did draw you would provide a much better experience and increase the amount of quality animals in those units.