Washington Regs have been posted

[pc]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations/ 

[OltHunter]

anyone notice the extreme drop in cow tags?  odds will be worse than bull tags.

[EyeTooth]

Thanks for the heads up!

[gee_unit360]

anyone notice the extreme drop in cow tags?  odds will be worse than bull tags.

There is no rhyme or reason for WDFW dropping the amount of cow tags for many of the eastern units from 100 or 200 etc to 10. Watch, when the amount of special permit cow applicants drops to half or a third the amount of previous years the amount of special permits will be back up to what they were in 2016. It's all about the $$$$. When they lose money they'll change it back. Just my opinion. To go from 100 or 200 permits to 10 is drastic.

[tgray]

anyone notice the extreme drop in cow tags?  odds will be worse than bull tags.

best news I've seen in a long time, about time!

[Antlershed]

anyone notice the extreme drop in cow tags?  odds will be worse than bull tags.

There is no rhyme or reason for WDFW dropping the amount of cow tags for many of the eastern units from 100 or 200 etc to 10. Watch, when the amount of special permit cow applicants drops to half or a third the amount of previous years the amount of special permits will be back up to what they were in 2016. It's all about the $$$$. When they lose money they'll change it back. Just my opinion. To go from 100 or 200 permits to 10 is drastic.

I'd be willing to bet the number of applicants won't drop very much. 

[WAcoueshunter]

anyone notice the extreme drop in cow tags?  odds will be worse than bull tags.

There is no rhyme or reason for WDFW dropping the amount of cow tags for many of the eastern units from 100 or 200 etc to 10. Watch, when the amount of special permit cow applicants drops to half or a third the amount of previous years the amount of special permits will be back up to what they were in 2016. It's all about the $$$$. When they lose money they'll change it back. Just my opinion. To go from 100 or 200 permits to 10 is drastic.

I'd be willing to bet the number of applicants won't drop very much. 

Agreed.  Everyone would just pay the $6 for a point anyway, might as well put your name in the hat for one of the tags.

[OltHunter]

I'd be willing to bet the number of applicants won't drop very much. 

Agreed.  Everyone would just pay the $6 for a point anyway, might as well put your name in the hat for one of the tags.

I will do that same.  I was hoping it was a typo...I don't remember a time the cow tags were this low, especially in the 340 unit where we usually hunt.  The winter couldn't have been that hard on them and everything I've heard and experienced, the cow hunters didn't slaughter them last year.

[buglebuster]

I'm glad to seen the numbers of cow tags where they are something needed done

[stickman999]

If they are that concerned about cows wouldn't they limit the archery guys as well?

[bobcat]

If they are that concerned about cows wouldn't they limit the archery guys as well?

Good point. The archery hunters take a lot of cows during the general season. No permit required. Seems odd to cut modern firearm permits as drastically as they did, and still allow unlimited cow harvest during the general archery seasons.

[Bob33]

If they are that concerned about cows wouldn't they limit the archery guys as well?

Good point. The archery hunters take a lot of cows during the general season. No permit required. Seems odd to cut modern firearm permits as drastically as they did, and still allow unlimited cow harvest during the general archery seasons.

In 2015 general seasons, archery hunters reported killing 572 antlerless elk in District 8 which includes GMUs 328-371.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/harvest/2015/reports/elk_gmu.php?District=8

[Rainier10]

anyone notice the extreme drop in cow tags?  odds will be worse than bull tags.

If they are that concerned about cows wouldn't they limit the archery guys as well?

Good point. The archery hunters take a lot of cows during the general season. No permit required. Seems odd to cut modern firearm permits as drastically as they did, and still allow unlimited cow harvest during the general archery seasons.

In 2015 general seasons, archery hunters reported killing 572 antlerless elk in District 8 which includes GMUs 328-371.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/harvest/2015/reports/elk_gmu.php?District=8

I believe that two years ago they drastically increased the number of cow tags for MF hunters in those units.  The reason was the herds were above objectives and the bull to cow ratio was out of order.  They increased them to lower the number of elk.  They gave out a ton of MF tags because they have the highest success in taking game.

Now that the herds are closer to objective levels they have reduced the number of cow tags given to MF hunters and gone back to the standard equation that they use for resource allocation.

[stickman999]

Based on those statistics archers killed twice as many cows compared to modern  and muzzleloaders combined. I have nothing against archery I just feel if they want to reduce opportunity to harvest cows it should be done in all user gcoups.

[Hi-Liter]

Based on those statistics archers killed twice as many cows compared to modern  and muzzleloaders combined. I have nothing against archery I just feel if they want to reduce opportunity to harvest cows it should be done in all user gcoups.

  I totally agree with you. I have nothing against archery either, but it makes me sick that they allow them to shoot a antlerless cow without a permit quota in place. I think what many are saying its harder for archery to kill an elk. But the above stats prove that wrong and the fact that technology has evolved over time (ie trail cams)

[Rainier10]

Based on those statistics archers killed twice as many cows compared to modern  and muzzleloaders combined. I have nothing against archery I just feel if they want to reduce opportunity to harvest cows it should be done in all user gcoups.

It's a numbers game.  Take a look at how many bulls the archery guys took in comparison to the MF and muzzleloader guys combined.

You can use the numbers to argue either side.

[sagerat]

Based on those statistics archers killed twice as many cows compared to modern  and muzzleloaders combined. I have nothing against archery I just feel if they want to reduce opportunity to harvest cows it should be done in all user gcoups.

  I totally agree with you. I have nothing against archery either, but it makes me sick that they allow them to shoot a antlerless cow without a permit quota in place. I think what many are saying its harder for archery to kill an elk. But the above stats prove that wrong and the fact that technology has evolved over time (ie trail cams)

Not to mention all the stick and release cows that die... I hear the stories every year

[Rainier10]

Based on those statistics archers killed twice as many cows compared to modern  and muzzleloaders combined. I have nothing against archery I just feel if they want to reduce opportunity to harvest cows it should be done in all user gcoups.

  I totally agree with you. I have nothing against archery either, but it makes me sick that they allow them to shoot a antlerless cow without a permit quota in place. I think what many are saying its harder for archery to kill an elk. But the above stats prove that wrong and the fact that technology has evolved over time (ie trail cams)

Not to mention all the stick and release cows that die... I hear the stories every year

Oh boy, here we go.

I have property right in the heart of these units and see I plenty of archery, muzzleloader and modern firearm left for dead elk each year.  No user group is free of that type of thing.

[buglebrush]

Based on those statistics archers killed twice as many cows compared to modern  and muzzleloaders combined. I have nothing against archery I just feel if they want to reduce opportunity to harvest cows it should be done in all user gcoups.

  I totally agree with you. I have nothing against archery either, but it makes me sick that they allow them to shoot a antlerless cow without a permit quota in place. I think what many are saying its harder for archery to kill an elk. But the above stats prove that wrong and the fact that technology has evolved over time (ie trail cams)

It is much much harder to harvest an elk with Archery equipment.  The old saying " 90% of the elk are killed by the same 10% of hunters" has a bearing here.  Generally speaking people who choose Archery are the more Experienced / Dedicated hunters meaning that Archers will take a disproportionate amount of elk.  If you would put those same hunters in the field with another weapon they would still kill an elk almost every year.   Of course there are fantastic hunters out there during Modern season, but I do believe that this holds true for the average users.   

[crabcreekhunter]

I dont believe that archers/archery hunters are better or more dedicated in anyway whatsoever over modern or muzzle loader.  I wont say what i really want to say since all hunters are a positive and working for the same things.  On that note, I wish cow tags were more distributed throughout weapon types, than unlimited for archery and 10 for modern in some units, thats bs!!  Im glad to see a cut in tags, if it is in fact what is needed for our elk and deer herds.

[Shawn Ryan]

Based on those statistics archers killed twice as many cows compared to modern  and muzzleloaders combined. I have nothing against archery I just feel if they want to reduce opportunity to harvest cows it should be done in all user gcoups.

Not trying to start a fight, but would you apply that exact same logic to the bull harvest, which is 9 times as great for modern and muzzle (combined 700) compared to archery bull harvest (78)?  Limit the modern and muzzle shooters to shooting spikes only if they draw a permit?  Yikes!

[buglebrush]

I dont believe that archers/archery hunters are better or more dedicated in anyway whatsoever over modern or muzzle loader.  I wont say what i really want to say since all hunters are a positive and working for the same things.  On that note, I wish cow tags were more distributed throughout weapon types, than unlimited for archery and 10 for modern in some units, thats bs!!  Im glad to see a cut in tags, if it is in fact what is needed for our elk and deer herds.

Don't forget that my comment was about the average hunter.  I'm curious if you really believe that the same percentage of gun hunters are hardcore as archers?   If​ you stop personalizing it, I believe you'll agree that most road hunters, weekend warriors, and beginners are rifle hunters just because it is easiest.  That's not a knock on those that are hardcore, and their weapon of choice is a rifle.  Fact is almost all current archers started out as rifle hunters. 

[dreamingbig]

anyone notice the extreme drop in cow tags?  odds will be worse than bull tags.

This information has been out for awhile.  They have to publish their proposed changes prior to meeting to approve.

They are claiming winter kill for the changes.


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[Miles]

They should remove all cow tags.

[Hi-Liter]

  Yep that would be good. I always figured when cow tag in November your not killing one but likely two.

[crabcreekhunter]

I dont believe that archers/archery hunters are better or more dedicated in anyway whatsoever over modern or muzzle loader.  I wont say what i really want to say since all hunters are a positive and working for the same things.  On that note, I wish cow tags were more distributed throughout weapon types, than unlimited for archery and 10 for modern in some units, thats bs!!  Im glad to see a cut in tags, if it is in fact what is needed for our elk and deer herds.

Don't forget that my comment was about the average hunter.  I'm curious if you really believe that the same percentage of gun hunters are hardcore as archers?   If​ you stop personalizing it, I believe you'll agree that most road hunters, weekend warriors, and beginners are rifle hunters just because it is easiest.  That's not a knock on those that are hardcore, and their weapon of choice is a rifle.  Fact is almost all current archers started out as rifle hunters. 

Percentage wise per user group you are probably correct but percentage wise as a whole as a hunting community I think modern has more but our definitions of hardcore may be different.  Have good friends that are both depending on seasons.  I feel more youth are starting out into archery and young rifle hunters (not hardcore) are making the switch to archery due to longer seasons and better season dates.  Either way, archers made their choice and rifle made their choice, if I dont like my seasons I can always switch too.  Its always a give and take in this populated state anyways, good luck this upcoming season.

[jstone]

I personally don't believe the cow numbers for rifle and or muzzy hunters. I bet there are people who said they didn't harvest a cow. I archery hunt those units and if I rifle hunted it would have been a piece of cake.

[fishngamereaper]

I think guys get the cow tags and figure its a slam dunk. Based on the #'s of cow tags given, guys that never stepped foot in units thought with that many cow tags there must be that many more elk. But every year guys get on here looking for intel on where to kill a cow. I run into guys every year in the field looking for cows cause they cant seem to find em.  I've had two cow tags in the last 4 years and had to work to fill them both, and I know the areas I hunt. I'm glad they reduced the tags, they should of never increased them in the first place. It was all about $$$$.