Spike only units

[Don_D]

Last year I hunted the Little Naches unit for modern. I can't bow hunt cause of a disability that keeps me close in to roads and not having the stamina for it unfortunately. I don't understand the reason of why a unit would be spike only.

One of my buddies had a cow tag but wasn't able to fill it after spike modern but I was wondering if anyone could clue me in to the whole spike only thing and why fish and game would designate an area that way?

I only saw one camp with meat hanging all season last year and the numbers released sure didn't make me very confident about my chances in this unit. I don't think that I can talk the guys I hunt with on trying another unit though as some of them have been hunting this one their entire lives.

[Dan-o]

I'll give it a shot.

It's the only way to keep mature bulls in the woods.

I've lived here long enough to remember our elk woods before the spike only designations.

If you went to a winter feed lot with 2,000 elk there could be zero 6-point or better bulls....   or maybe one or two.

Go now and there is a good mix of bulls.


It sucks for hunting when you can't shoot bulls, but I don't think we have a choice.....    too many hunters and not enough bulls
.

I don't know what else they could do.....

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Dan-o pretty much has it correct.

Years ago when any antlered bull was legal, 90% of the harvest was spikes.
Any large bull was the subject of conversation throughout the area.
After season Bull to cow ratios were pretty dismal, something along the lines of 6:100, and still a majority of spikes.
In an attempt to raise bull/cow ratios and increase mature bulls (4+year old) they instituted the spike only rule, with permits for branched bulls.
It actually was supposed to be a temporary restriction, but because the bull/cow ratio is now around 12:100 and a mix of mature bulls along with spikes, the overall health of the herd has improved.
90% of the harvest is still spikes, but there are a lot more branched bulls available for those lucky enough to draw a permit.
Permit sales provide revenue, so it will not change any time soon.
In my opinion, the cow permits and herd reduction (Yakima went from 14000+ to 9000) have done more damage to the opportunity provided by reducing calf production, I mean if you are only going to allow the general (non-permit) hunter to shoot spikes, why not have a bunch of them?
Nothing eats better than a 1 and 1/2 year old spike. (again, my opinion)

[Don_D]

That makes a lot of sense guys thanks for explaining it to me. I remember as a kid the exact thing you both described with regard to mature bulls. Anytime someone took one it was a pretty big deal and widely talked about. I guess I never put it together that the reason for this was due to too much pressure but it makes sense.

I don't have any issue taking a spike or a cow. I was pretty discouraged though when I saw the success rate for the area my group hunts but I knew it couldn't be very good after hunting it last year and not seeing meat hanging except for one camp. Then again with the fires and lack of snow I guess it wasn't surprising.

My chances are even lower given my issues getting into areas but at least I have the chance to do it. You never know, just might luck onto one. I haven't taken advantage of any of the disabled hunts or anything yet. I enjoy going with my group so I'll probably just keep doing that.

[ghosthunter]

I agree that the Dept. Is giving out too many cow tags. Last year we saw three cows and no spikes .sveral branched Bulls.

[eliandsky]

I believe cow tags are based on projected numbers. Clockum and Yakima herds are both over projections of 10k each. I think cow tags are a numbers game.


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[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I believe cow tags are based on projected numbers. Clockum and Yakima herds are both over projections of 10k each. I think cow tags are a numbers game.


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Exactly, take cows out and overall numbers are reduced.
"Normal" mortality is usually at least 25% of the calves.
By allowing increased cow harvest, calf production is reduced, and overall numbers drastically lowers.
Both herds are being managed to be around 9,500, so 10000 would be slightly over "carrying capacity" (according to WDFW) but again, my opinion would be to allow the herd to be over and allow increased harvest with longer seasons, rather than reducing numbers by cow permits at the same time having shorter seasons.
The number of bull elk harvested has historically and largely reflected the
previous year’s recruitment. Harvest report cards indicated that prior to implementation of
spike-only management, yearling bulls accounted for 70-79 percent of the harvest. For the 3
years following implementation of spike-only management, yearling bulls accounted for 80-90
percent of harvest. In 1998, after 5 years of spike-only general seasons, yearling bulls accounted
for 66 percent of bull harvest, indicating that the number of branched bull permits may now have
a large effect on total harvest. In recent decades, permit numbers have determined antlerless
harvest. In 1999, the recorded bull and antlerless mortality from hunting was estimated at 50
percent and 8 percent of the fall population. Post-season calf to spike mortality is estimated to be
60-70 percent.

[scoutdog346]

GMU 346 has the potential to be the best unit in the state considering it's right up against the park, GMU 653 and all the variation in environments it has to offer. I think wdfw has done wonderful considering all the poaching and other messed up illegal activities that goes on there with all the drunk campers ect. I do wish however wdfw gave out about 30 special perm. cow tags a season and made this archery cow hunt only last 3 days in between the quality archery and the quality muzzleloader tag. And decrease the ungodly amount of cow tags they give out to modern fire arm...lol.

[rtspring]

GMU 346 has the potential to be the best unit in the state considering it's right up against the park, GMU 653 and all the variation in environments it has to offer. I think wdfw has done wonderful considering all the poaching and other messed up illegal activities that goes on there with all the drunk campers ect. I do wish however wdfw gave out about 30 special perm. cow tags a season and made this archery cow hunt only last 3 days in between the quality archery and the quality muzzleloader tag. And decrease the ungodly amount of cow tags they give out to modern fire arm...lol.

You get a month to kill a cow with archery, general and late season.  Rifle guys get 5 days to hunt cows after everone has chased these elk for a month and a half.  Rifle is not a slam dunk, many many rifle guys go home empty handed. 

[scoutdog346]

Gmu 346 only gets a LATE gen. season about Nov 20th-Dec 8th. Spike bull or antlerless. For some reason its very hard to harvest an elk during that season with a bow.

[kball4]

It's all about the $$$, the money made from bull permits means most of eastern Washington will never have a general season to hunt mature bulls.  That's why I'm heading to Idaho this year, the spike only rules were driving me crazy. 

[Jonathan_S]

It's all about the $$$, the money made from bull permits means most of eastern Washington will never have a general season to hunt mature bulls.  That's why I'm heading to Idaho this year, the spike only rules were driving me crazy.

if all of Eastern Washington was general any bull, there wouldn't be any bulls

[Igor]

if all of Eastern Washington was general any bull, there wouldn't be any bulls

Yeah, but lots of hunters in this state figure that if they got the LAST branch-antlered bull they would consider themselves successful.

[rtspring]

Gmu 346 only gets a LATE gen. season about Nov 20th-Dec 8th. Spike bull or antlerless. For some reason its very hard to harvest an elk during that season with a bow.

Not true, it rotates every 3 years. 

[hughjorgan]

Gmu 346 only gets a LATE gen. season about Nov 20th-Dec 8th. Spike bull or antlerless. For some reason its very hard to harvest an elk during that season with a bow.

Not true, it rotates every 3 years.

RT, where did you hear that? Only reason their was a general hunt for a few years with archery in 346 was because supposedly the number of elk in the Nile and bumping units were down, so they changed the regs to give those elk a break and a chance to rebound. I doubt we will see an early season in 346 again.