Colockum Rifle Hunters

[colockumelk]

I know many on here do not want the Colockum to go to permit only.  However if the "true spike" thing does not work then it is going to go to permit only.  I am trying to brainstorm other options so we can still hunt there every year.  Although I would like to see it go to permit only I realize that this isn't the only option and might not be the best option.  So I am asking what would you rather see happen.

1.) Go to permit only where you would get drawn every three or four years.
2.) Keep the season the same but make it a restricted firearms season.  IE Muzzle Loader with a scope jacketed bullets and closed breech.
3.) Get rid of the rifle season altogether and go to an early October Muzzle Loader season.
4.) Nothing, keep the seasons the same we should all get together and just close down all but the main roads. 
5.) Quit posting new Threads on this subject

[colockumelk]

I'm probably going to close this soon.  I just put this up to validate a theory to myself.  I think that what most people agree on for the Colockum is to limit the road access.  I completely agree and this is what my main focus is and has been.  I think with the proper road managment we can have an elk herd as healthy as the Yakima herd.

[270Shooter]

I voted to keep it the same and just close some roads. I think 75% is going a little overboard though. I dont really want it permit only, because then all of the guys that dont draw are going to head down to the Yakima herd .

[firefighter4607]

Didn't Vote because the opinion that I think isn't part of that, I think it should go permit only for a few years to see what happens and tighten up road patrols and officer presents to cut down on tribal and poaching in that unit. Closing down roads to public land isn't the answer. This is crazy to close down roads, MORE THAN JUST HUNTERS USE PUBLIC PROTERTY, families from all walks of life use that area for camping and other activities. My 

[bankwalker]

Didn't Vote because the opinion that I think isn't part of that, I think it should go permit only for a few years to see what happens and tighten up road patrols and officer presents to cut down on tribal and poaching in that unit. Closing down roads to public land isn't the answer. This is crazy to close down roads, MORE THAN JUST HUNTERS USE PUBLIC PROTERTY, families from all walks of life use that area for camping and other activities. My 

alot of the roads dont go anywhere other then dead end. those are the roads that need to be closed off. ditch them up like they do in alot of tree farms. you can still walk them like every other gated or ditched road....

[colockumelk]

firefighter I dont mean to sound rude but have you ever been up there?  If you look at a map and compare it to other units there is about twice as much road access up there.  Also even the roads that are "closed" still have ATV and jeep tracks all up and down them.  The reason why you have 85% of your spikes killed every year is because there isn't anywhere to escape to.  The goal of Washingtonsportsmen.com is to physically close down all the roads that are already "closed" off.  Some will be by berms and others will be by gates so the disabled hunters are not getting screwed.

[firefighter4607]

I don't mean to sound rude or  either but closing roads isn't the answer!!! Take a look at the Simcoe Mountains, Great Hunting in the 1990's NOT ANY MORE, why? Because of Tribal Hunting and poaching!!! Boise shut down the roads about 1998 or 99 and GUESS WHAT IT WAS AND IS still crappy hunting, everyone that I know that hunt there on horses and foot don't even see game sign any more after hitting the brush for the whole season. And after the hunting got bad in that area guess what the tribe started to hunt other places, like the colockum hmm weird.... Like I said closing all road isn't going to do crap, because it will only keep the honest people out, the major problems are illegal hunting, and crappy game management of the heard. I thought that your website was going after those items. I didn't think that you were planning on restricting the rights of abiding citizens. 

Also even the roads that are "closed" still have ATV and jeep tracks all up and down them.  The goal of Washingtonsportsmen.com is to physically close down all the roads that are already "closed" off.

So you are contradicting yourself. You already stated that the roads that are supposed to be closed there are people driving on them, so you just put a gate or berm up and guess what they will still find a way around them just like on the Boise Cascade land in the Simcoes. You will still have to tighten up patrols and officer presents to get the job done. That's it you asked for my thoughts and I told you.

[colockumelk]

Okay first of all you are wrong about road closure not doing crap.  Look at the Colockum herd as an example.  The difference between the 328/329 units and the Teanaway is road closure.  Look at how well the Yakima herd does compared to the Colockum herd.  The Colockum is far to open and has far too much road access with too many hunters in it.  This is a recipe for what happens every rifle season.  A complete slaughter.  And yes when every year 75-85% of your yearling bulls are killed off then that isn't hunting that is pure slaughter. 

You mentioned that poaching and the tribes are too blame.  They have a large impact but they are not solely to blame.  I guarantee you that the Yakamas harvest far more elk out of the Yakima herd than they do in the Colockum herd.  WHy?  Becauese it's twice as close.  The reason it doesn't impact the Yakima herd as much is because the Yakima herd is stable where the Colockum herd is not.

The reason it is not stable is because spike recruitment is so low.  When only 46-75 spikes live through the hunting season every year and then you combine that with a natural mortality rate and poaching and tribal hunting then yes we are in serious trouble.  Look at the harvest reports between the Colockum and the Yakima GMUs.  The difference there isn't nearly as much road access in the Yakima GMUs. 

You say road closures wont do crap.  The only people I hear say that are road hunters.  I wonder why?  I'm not talking about putting signs that say roads closed I'm talking about physically closing them down so people can't get through them.  Of course people will find a way but it will deter most.

Road closures will do many things.  It will cut down on the amount of road access for licensed hunters giving the spikes escapement so we can increase the spike recruitment levels (#1 problem) and it will severly limit the areas that the poachers can access. 

Why do you say road closures restrict the rights of abiding citizens?  It isn't doing that at all.  People can still get out and hunt.  God forbid people actually have to walk when they hunt right?  Hunting is a privelege not a right.  Forcing peopel to actually walk when they hunt is not taking any rights away.  As for the disabled that's what gates are for.

[C-Money]

I am very against road closures. Leave the land open to the public. Let's approach WDFW and Law makers to make poaching activities a felony and increase fines and jail time. It sounds very typical of the time that a few people are breaking the law and every one must pay.

[bowhuntin]

I am very against road closures. Leave the land open to the public. Let's approach WDFW and Law makers to make poaching activities a felony and increase fines and jail time. It sounds very typical of the time that a few people are breaking the law and every one must pay.

The land would still be open to the public. If you close down a lot of roads they will still be useable by foot or bicycle, so why would you be against road closures? You will still have access to the majority of the areas, you will just have to work a little harder to get into an area. A little hard work has never hurt anyone.

[firefighter4607]

You say road closures wont do crap.  The only people I hear say that are road hunters.  I wonder why?  I'm not talking about putting signs that say roads closed I'm talking about physically closing them down so people can't get through them.

    Son don't call me a ROAD HUNTER look at my profile picture that ELK was taken in the Walla Walla Watershed there isn't a single road in that area!!!! And you don't kill a 350 bull by driving on roads. I have hunted hard for all of my life every animal that I have killed. 
Like I said you should make it permit only for a few years and close down a few roads not all roads.

[billythekidrock]

You say road closures wont do crap.  The only people I hear say that are road hunters.  I wonder why?  I'm not talking about putting signs that say roads closed I'm talking about physically closing them down so people can't get through them.  Of course people will find a way but it will deter most.

You had me until the above quote.

[C-Money]

Closing the roads would eliminate my family from using our ATV's for pleasure riding. This would keep us out of the Colockum for the most part and this is wrong. We are not the problem. We ride respectfully and enjoy getting out away from the stress of life for a while. It gets my kids out in the outdoors and is something I will fight to keep. Now even mentioning that FF4607 is a road hunter is just not right. Why Colockumelk would you say something like that? FF4607 and family has the same interest  in the Colockum as my family. FF4607 has pack animals and a good string of horses that his family uses on the family ranch and also for deer/elk hunting. Implying that he is a road hunter is very inaccurate. His ranch had world class deer hunting, and they hunt elk in the Blues and other places by packing in on horse back. Lets try not to even imply any personal attacks here, and keep an eye on the goal and not beat each other up. Lets try to stop poaching and slow Tribal harvest by the law.