Reduction of Antlerless whitetail permits in Eastern Washington

[returnofsid]

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2019/feb/22/fish-and-wildlife-proposal-eliminates-antlerless-w/?fbclid=IwAR0gExKxIq5KfiqG6Nn86IzIq7fgYpejuA1HvZB2f9RXR56nELvTA4lGRak

[baldopepper]

This  is the right decision. Glad someone was listening.

[grundy53]

This  is the right decision. Glad someone was listening.

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[Elkaholic daWg]

From what I've observed for the past  couple decades I agree

[Timberstalker]

Smart management decision.

[Jonathan_S]

Thank goodness. The switch back to any deer was asinine

[Ghost Hunter]

The article headline says elimination of antlerless.  Proposal show significant reduction.  Step in the right direction.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations/seasonsetting/2019/wac/220-415-030.pdf

[Timberstalker]

Looks like the permits are reduced,  not eliminated.

[vandeman17]

I am good with this move

[MtnMuley]

Why can't or won't they do this for the muley herds, which are struggling even worse?

[Timberstalker]

I’m thinking that’ll happen in 2020. In the blues, anyhow.
All of that is based off of conversations with the head WDFW biologist, for whatever that is worth.

[grundy53]

Why can't or won't they do this for the muley herds, which are struggling even worse?

No kidding. Mule deer need a lot of help. There shouldn't be any doe harvest in most units.

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[PolarBear]

It's about time!  I wish they would slash antlerless harvest in all of Western WA as well.

[hunter399]

This  is the right decision. Glad someone was listening.

I do agree and glad to see it.
But makes me mad at the same time to take away youth oppertunity .Because of permits and over harvest that should be kept under control.Hopefully they be able to bring back youth doe seasons soon.I guess we will see when the regs come out.

[grundy53]

It's about time!  I wish they would slash antlerless harvest in all of Western WA as well.

Agreed

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[grundy53]

This  is the right decision. Glad someone was listening.

I do agree and glad to see it.
But makes me mad at the same time to take away youth oppertunity .Because of permits and over harvest that should be kept under control.Hopefully they be able to bring back youth doe seasons soon.I guess we will see when the regs come out.

Youth can still hunt bucks. If we quit killing all of the does there will be more deer. This will help the youth in the future. Either they get a couple years of shooting does and crappy deer numbers the rest of their hunting life or they forgo a few does and better hunting in the future. When I was first starting out none of the kids I knew got doe tags we didn't even think about shooting a doe. We hunted bucks just like everyone else and we loved it.

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[vandeman17]

This  is the right decision. Glad someone was listening.

I do agree and glad to see it.
But makes me mad at the same time to take away youth oppertunity .Because of permits and over harvest that should be kept under control.Hopefully they be able to bring back youth doe seasons soon.I guess we will see when the regs come out.

Youth can still hunt bucks. If we quit killing all of the does there will be more deer. This will help the youth in the future. Either they get a couple years of shooting does and crappy deer numbers the rest of their hunting life or they forgo a few does and better hunting in the future. When I was first starting out none of the kids I knew got doe tags we didn't even think about shooting a doe. We hunted bucks just like everyone else and we loved it.

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  Long term benefits are more important to long term new hunter recruitment 

[hunter399]

This  is the right decision. Glad someone was listening.

I do agree and glad to see it.
But makes me mad at the same time to take away youth oppertunity .Because of permits and over harvest that should be kept under control.Hopefully they be able to bring back youth doe seasons soon.I guess we will see when the regs come out.

Youth can still hunt bucks. If we quit killing all of the does there will be more deer. This will help the youth in the future. Either they get a couple years of shooting does and crappy deer numbers the rest of their hunting life or they forgo a few does and better hunting in the future. When I was first starting out none of the kids I knew got doe tags we didn't even think about shooting a doe. We hunted bucks just like everyone else and we loved it.

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I will agree .
But if you think about all the doe permits,muzzle loader,and bow hunters that harvested a doe 2018 , They where harvesting youth opertunity for future years.So I guess what your saying is wdfw gave away there future years of hunting doe .

I think it's great and a step in the right direction.But at the same time I'm not gonna give wdfw a high five and a pat on the butt for mismanagement that lead to this.

[grundy53]

This  is the right decision. Glad someone was listening.

I do agree and glad to see it.
But makes me mad at the same time to take away youth oppertunity .Because of permits and over harvest that should be kept under control.Hopefully they be able to bring back youth doe seasons soon.I guess we will see when the regs come out.

Youth can still hunt bucks. If we quit killing all of the does there will be more deer. This will help the youth in the future. Either they get a couple years of shooting does and crappy deer numbers the rest of their hunting life or they forgo a few does and better hunting in the future. When I was first starting out none of the kids I knew got doe tags we didn't even think about shooting a doe. We hunted bucks just like everyone else and we loved it.

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I will agree .
But if you think about all the doe permits,muzzle loader,and bow hunters that harvested a doe 2018 , They where harvesting youth opertunity for future years.So I guess what your saying is wdfw gave away there future years of hunting doe .

I think it's great and a step in the right direction.But at the same time I'm not gonna give wdfw a high five and a pat on the butt for mismanagement that lead to this.

I agree with you whole heartedly.

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[vandeman17]

This  is the right decision. Glad someone was listening.

I do agree and glad to see it.
But makes me mad at the same time to take away youth oppertunity .Because of permits and over harvest that should be kept under control.Hopefully they be able to bring back youth doe seasons soon.I guess we will see when the regs come out.

Youth can still hunt bucks. If we quit killing all of the does there will be more deer. This will help the youth in the future. Either they get a couple years of shooting does and crappy deer numbers the rest of their hunting life or they forgo a few does and better hunting in the future. When I was first starting out none of the kids I knew got doe tags we didn't even think about shooting a doe. We hunted bucks just like everyone else and we loved it.

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I will agree .
But if you think about all the doe permits,muzzle loader,and bow hunters that harvested a doe 2018 , They where harvesting youth opertunity for future years.So I guess what your saying is wdfw gave away there future years of hunting doe .

I think it's great and a step in the right direction.But at the same time I'm not gonna give wdfw a high five and a pat on the butt for mismanagement that lead to this.

I think we are saying the opposite and that we didn't like previous management strategies and at least they are now trying to improve them

[hunter399]

I guess what bugs me the most is my son last year had 7 or 8 chances to shoot a doe that had yearnings with them.And turned down the opportunity ,knowing that chances of them yearnings making through winter went down.The only does we seen had yearlings with them .So he gave up his doe tag last year.For the better good of the population .He did harvest a doe the year before and a buck year before that .
So it's not his first.The other part of the story is we seen skins,gut bags,ect left by other hunters that did not have the common sense my 12 year son does to not shoot yearlings ,baby deer ,it kinda makes me sick.
After look in back at last year I do think this is for the best.
And was very proud of my son for not harvesting a doe.Maybe he will be rewarded with a buck this year.

[bearpaw]

Most states use antlerless harvest to control game populations. When numbers are too high you increase antlerless harvest, when numbers are below objective you decrease antlerless harvest to increase herd numbers. Washington seems to forget this simple fact at times.

[jstone]

Common sense is no more in WDFG. They might have degrees in something but a degree doesn’t always make you smart

[Pegasus]

Part of the plan to keep the wolves  from starving. More food, better survival rates.  We can rebuild the packs.  We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world's best wolf packs. Better than they were before. Better, stronger, faster.

[Oh Mah]

The way i understood it was that WDFW makes recommendations to the regs. but only recommendations.All the rules of the state whether hunting rules or anything else is done by state and federal legislatures.WDFW i thought basically have their hands tied when it comes to WA. State because of the groups that push these legislatures into doing their bidding.We as hunters should get behind all of the WDFW .

YOU GET MORE BEES WITH HONEY THAN WITH ALL THIS VINEGAR. 

[bearpaw]

The way i understood it was that WDFW makes recommendations to the regs. but only recommendations.All the rules of the state whether hunting rules or anything else is done by state and federal legislatures.WDFW i thought basically have their hands tied when it comes to WA. State because of the groups that push these legislatures into doing their bidding.We as hunters should get behind all of the WDFW .

YOU GET MORE BEES WITH HONEY THAN WITH ALL THIS VINEGAR. 

The WDFW makes management recommendations to the Wildlife Commission who make the decisions on management issues such as seasons.
Washington Administrative Code (WAC) are laws that are done by legislators.

Wolves are under federal endangered species protection in the western 2/3 of Washington, wolves have been delisted in the eastern 1/3 of WA and are only under state endangered species protection. Washington could have a wolf season in the eastern 1/3 of Washington if they revised the wolf plan.

[Special T]

It's about time!  I wish they would slash antlerless harvest in all of Western WA as well.

Bite your tounge! Lol! all I see in the 407 is does it seems! Got to convert the lost vegetables and Roses into meat some how!

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[hunter399]

I will tell ya that I'm one of those concerned hunters that expressed my concern for our deer herds in NE Washington.
I sent this email to the director,the commission,and the bio,This is the full email except my personal info etc.

I'm sending this email to address some of the upcoming rule changes in 2019.We all know there are wolves,along with the same predators,including increased amount of hunters coming from coastal areas .This email is please consider these factors when rule changes happens in the next few months.Try to conserve Washington Wildlife just a little bit while keeping hunting in this state on the right path.I'm going to list some rules that have been proposed in the past and ask that you consider or please help make something happen.

1)Choose which side of state you will hunt deer .This was proposed last year and didn't happen.

2)4pt min rule for gmu 121and 117.
This was a rule for a few years.Then got taken away.Except for youth,disabled,65 and over.

3)Reduction in the amount of doe permits given out.Last year new permits where added in N.E. units with hundreds of doe permits given.

I'm not wanting to take opportunity away from youth,disabled,65 and over at all and would like there seasons to stay the same.Now at the same time we as hunters have to start to conserve wildlife and since WDFW makes the regulations
We as hunters have to hope you will make the hard decisions that need to be made.A lot of regulations are based on biologists herd counts etc., but  I have to think that they don't have conservation in mind when they help set rules.I'm just asking as the director that you read this ,and please consider changes in the north east corner of the state.With new predators,increased hunters in this area.To keep this region with a abundant wildlife.

[HntnFsh]

I rarely hunt deer on the east side but I dont like the idea of splitting the state. Glad you voiced your thoughts to them though!

[Oh Mah]

I think splitting the state up would be a great idea. 

But wish they would go farther myself.I fish fresh and salt so i must buy both and fish and hunt on both sides but.

Wish they would add deer and bear. 

Thanks also for sending them the message. 

[grundy53]

I would be totally fine with them splitting the state or even making the tags only good for one subspecies. Choose either blacktail, mule deer, or whitetail. All three need help and are getting hammered.

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[Elkaholic daWg]

Most states use antlerless harvest to control game populations. When numbers are too high you increase antlerless harvest, when numbers are below objective you decrease antlerless harvest to increase herd numbers. Washington seems to forget this simple fact at times.

Oh YES they do!! and don't forget the pocket gophers!

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/
February 21, 2019
Contact:
WDFW seeks comment on recommendations for
endangered butterfly species, tufted puffin
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is inviting public comments on draft status reviews of the Oregon silverspot butterfly and the tufted puffin, along with a new recovery plan for the distinctive seabird.
 The draft status review and recovery plan for the tufted puffin is available on the department's website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/02051/. The draft status review for the Oregon silverspot butterfly is posted at https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/02052/.
The department will accept public comments on those documents through May 17.

[JimmyHoffa]

It's about time!  I wish they would slash antlerless harvest in all of Western WA as well.

Bite your tounge! Lol! all I see in the 407 is does it seems! Got to convert the lost vegetables and Roses into meat some how!

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If it was no antlerless in the national forest and DNR, it would be one thing.  Lots of people getting does in backyards and on the edges of town.