Westside Pheasant hunting on the chopping block

[pianoman9701]

I'm not sure the "don't plant them because they don't survive" argument is valid unless you also apply it to fish. No one (except maybe WFC) wants to apply it to fish because it would end most fishing for salmonids across the entire state.

You could also argue that many hatchery based fisheries are ridiculously expensive on a "per fish caught/returned basis". Direct user license fees don't come close to covering costs, thus requiring other budget sources.

Westside pheasant hunters have been "paying more" since what...the 80's... when the fee went up to near 100$. I think most would be willing to put more into the pot if it were proposed. There is more than $$ driving this.

I'm more than a little surprised and concerned so many here are not only not supporting, but actually speaking against this program.
 
It seems like more of the "it can go away since I don't do it" attitude. If you don't know where that attitude gets us all in the long run, you have not been paying attention.

Yes, it's low-hanging fruit; but what's next???

First of all, comparing fishing to W.WA pheasant hunting is ridiculous, all due respects. Fisherman contribute about 8 million times more to the WDFW funds than those purchasing pheasant cards. Secondly, another option is to charge what would be needed to support the program. The problem is that would likely mean cards that cost $200-300 each. Then when that happens, 3/4 of the people currently buying would stop. So, then the cards would cost $1000 each and no one would get them.

We pay to play with our hunting and fishing fees. If you get chosen for a multi-season elk permit, you pay and extra $182 because it's worth it to you or you don't because it isn't. Elk hunters support the elk program with their tag dollars and the cost of those tags increases as the cost of the program increases. That's where we're at with the W.WA pheasant program. It's a prohibitively expensive program and if people want it to continue, instead of hunting for native birds on the E. side, they need to pay for it or find funding elsewhere to continue the program. Someone suggested Pheasants Forever and other conservation groups. That might be a great idea. But something needs to give, apparently.

[The Marquis]

I'd rather WDFW take their financial losses by spending money on game that will survive and reproduce.  I can think of nothing further from that than Western Washington pheasant. 

[JimmyHoffa]

First of all, comparing fishing to W.WA pheasant hunting is ridiculous, all due respects. Fisherman contribute about 8 million times more to the WDFW funds than those purchasing pheasant cards. Secondly, another option is to charge what would be needed to support the program. The problem is that would likely mean cards that cost $200-300 each. Then when that happens, 3/4 of the people currently buying would stop. So, then the cards would cost $1000 each and no one would get them.

I think that depends on how the season is structured.  If you were to pay $300 and still have Wed and the pick Sat or Sun and having youth getting special days, then it might not be worth the $300.  If the number of hunters dropped a bit and you had a few more days/birds, then it might be a bargain.  I think the big draw was the proximity--it was something you could get up at seven, drive a few miles and spend a few hours doing.  Then it turned into combat hunting, waiting around, people walking in early, selecting days, etc.

[JimmyHoffa]

I'd rather WDFW take their financial losses by spending money on game that will survive and reproduce.  I can think of nothing further from that than Western Washington pheasant.

I think westside turkey might have been worse.

[pianoman9701]

I'd rather WDFW take their financial losses by spending money on game that will survive and reproduce.  I can think of nothing further from that than Western Washington pheasant.

I think westside turkey might have been worse.

Absolutely.

[AspenBud]

They're not a native bird. Maybe encourage people to hunt ruffed grouse, blue grouse, band tail pigeons, and waterfowl.

I grew up fishing the lakes around here for the stocked rainbow trout. Not sure I'm much in support of that anymore either. Are those rainbow trout native? I don't think so. How has filling the lakes with an artificially high number of a non native fish affected native species? There used to be wild cutthroat trout in one lake I'm familiar with. I'm pretty sure those fish are now gone.

Pheasant in any form are not native. Neither are chukar and Huns and valley quail. I even seem to recall reading that the Rocky Mountain elk people pursue in eastern Washington were imported from Yellowstone. If we’re going to get rid of non-natives we can wipe out a lot of hunting in this state fast.

Band tails you get a whole 9 day season. Our grouse numbers are not that awesome and you are taking a risk with your bird dog if you hunt them in the unending rifle seasons we have.

Waterfowl is the only alternative left and that’s a no go for a lot of upland pointing dogs. Ducks also tend to taste like what they eat.  🤮

That leaves LONG drives to east of the mountains. This is how hunting dies.

[pianoman9701]

They're not a native bird. Maybe encourage people to hunt ruffed grouse, blue grouse, band tail pigeons, and waterfowl.

I grew up fishing the lakes around here for the stocked rainbow trout. Not sure I'm much in support of that anymore either. Are those rainbow trout native? I don't think so. How has filling the lakes with an artificially high number of a non native fish affected native species? There used to be wild cutthroat trout in one lake I'm familiar with. I'm pretty sure those fish are now gone.

Pheasant in any form are not native. Neither are chukar and Huns and valley quail. I even seem to recall reading that the Rocky Mountain elk people pursue in eastern Washington were imported from Yellowstone. If we’re going to get rid of non-natives we can wipe out a lot of hunting in this state fast.

Band tails you get a whole 9 day season. Our grouse numbers are not that awesome and you are taking a risk with your bird dog if you hunt them in the unending rifle seasons we have.

Waterfowl is the only alternative left and that’s a no go for a lot of upland pointing dogs. Ducks also tend to taste like what they eat.  🤮

That leaves LONG drives to east of the mountains. This is how hunting dies.

The birds you mentioned are able to survive on their own. Pheasants can't survive on the wetside. They have to be stocked. Huge difference. If you feel this strongly about wetside pheasant hunting, make a proposal to the commission on how to pay for it. This isn't how hunting dies. This is how unsupportable programs which serve a tiny fraction of the hunting community yet carry a huge cost die.

[WSU]

The point being made is that we are losing opportunity left and right.  Big game hunting is down and hunter recruitment with it.  Fishing is on a hard downward trend.  Upland in E. Wa. is down due to farming practices.  Access is harder and harder every year.  Waterfowl becomes more difficult as access goes away and birds are attracted to private land.  Public areas are being made less attractive to waterfowl due to decrease in planted feed and salmon habitat projects. 

WDFW pisses away money left and right on things that are far more expensive and less useful.  This is just another step in the wrong direction.  We are watching hunting fade away as the public gets less involved and has less connection.  While the people here may be content to head to Wyoming for elk and drive their expensive bird dog to SE Wa every weekend, the kids and adults I talk to going through hunter education are not nearly that advance or knowledgeable.  Lots don't even have a clue where to start.  Something accessible like west side pheasant is a good place to start and a lot more approachable than trying to find private property to hunt 6 hours east. 

I haven't hunted a release site in a decade (total guess).  But, anyone that cares about hunting and recruitment should be opposed IMO.

[Muleycrazy01]

Then charge them a fee high enough to cover the cost, just like a private business would do.

Should we apply this logic to all non-native hunting opportunities- like the Yakima elk herd?

Spot on full choke... should we also have all the pheasants killed off in eastern WA aswell beings the ringneck pheasant is a non native species to the entire U.S.? They originated in China hints the name Chinese ringneck pheasant?.....

[Muleycrazy01]

So if they plan on cutting it why is it an option to buy this year still is what gets me another way for them to dip into our pockets it seems

[ctwiggs1]

I thought all our tag sales went to the general fund.  What would raising prices do?

[KopperBuck]

Then charge them a fee high enough to cover the cost, just like a private business would do.

Should we apply this logic to all non-native hunting opportunities- like the Yakima elk herd?

Spot on full choke... should we also have all the pheasants killed off in eastern WA aswell beings the ringneck pheasant is a non native species to the entire U.S.? They originated in China hints the name Chinese ringneck pheasant?.....

The difference, again.... as others have stated, it is not a renewable/sustainable population. I would try a stronger argument - i.e. quit taking sh*t from us that you know will hurt just so you get your funds. SOOOOOOOO many other options to cut funds, starting with WMS.

[The Marquis]

I'd rather WDFW take their financial losses by spending money on game that will survive and reproduce.  I can think of nothing further from that than Western Washington pheasant.

I think westside turkey might have been worse.

Absolutely.

I didn't realize there was currently a program that WDFW does to plant turkeys in Western Washington. 

[pianoman9701]

They transplanted a bunch maybe 10, 15, 20 years ago, and they never made it.  I don't believe they're still moving them in.

[The Marquis]

They transplanted a bunch maybe 10, 15, 20 years ago, and they never made it.  I don't believe they're still moving them in.

Well, at least they recognized that it failed and stopped the practice.  Too bad wolves didn't turn out that way.