Spikes taken with Quality permit

[Britt-dog]

My very first elk was a spike I shot on a Naneum archery any bull tag. Every minute of that hunt was accomplished by myself. from scouting, to butchering to the pack out. I've killed many since then, but its still one of my best memories.

[Scheindogg]

Mistake?  You must have taken my post the wrong way. There was no mistake, and I won't apologize for looking at the harvest report and wondering how a person ends up shooting a spike on special permit hunts that are known for big mule deer. I thought it it turned out being a great thread. I enjoyed reading the stories and all the comments. Only thing was not many people addressed my other comment about how the harvest report shows 8 hunters out of 15 permits for the Entiat rifle hunt, and a 100% success rate. Was it really a 100% success rate? Or could it have been a 57% success rate? 9 of the 15 hunters submitted reports, so apparently 1 person reported that he or she did not hunt. So assuming everyone else hunted, that's 8 bucks killed out of 14 hunters, for a 57% success rate. That would also be assuming that the 6 who didn't submit a report, did not kill a deer. But who knows. That's why I asked the question in my original post, why can't the WDFW call hunters in cases like this and get more complete data?

Some people like myself apply for special hunts because there is less pressure and therefore have a better opportunity at filling the freezer. Maybe the dates work better for their schedule. Maybe they had plans for a longer season that got cut short. Maybe they’re not interested in very old deer in general. It’s by no means required to take an old deer with a quality hunt tag.

Also if you look at the special hunts page of the regs nowhere does it mention mature deer.

If you drew the tag, you would use your experience to get the biggest deer you could find, good for you. That’s quality to you. To others it could mean a multitude of things and I wouldn’t waste my time wondering why some hunters take smaller deer than others.

 Nobody is planning their season around a quality buck or bull tag in this state! If its about meat the doe and cow tags should be your emphasis. Why on earth would you spend $14.75 a year and accumultate points for years to maybe draw 1 or 2 quality tags in your life.

I certainly never said I was planning my hunts around these tags. When I said maybe the days work better I was saying maybe during regular season those dates would only be available for a weekend but if drawn for a special tag that has different dates, there’s an entire week they could carve out.
Also not sure why you’re implying ~15$ per year is hurting my wallet. I’m by no means financially well off but it doesn’t hurt to apply for me at all.

Literally the description under “quality” says “hunters can expect lower hunter densities, greater potential for success or good timing for these hunts”

It doesn’t say “hunters should expect to get a quality animal” or “hunters can expect a big rack from this unit” or anything of that nature.

FWIW I am also applying for the second (Antlerless) tags. Looking at all ways I can to fill the freezer, not just the quality tag

[HUNT JR]

Mistake?  You must have taken my post the wrong way. There was no mistake, and I won't apologize for looking at the harvest report and wondering how a person ends up shooting a spike on special permit hunts that are known for big mule deer. I thought it it turned out being a great thread. I enjoyed reading the stories and all the comments. Only thing was not many people addressed my other comment about how the harvest report shows 8 hunters out of 15 permits for the Entiat rifle hunt, and a 100% success rate. Was it really a 100% success rate? Or could it have been a 57% success rate? 9 of the 15 hunters submitted reports, so apparently 1 person reported that he or she did not hunt. So assuming everyone else hunted, that's 8 bucks killed out of 14 hunters, for a 57% success rate. That would also be assuming that the 6 who didn't submit a report, did not kill a deer. But who knows. That's why I asked the question in my original post, why can't the WDFW call hunters in cases like this and get more complete data?

Some people like myself apply for special hunts because there is less pressure and therefore have a better opportunity at filling the freezer. Maybe the dates work better for their schedule. Maybe they had plans for a longer season that got cut short. Maybe they’re not interested in very old deer in general. It’s by no means required to take an old deer with a quality hunt tag.

Also if you look at the special hunts page of the regs nowhere does it mention mature deer.

If you drew the tag, you would use your experience to get the biggest deer you could find, good for you. That’s quality to you. To others it could mean a multitude of things and I wouldn’t waste my time wondering why some hunters take smaller deer than others.

 Nobody is planning their season around a quality buck or bull tag in this state! If its about meat the doe and cow tags should be your emphasis. Why on earth would you spend $14.75 a year and accumultate points for years to maybe draw 1 or 2 quality tags in your life.

I certainly never said I was planning my hunts around these tags. When I said maybe the days work better I was saying maybe during regular season those dates would only be available for a weekend but if drawn for a special tag that has different dates, there’s an entire week they could carve out.
Also not sure why you’re implying ~15$ per year is hurting my wallet. I’m by no means financially well off but it doesn’t hurt to apply for me at all.

Literally the description under “quality” says “hunters can expect lower hunter densities, greater potential for success or good timing for these hunts”

It doesn’t say “hunters should expect to get a quality animal” or “hunters can expect a big rack from this unit” or anything of that nature.

FWIW I am also applying for the second (Antlerless) tags. Looking at all ways I can to fill the freezer, not just the quality tag

While I agree that you aren't guaranteed a certain size of animal, the regs dont say that because they need to be sensitive to all people who may pick up regulations and flip through them (Politically Correct). I'd bet that when most hunters see they drew a quality permit, they don't think about how their odds of filling the freezer are better. They think about the potential to find a trophy quality animal.

[Scheindogg]

Mistake?  You must have taken my post the wrong way. There was no mistake, and I won't apologize for looking at the harvest report and wondering how a person ends up shooting a spike on special permit hunts that are known for big mule deer. I thought it it turned out being a great thread. I enjoyed reading the stories and all the comments. Only thing was not many people addressed my other comment about how the harvest report shows 8 hunters out of 15 permits for the Entiat rifle hunt, and a 100% success rate. Was it really a 100% success rate? Or could it have been a 57% success rate? 9 of the 15 hunters submitted reports, so apparently 1 person reported that he or she did not hunt. So assuming everyone else hunted, that's 8 bucks killed out of 14 hunters, for a 57% success rate. That would also be assuming that the 6 who didn't submit a report, did not kill a deer. But who knows. That's why I asked the question in my original post, why can't the WDFW call hunters in cases like this and get more complete data?

Some people like myself apply for special hunts because there is less pressure and therefore have a better opportunity at filling the freezer. Maybe the dates work better for their schedule. Maybe they had plans for a longer season that got cut short. Maybe they’re not interested in very old deer in general. It’s by no means required to take an old deer with a quality hunt tag.

Also if you look at the special hunts page of the regs nowhere does it mention mature deer.

If you drew the tag, you would use your experience to get the biggest deer you could find, good for you. That’s quality to you. To others it could mean a multitude of things and I wouldn’t waste my time wondering why some hunters take smaller deer than others.

 Nobody is planning their season around a quality buck or bull tag in this state! If its about meat the doe and cow tags should be your emphasis. Why on earth would you spend $14.75 a year and accumultate points for years to maybe draw 1 or 2 quality tags in your life.

I certainly never said I was planning my hunts around these tags. When I said maybe the days work better I was saying maybe during regular season those dates would only be available for a weekend but if drawn for a special tag that has different dates, there’s an entire week they could carve out.
Also not sure why you’re implying ~15$ per year is hurting my wallet. I’m by no means financially well off but it doesn’t hurt to apply for me at all.

Literally the description under “quality” says “hunters can expect lower hunter densities, greater potential for success or good timing for these hunts”

It doesn’t say “hunters should expect to get a quality animal” or “hunters can expect a big rack from this unit” or anything of that nature.

FWIW I am also applying for the second (Antlerless) tags. Looking at all ways I can to fill the freezer, not just the quality tag

While I agree that you aren't guaranteed a certain size of animal, the regs dont say that because they need to be sensitive to all people who may pick up regulations and flip through them (Politically Correct). I'd bet that when most hunters see they drew a quality permit, they don't think about how their odds of filling the freezer are better. They think about the potential to find a trophy quality animal.

Very good points.
They also help me make my point that I’ve failed to make so far 

What it comes down to is a quality tag will get your odds of getting AN animal higher.

Newer hunters that apply and successfully draw (like me) will see this as an increased opportunity at ANY animal.
More experienced hunters (who are more likely to draw assuming they’ve been applying longer) will see this as an increased opportunity for a MATURE animal.

So all in all the more experienced hunters may seem offended when less than “quality” animals are taken on a quality tag, but ultimately there are many legitimate reasons why this might happen.
That’s all I was trying to say

[HUNT JR]

Mistake?  You must have taken my post the wrong way. There was no mistake, and I won't apologize for looking at the harvest report and wondering how a person ends up shooting a spike on special permit hunts that are known for big mule deer. I thought it it turned out being a great thread. I enjoyed reading the stories and all the comments. Only thing was not many people addressed my other comment about how the harvest report shows 8 hunters out of 15 permits for the Entiat rifle hunt, and a 100% success rate. Was it really a 100% success rate? Or could it have been a 57% success rate? 9 of the 15 hunters submitted reports, so apparently 1 person reported that he or she did not hunt. So assuming everyone else hunted, that's 8 bucks killed out of 14 hunters, for a 57% success rate. That would also be assuming that the 6 who didn't submit a report, did not kill a deer. But who knows. That's why I asked the question in my original post, why can't the WDFW call hunters in cases like this and get more complete data?

Some people like myself apply for special hunts because there is less pressure and therefore have a better opportunity at filling the freezer. Maybe the dates work better for their schedule. Maybe they had plans for a longer season that got cut short. Maybe they’re not interested in very old deer in general. It’s by no means required to take an old deer with a quality hunt tag.

Also if you look at the special hunts page of the regs nowhere does it mention mature deer.

If you drew the tag, you would use your experience to get the biggest deer you could find, good for you. That’s quality to you. To others it could mean a multitude of things and I wouldn’t waste my time wondering why some hunters take smaller deer than others.

 Nobody is planning their season around a quality buck or bull tag in this state! If its about meat the doe and cow tags should be your emphasis. Why on earth would you spend $14.75 a year and accumultate points for years to maybe draw 1 or 2 quality tags in your life.

I certainly never said I was planning my hunts around these tags. When I said maybe the days work better I was saying maybe during regular season those dates would only be available for a weekend but if drawn for a special tag that has different dates, there’s an entire week they could carve out.
Also not sure why you’re implying ~15$ per year is hurting my wallet. I’m by no means financially well off but it doesn’t hurt to apply for me at all.

Literally the description under “quality” says “hunters can expect lower hunter densities, greater potential for success or good timing for these hunts”

It doesn’t say “hunters should expect to get a quality animal” or “hunters can expect a big rack from this unit” or anything of that nature.

FWIW I am also applying for the second (Antlerless) tags. Looking at all ways I can to fill the freezer, not just the quality tag

While I agree that you aren't guaranteed a certain size of animal, the regs dont say that because they need to be sensitive to all people who may pick up regulations and flip through them (Politically Correct). I'd bet that when most hunters see they drew a quality permit, they don't think about how their odds of filling the freezer are better. They think about the potential to find a trophy quality animal.

Very good points.
They also help me make my point that I’ve failed to make so far 

What it comes down to is a quality tag will get your odds of getting AN animal higher.

Newer hunters that apply and successfully draw (like me) will see this as an increased opportunity at ANY animal.
More experienced hunters (who are more likely to draw assuming they’ve been applying longer) will see this as an increased opportunity for a MATURE animal.

So all in all the more experienced hunters may seem offended when less than “quality” animals are taken on a quality tag, but ultimately there are many legitimate reasons why this might happen.
That’s all I was trying to say

I agree with that, and as others have said, quality is up to each individual.

[jstone]

In 2006 I had the late archery entiat tag. I stalked a HUGE 2x2. I would have smoked him in a hart beat. Not a spike but a pope and young 2 point

[Jpmiller]

I've yet to draw my first quality tag but can honestly say I'd have a hard time passing the first buck I see.

[OutHouse]

I've yet to draw my first quality tag but can honestly say I'd have a hard time passing the first buck I see.

Same but I quit the draw years ago. When I really want a mature mule deer, off to Saskatchewan I will go.

[Threewolves]

If it was the last day and a huge spike, most likely I would. I usually shoot the first legal I see, although I have passed on a few spikes.  Last year general season, opening morning I had two spikes 300 yards out. I thought about it, I called my wife and talked about it. The spikes bedded down, I decided to pass. They where there until I left. I was thinking they would have 20 plus more pounds on them next year, or maybe a kid would get to shoot them. One was little and the other was extra tiny and it was opening day.

[Dirtnap]

Who cares?   Focus more on wolves.

[Dirtnap]

It’s a individuals tag and a individuals choice.

[Mfowl]

I've yet to draw my first quality tag but can honestly say I'd have a hard time passing the first buck I see.

Same but I quit the draw years ago. When I really want a mature mule deer, off to Saskatchewan I will go.

Did something change in Saskatchewan? I thought there was no non resident mule deer hunting there? Save a tribal res hunt or two.