Free: Contests & Raffles.
Thats a big "IF" and you maybe be hoping for a while.
"IF" we go permit only for 3 years.
Why go back to spike only? isn't this what destroyed the herd?Actually spike only works in the Yakima herd. The difference between them and the Colockum is the amount of road access and how wide and open the Colockum is. Have you ever hunted in the Colockum?Why should one have to wait TEN FRIGGIN years or more to draw a permit! While others draw with one pointIt's called a lottery system. It has nothing to do with revenue and no one is out to get you. It's called luck of the draw. Most western states have some type of point system. We are no different.If you have 900 bulls put into the herd in three years by not hunting spikes and you want a total harvest of 35% just reduce the amount of days of a general season antler restricted hunt for everybody.Yeah this would work but you'd have to restrict the general season to only a day or two. That would be some quality hunting. NOTFAQ IT...make it ten point or better...there is your quality hunt but do it for everybody! ok...maybe 10 point or better is tooooo much.
Have I ever hunted the Clockum?next year will be my 39th year hunting Washington...what do you think? Yes.Yes it is a lottery system and YOU may never hunt for bull elk on the eastside in your entire life, and we still don't meet bull to cow ratio. I'll most likely get drawn this year and I only have four points. Archery guys get drawn on average every four years in the Yakima GMU"s where the ML's and the rifle guys average every 6 years. Unless you put in for the Colockum only or the Blue MT units only you should as well.Most of the Yakima herds meet their bull to cow ratio objectives. The Colockum doesn't because too many spikes are killed every year. Spike only works for the Yakima herd because they have alot less road access then we do. I know we both agree on limiting road access so no need toget into that.Ok...rifle hunters only get a weekend hunt...better than never! select road closures would enhance escapement...at least you would get to hunt. With no general season and a e/w tag, you don't draw you don't hunt that year and maybe you don't hunt there ever again, even with 15 points. 15 points only allows 45 entries into the draw system. How could a weekend with a 1 in 3 chance of harvesting a mature bull be more restrictive than NEVER hunting.You must not be familiar with how the point system work. They square the points you have. Which means if you have 15 points then you would have 15x15=225 points. Again with this much points you could easily draw any Yakima unit even with a rifle tag. Where do you think hunters couldn't hunt at all. I would rather get drawn every three years in the Colockum and get to have an awsome hunt, and; still get to hunt every year just in another GMU (There are 10 other GMU's to hunt) then only get to hunt for two days. In order to meet your 5 pt minimum objective the season would be so short it wouldn't even be worth it. Many take an entire week to go hunting and your plan would limit them to two days at the most. I've hunted elk long enough to know mature bulls are very weary and even without cover they can put a man to shame in seconds....especially in the clockum.Yes but with a rifle it's mostly about chance. Maybe in thicker areas a weary bull can survive but not in the open like that. They may evade one guy but are they going to be able to evade 9 other guys in one draw that's super open, when the bull is pushed? It's not a matter of how weary and cagey the bull is. When guys can shoot and see 400 yds the bull doesn't stand a chance. A chance that I'm trying to give these elk.Wouldn't road closures be considered habitat enhancement?Obviously there needs to be some major road restrictions in these GMU's. This will be my major goal this year is physically closing down as many roads as they'll let me close. You yourself have said it would work in your comment but it would be a short season...why do I have to prove anything?Because I've already proven myself to people with alot of facts and stats. I've shown that my method would indeed work. I've shown how mathematically you would get drawn every 3 years and many would get drawn every 2 years. Now YOU NEED to show us stats etc how your plan would work. How many days could guys hunt. What would the restrictions be, when would the season be. Who knows it might be a good idea and I'l incorporate it into my plans when I go before the commission and when I go to the big game round table discussions. Make a believer out of me. The more ideas the better. 5 or 6 point antler restriction to a general season would be short for a lead thrower but I'd bet WE could figure out how to lengthen the season with select habitat enhancement (road closures).