Got opinions on WA deer management?

[BULLBLASTER]

Choose a species for deer tag. Mule deer, or Whitetail, or blacktail.

I would agree with this idea
Or  choose species or east or west.But species would be best.

This would suck big time unless they offered one of each tag. I want a blacktail and a whitetail tag.

You’re saying you want the opportunity to buy two OTC tags?

Absolutely. If they want to separate the tag into 3 species. I hunt whitetail or blacktail depending on early or late.
To restrict tags is not the answer here. There is an answer and we know what that is. Letting a deer walk won't bring the numbers back it only increases predators survival. 30 years ago it was common to seen 80-100 blacktail a day during the season. Ten years after the ban on hounds and baiting two a day was the norm and seeing a cougar or bear while deer hunting became somewhat common. If no one was to buy a deer tags from here on out it wouldn't bring the numbers back. My last years whitetail cameras had 4 different deer and 11 different predators on it. gmu 101

You kill any of those predators? And I assume you're killing two deer a year right now since you're demanding two tags in this hypothetical situation.

Yes I do try to kill predators.
You are only allowed one deer regardless of what you hunt at the time. There is no guarantee that you will harvest one.
This is why Breaking the tag choice up makes No sense.

Sure t makes sense, it would reduce pressure on all species. It would end the guys hunting mule deer general and then Whitetail or blacktail later on. You would have to choose. Sure it means you couldn’t hunt the best seasons for them all but that’s kind of the point. 

[go4steelhd]

If they want to keep everything General we need to
Eliminating multi season
Pick Mule Deer, whitetail, blacktail
Pick only one weapon
Pick only one season (early or late not both)
Pick one unit

This will upset some. But you can see what doing nothing is doing

Or make everything draw for any weapon

We have to get pressure off the herds or it will continue to decline 

[Mr Mykiss]

If they want to keep everything General we need to
Eliminating multi season
Pick Mule Deer, whitetail, blacktail
Pick only one weapon
Pick only one season (early or late not both)
Pick one unit

This will upset some. But you can see what doing nothing is doing

Or make everything draw for any weapon

We have to get pressure off the herds or it will continue to decline 

As long as we can still shoot like 10,000 does a year I’m game!!

[jstone]

Something has to be done. I drove the Entiat a couple days ago. Places I saw lots of deer when I had the late archery permit I saw not much. The usual spot still holding deer. I see they blocked the Steilico road. So the archers can’t go up there. And trued to shut the Oklahoma Gulch road but people still driving it. I think it’s a good idea but it needs to be across the board for each hunting group. Late rifle tag holders need to have the roads blocked off as well. (I think they do it cause archery guys are tougher than rifle guys!)

Swakane is the same. Went up to one of my usual spots every year I see at least 4-5 shooter bucks. Saw about 10 does. And a white Ford Explorer parked back on a closed road. If that won’t piss you off I don’t know what will?

Not sure what the answer is but everyone needs to be on board.
I don’t understand why less hunters and less deer?

Jeff

[jstone]

I do think to scrap the Multi season tags
I have been archery hunting for 20 plus years and I am seeing lots more not prepared archery guys out there. 

[NOCK NOCK]

FWIW, Steliko rd was rebuilt/repaired with Cougar creek fire money,  , FS closed it to keep the road in good shape over winter.

[Bango skank]

If they want to keep everything General we need to
Eliminating multi season
Pick Mule Deer, whitetail, blacktail
Pick only one weapon
Pick only one season (early or late not both)
Pick one unit

This will upset some. But you can see what doing nothing is doing

Or make everything draw for any weapon

We have to get pressure off the herds or it will continue to decline 

Pick a season is taking things a bit far.  If no multi, and you have to choose species, i think its reasonable that i should be able to hunt whitetail in both early and late archery.

[NOCK NOCK]

I have been a fan of doing away with the multi permit for a few years now. Too much pressure put on the deer for to long.

With that being said, the last thing I want to suggest is making hunting in WA a rich, richer  mans game, but in reality the WDFW wants their money...….So what are your thoughts on a small limited number of multi's, say 100, with a much higher app fee that will pencil out to show no $ loss to WDFW's current multi income. ?

[KFhunter]

We need to reduce predators instead of squabbling over what few bucks remain.  WDFW is all about people control, figuring out clever ways to spread out hunting pressure in an ever closing road system.   It's moronic.

I floated the idea of quality points for predators,  turn in coyote ears get some special points, get a cougar pelt sealed get even more points etc.  The idea is to promote more predator hunting. 


We need to focus less on quality bucks and just focus on more bucks, killing predators and protecting does is how you do that.

[Calvin Rayborn]

Permit-only draws for Muleys WTH?

[longtrails]

I agree the predator population has been an issue for some time in my area. It is really bad in my area and they have devastated the small game and deer. I did not see even one grouse, nor did any of the other hunters that i came across. I did have 3 bucks I was keeping an eye on for some time. WDFW need to get hunters out there to thin them down, or trap them and put them in an area that needs them to balance the eco system.  I know that there are areas that have blacktail deer overpopulation like Ocean Shores outside of town and there EVERYWHERE and not just a few sprinkled here and there. Diamond point outside of Sequim in there community also have the same issue and their residents want them gone. Maybe if WDFW start rounding them up from known over populated areas where hunters cant hunt them and start putting them in areas that need deer in them to revitalize after the predators have been thinned we can bring back the deer population. Just a thought.

[huntnphool]

 Over the years there have been several threads similar to this brought up, the overwhelming majority agreeing that the numbers are declining, the hunting is going to hell and people looking for solutions, including limiting hunting.....and then there are those that want to to look the genius and chime in with the obvious....."nothing will change until we address the predators."

 If you are one of those geniuses, how about you come up with a solution to share, rather than simply spewing the obvious!

 Most are willing to discuss options, but not you. You hold steadfast in your belief that predator control must be first, yet you fail to mention how to get past the voters that have tied our hands.

 Lets here your solutions all you predator issue experts....and let's have realistic solutions please, WDFW trapping and relocating is NOT realistic.

 And longtrails, this is not in response to your post.

[KFhunter]

Over the years there have been several threads similar to this brought up, the overwhelming majority agreeing that the numbers are declining, the hunting is going to hell and people looking for solutions, including limiting hunting.....and then there are those that want to to look the genius and chime in with the obvious....."nothing will change until we address the predators."

 If you are one of those geniuses, how about you come up with a solution to share, rather than simply spewing the obvious!

 Most are willing to discuss options, but not you. You hold steadfast in your belief that predator control must be first, yet you fail to mention how to get past the voters that have tied our hands.

 Lets here your solutions all you predator issue experts....and let's have realistic solutions please, WDFW trapping and relocating is NOT realistic.

 And longtrails, this is not in response to your post.

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,134715.0.html

[huntnphool]

Over the years there have been several threads similar to this brought up, the overwhelming majority agreeing that the numbers are declining, the hunting is going to hell and people looking for solutions, including limiting hunting.....and then there are those that want to to look the genius and chime in with the obvious....."nothing will change until we address the predators."

 If you are one of those geniuses, how about you come up with a solution to share, rather than simply spewing the obvious!

 Most are willing to discuss options, but not you. You hold steadfast in your belief that predator control must be first, yet you fail to mention how to get past the voters that have tied our hands.

 Lets here your solutions all you predator issue experts....and let's have realistic solutions please, WDFW trapping and relocating is NOT realistic.

 And longtrails, this is not in response to your post.

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,134715.0.html

 I remember reading that, good start to the conversation but what about the lost revenue for the state in tags and apps?.........not going to happen.

[KFhunter]

My solution is to incentivise predator hunting, while the voucher system wouldn't work as in the link above from 2013 (ya I been thinking about this for a while) there is merit to the idea of incentive points for killing predators to apply towards a quality buck, multi-season or elk hunt or a whole new category in which to plug in predator incentive points. 


Nothing would interfere with any previous voter initiatives, wouldn't require new laws and is within the scope of WDFW.  It would require a public input period I think. 
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Someone turning in PIP's  (Predator Incentive Points) would have earned that buck by taking predators off the landscape. 

I don't see how it would interfere with existing draws, raffles and other money makers