Free: Contests & Raffles.
the beer and whiskey mfgs came up with it. keeps a lot of guys in camp just drinking their sorrows away.PascoKid is right, it's designed to reduce the bull harvest, making the mature bull numbers rise and getting a better ratio to the herd. Eastern Washington has way too good of access to elk habitat and without this rule we wouldn't have enough bulls to make a quality hunt.excellent rule in my opinion.
easy areas huh, have you ever hunted the blues
It is only a matter of time before they make the wet side in to a spike only area.
Quote from: gasman on February 11, 2009, 07:18:54 PMIt is only a matter of time before they make the wet side in to a spike only area.The west side WAS spike only for one year. Then by popular opinion they changed it back to 3 pt. minimum the following year. At least that's the way I remember it. Seems like it was 4 or 5 years ago, but maybe longer. Or maybe it was just a proposal and was changed before it was finalized. I'm not positive on that because I only switched to hunting the westside two years ago. Can anyone confirm that the west side was spike only for one season?
Elk antler point restrictions de-mystifiedby Rolf Johnson, Big Game ManagerMany hunters are confused by the differences — and apparent contradiction in management strategy — in elk antler point restrictions between eastern and western Washington.The eastern half of the state is mainly spike-bull-only general seasons, with branch-antlered bulls by permit only. The western half of the state is mostly under a three-antler point minimum. Both strategies are designed to ensure that enough bull elk survive or "escape" the hunting season to breed and perpetuate the herd. WDFW "bull escapement" goals are 12 bulls per 100 cows in post-hunting-season surveys. A spike-bull-only rule protects older bulls, which are more efficient breeders because they tend to breed cows on their first estrous cycle. For long-term herd health, this strategy is optimum. A three-point minimum rule protects younger bulls, but over time may not be as effective. In eastern Washington's Blue Mountains, Yakima, and Colockum elk areas, hiding cover is limited and elk vulnerability to hunter take is high. On the westside of the state, hiding cover is more abundant and mature bulls are less vulnerable to hunter harvest. No matter which side of the Cascades elk reside, they are under intensive hunting pressure. Washington is the smallest of the western states and has the highest number of hunters per elk of any state. Bull elk in Washington are hunted in seasons that start in September and extend until the middle of December in some areas. Historically, general elk seasons were open to any bull. But after years of heavy harvest, bull escapement failed to meet management goals in most areas.In the 1980's, bull elk ratios in the Blue Mountains dropped to 4 or 5 bulls per 100 cows. A spike bull only general season was initiated in 1989. By the 1990's, bull ratios in the Yakima and Colockum areas dropped to 5 or 6 bulls per 100 cows. In 1994 these areas were also changed to the spike bull only general season. The results have been very encouraging. The Blue Mountains now maintains a 14 bulls per 100 cows ratio. The Colockum area is up to 9 bulls per 100 cows, and the Yakima area is up to 14 bulls per 100 cows. Hunters have been very supportive because now they see — and have permit-only chances to hunt — many more mature bulls.On the west side, bull ratios have been near the management goal of 12 per 100 cows in the three-point areas, but below goals in any-bull areas. Biologists calculated that if at least five of those 12 bulls were mature animals (2-1/2 years or older), optimal herd management could be reached. To that end, in 1997 about half of western Washington Game Management Units were made spike-bull-only in general seasons and the other half were under the three-point minimum.Westside elk hunters voiced their preference for the three-point rule and the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission elected to drop the five mature bull escapement goal. In response, this year all westside elk units are under the three-point minimum rule, except for damage areas. This strategy is not optimum because it can't ensure the escapement of mature bulls, but it will meet the basic 12 bulls per 100 cow ratio goal, especially when coupled with just nine days of modern firearm hunting.Road management programs are also important in achieving bull escapement goals and WDFW has been working with landowners and hunter organizations to develop road management in areas of marginal bull escapement.
