the Methow is even worse off than I thought

[nwwanderer]

Salvage law?  So folks are running over deer to get a salvage permit?

[DOUBLELUNG]

Salvage law?  So folks are running over deer to get a salvage permit?

It's happened in other states when picking up roadkill was legalized, but I don't think its ever been a significant population-level source of mortality.  Way more illegally taken deer with .22s than bumpers.

[bigmacc]

It's very interesting when I asked the Biologist about how the cougar population affects the deer population and was told:
 It is not a cougar problem as studies show that deer populations impact the cougars and not the other way around. If there are not enough deer the cougars will leave or die off. He said it is a number of issues. Tribal hunting, disease(louse issues), salvage law, habitat.

I say B.S.

Well then, according to their formula the cougar population should be going down the crapper because of the 10-15 thousand head reduction to this deer herd over the last 20-40 years, hmmm, yet we are seeing more and more cats every year, shouldn't the cougar population be dropping drastically? Its very obvious that those of us who have history in this valley that this herd is only a FRACTION of what it was and is continuing to plummet, yet we are seeing more cougar sign, more and more kills and more and more cougars, once again, since the cat population seems to be on the incline and has been for the last 20 years shouldn't the deer population be going through the roof to support a booming cougar population? Maybe the cats will actually start  to "leave or die off" in the next 5 -10 years because thats when this herd at this rate should be reduced to "town deer" and about a 2-3 thousand head migrating herd ...what a shame! I,ve heard of "predator pits" and unfortunately I guess thats what this valley, that once had the largest migrating mule deer herd in the country is becoming. Great job WDFW

[MADMAX]

Well said

WDFW should be ashamed of themselves

My relatives in Massachusetts do better deer hunting there
than I do here

Sad and embarrassing

[Axle]

WDFW should be ashamed of themselves

Actually - they are anti hunters. And they are very proud of what they have accomplished.

[BKMFR]

 

[MADMAX]

That in itself should be a separate topic of discussion
 How the heck can the Washington Department of Fish and wildlife be anti-hunting ?

[idahohuntr]

Just going to inject a little logic here...WDFW are not anti-hunters and declines are not all their fault.  Statewide initiatives and politics, human population growth, and habitat degradation/loss are a number of things outside their control that are major contributors to mule deer and other game species declines in this state.

Carry on.   

[skidynastar33]

Just going to inject a little logic here...WDFW are not anti-hunters and declines are not all their fault.  Statewide initiatives and politics, human population growth, and habitat degradation/loss are a number of things outside their control that are major contributors to mule deer and other game species declines in this state.

Carry on.

Also I think hunters seem to confuse herd “health” vs “population”. Too High of  populations are not healthy. It can bring diseases and high die offs. Are populations low? Yes. Can there be some Predators control? Yes. Can we get rid of doe permits? Yes. Do we need to over react and do something dramatic? No. Herds will rebound. They alaways do. Maybe not in the time we want to but they do. Last years super warm weather helped. Some warm winters will go a long ways as well. But remember that fires destroy a lot of the winter habitat in the area and that tge Herds reflect that.

[Romulus1297]

Anyone have any pictures of the new Methow mule deer herd? Anyone?

[Axle]

That in itself should be a separate topic of discussion
 How the heck can the Washington Department of Fish and wildlife be anti-hunting ?

By creating a predator pit. Most hunters want ungulates. With little or no ungulates, the hunting is diminished by vast amounts.
I know they aren't 'all' anti hunters. That would be silly to assume that. But those calling the shots are showing themselves to be so. Our ungulate herds are rapidly diminishing and have been since the late '80s and this is due a predator population that's gone out of control. It's been purposely managed this way for a reason.

[bigmacc]

That in itself should be a separate topic of discussion
 How the heck can the Washington Department of Fish and wildlife be anti-hunting ?

By creating a predator pit. Most hunters want ungulates. With little or no ungulates, the hunting is diminished by vast amounts.
I know they aren't 'all' anti hunters. That would be silly to assume that. But those calling the shots are showing themselves to be so. Our ungulate herds are rapidly diminishing and have been since the late '80s and this is due a predator population that's gone out of control. It's been purposely managed this way for a reason.

I have not been fitted for a tin foil hat nor have I ever wore one but the way this herd has been managed since the switch to "WDFW" from the "Game Department" 20 odd years ago really makes you wonder about about things like this, the mis-trust they have earned over the years since the switch has not done them any favors either, especially when it comes to predators. When it comes to the Methow herd at least they themselves have eroded the confidence of hunters and sportsman by their own voice and actions, and yes, it is truly a shame. Hopefully someday, somebody figures it out and this herd or whats left of it is put back on the top rung of the ladder.

[bearpaw]

Just going to inject a little logic here...WDFW are not anti-hunters and declines are not all their fault.  Statewide initiatives and politics, human population growth, and habitat degradation/loss are a number of things outside their control that are major contributors to mule deer and other game species declines in this state.

Carry on.

 

WDFW is being run to protect predators! That is their main goal!

In eastern states with high human populations and tremendous development, where there are no cougar and no wolves, you can shoot multiple deer per season, one deer a day in one state! The states where elk are being reintroduced they are flourishing!

[bearpaw]

One of he biggest problems in wildlife management is that biologists being hired are being taught phony science and beliefs by anti-hunting professors like Wielgus in the universities.

Washington is still using Wielgus' bogus info to decrease cougar quotas. That is just one way that WDFW is essentially perpetuating an anti-hunting culture in Washington's wildlife management! Do I need to mention the influence Conservation Northwest has?

[idahohuntr]

Just going to inject a little logic here...WDFW are not anti-hunters and declines are not all their fault.  Statewide initiatives and politics, human population growth, and habitat degradation/loss are a number of things outside their control that are major contributors to mule deer and other game species declines in this state.

Carry on.

 

WDFW is being run to protect predators! That is their main goal!

In eastern states with high human populations and tremendous development, where there are no cougar and no wolves, you can shoot multiple deer per season, one deer a day in one state! The states where elk are being reintroduced they are flourishing!

Apples and oranges bearpaw...not even close comparisons.  Nice try though. 

WDFWs main goal seems to be keeping their bloated bureaucracy afloat.  However, its unreasonable to talk about methow mule deer declines without acknowledging several other major factors outside their control.