Choose a side .....????

[stickslinger]

So with all of the no deer around threads it got me thinking why don't we have to choose east or west for deer like we do for elk?  To me it seems like a pretty easy solution to some of the over crowding in the mule deer country. I am a archery hunter and it seems every late season I talk to quite a few hunters that are hunting muleys but if they don't connect than " no big deal i can fill my tag on a blacktail ". So looking at the regs it looks like most west side areas with all weapons are open longer than the east side units. I may be out in left field but it seams pretty simple, you want to hunt muleys you will have a shorter season, I don't know let me know what the rest of you think

[BULLBLASTER]

I'd be ok with choosing a species... would be nice if they had seasons for each weapon on all species tags if they did that. 

[ghosthunter]

I am not sure it would make a difference.

I think most guys hunting both would pick east if they had the time.

Just because the weather is usually better for hunting and far better access.

[pcal]

Those silly rules on elk is the reason i hunt out of state for them along with the weapons choices,too.I didnt see any less deer this year for any other reason than 3 storms rolling over us in less than a week.My son and I were the last of our group of 10 hunting on the 21st and had our mountain to ourselves.We both got our bucks on the 22nd and got mine out by sunday (23rd).Snow was less than 12"s on the trail but it took 4 hours to bring my buck
down to the trail from the ambush 1800' above and the 1.5 miles to the trailhead took 2 more.Your suggestion to have a shorter season on E.side is already a fact.Hunts over there ended tuesday and over here,today.

[HntnFsh]

I don't think we should have to choose sides of the state for deer or elk. WE by Washington hunting licenses. They should be good for Washington.

[vandeman17]

Not sure how well this would work but what about giving a person 2-3 units to which their tags are good for and also limit the amount of hunters in certain gmu's that are below objectives? This wouldn't take away from a hunter wanting to hunt both sides but could help some of the struggling herds by limiting the pressure... 

[JimmyHoffa]

Or extend the blacktail season an extra week or even open up a night season for blacktail.

[Elkrunner]

Not sure how well this would work but what about giving a person 2-3 units to which their tags are good for and also limit the amount of hunters in certain gmu's that are below objectives? This wouldn't take away from a hunter wanting to hunt both sides but could help some of the struggling herds by limiting the pressure... 

I think Utah has something like that going on.  You have to put in for the units in a draw or something. 

[Jason]

I don't think we should have to choose sides of the state for deer or elk. WE by Washington hunting licenses. They should be good for Washington.

[Skyvalhunter]

Even if we were to have to choose sides for Wa at this point the wildlife population is jeopardized by WDFW's greed. Lets' just see at the end of the year what the trend is for hunter success is.

[vandeman17]

I don't think we should have to choose sides of the state for deer or elk. WE by Washington hunting licenses. They should be good for Washington.

I understand this mindset but I personally am ok with "taking one for the team" with regards to deer numbers and overall health. A person could still hunt every year but just would have to decide where.

[JimmyHoffa]

I don't think we should have to choose sides of the state for deer or elk. WE by Washington hunting licenses. They should be good for Washington.

I understand this mindset but I personally am ok with "taking one for the team" with regards to deer numbers and overall health. A person could still hunt every year but just would have to decide where.

The three things that generally fall under management capabilities are impact of hunters, impact of predators and quality of habitat.  I'd rather the predators and habitat were tweaked first.

[grundy53]

I would be all for it. Many western states are even more restrictive and they have better game populations.

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[cbond3318]

I feel if the populous was forced to lock themselves into an area, you would actually see more pressure applied to already struggling
Mule Deer Herds. For the exact reason you stated, take away that ability to half ass a hunt or sleep in when the weather gets bad or not make the trip over cause gas is too high, because hey, we can always just hunt right here later...

[bobcat]

I'd support this or any other change in management that would decrease hunting pressure on both blacktail deer and mule deer so that eventually the numbers can begin to increase. Sure we have too many predators but us hunters also kill deer.