2020-21 Hunting Season Comments to WDFW

[konradcountry]

I hunt east and west and that was my point  think its time for change

I also hunt east and west but I think we are in a slim minority.

The multi-season deer isn't like multi-season elk. They usually end up with otc tags for deer. 

I just don't see picking a side changing much for deer.

The bigger problem I see is that the state doesn't care about improving deer habitat. They will log an area and then won't plant protein sources for the deer in the clearings. They will leave a bunch of scrap and let salal or blackberries grow in.

[hunter399]

the deer herds in NE WA are a fraction of what they were. The ag areas in some areas do have quite a few does, the problem is the public land where alot of it is in the mountains away from ag and that is where the deer numbers have been wiped out

This is spot on ,deer counts need to be done on public ground. Not ag fields.

[hunter399]

I hunt east and west and that was my point  think its time for change

I also hunt east and west but I think we are in a slim minority.

The multi-season deer isn't like multi-season elk. They usually end up with otc tags for deer. 

I just don't see picking a side changing much for deer.

The bigger problem I see is that the state doesn't care about improving deer habitat. They will log an area and then won't plant protein sources for the deer in the clearings. They will leave a bunch of scrap and let salal or blackberries grow in.

I don't know what truck you guys fell off of.But Friday before Saturday opener ,bumper to bump rv,four wheeler,people from the west side hit the east side it makes up a least 50 % of the hunters over here opening mourning

It's not the state craping out the habitat ,it's the spraying done after the clear cut , So now there's know cover or food there.

[Bango skank]

Absolutely not.  We just got rid of ALL antlerless whitetail harvest in the NE last year, even special permit, youth, disabled and senior, and for good reason.  I dont know how much time you spend here, but we absolutely shouldnt have any antlerless whatsoever.

Well I guess we disagree here.

I just don't buy that antlerless is a problem when it is left to archery and muzzleloader.

I still haven't met a west sider that runs over there to kill a doe during archery.

I'd bet that more does are taken through special tags in that area. Haven't looked into it in a while but I remember that 124 had quite a few doe tags for modern.

124 is not a northeast unit.  101-121 are northeast units, and there are no antlerless tags available as of the 2019 season, not even via special permit.  Even the colville river second deer permit, which was to address deer vehicle collisions, was removed because there just arent enough deer for that to be a safety issue anymore. And whether its locals or westsiders that were killing does is irrelevant, the point is our whitetail numbers are WAY down, weve been below objective for like 8 years, and whether you buy it or not is irrelevant, we cant support antlerless harvest with the current state of our herd.

Region 1 (101-121) had 823 antlerless deer harvested (reported, so likely more) in 2018 on general tags. And combined with special permits 949 total does harvested (reported.) So your bet that more does are harvested on special permits is way off, you lose that bet.  823 does on general tags vs 126 does on special permits. 

We cant support having 1000 does harvested in a year in northeast washington, thats madness.  Thats why we abolished all doe hunting in region 1 in 2019.  Our numbers are down so low we need every doe we have.

[huntnnw]

  there shouldn't be any antler-less harvest right now in those units. Id be on board for no muzzy or archery antlerless harvest. They could also implement a  rule like Idaho does and designate doe harvest within 1 mile of ag.

[Bango skank]

there shouldn't be any antler-less harvest right now in those units. Id be on board for no muzzy or archery antlerless harvest. They could also implement a  rule like Idaho does and designate doe harvest within 1 mile of ag.

Thats already in place

[huntnnw]

guess its been awhile since I looked . I dont shoot does.

[Onewhohikes]

Just spikes

[Bango skank]

Just spikes

Nah, he gets a nice forky now and then

[Onewhohikes]

Yea it sounds like he likes that young tender meat.

[konradcountry]

Region 1 (101-121) had 823 antlerless deer harvested (reported, so likely more) in 2018 on general tags. And combined with special permits 949 total does harvested (reported.) So your bet that more does are harvested on special permits is way off, you lose that bet.  823 does on general tags vs 126 does on special permits. 

Well I was making my bet based on 2019 regulations.

Anyways even if 124 isn't technically in the same area it still borders 117 and 121. So you have an area that could be growing bigger bucks but is any deer for a lot of groups.

[konradcountry]

I don't know what truck you guys fell off of.But Friday before Saturday opener ,bumper to bump rv,four wheeler,people from the west side hit the east side it makes up a least 50 % of the hunters over here opening mourning

It's not the state craping out the habitat ,it's the spraying done after the clear cut , So now there's know cover or food there.

How do you know they are all westside? There are areas all over the state that are crowded weekend opener for modern. I don't see how making people pick east or west would change that. Multi-season deer hunters are a small group and their success rate is still under 50%.

Anyways in other states they will plant huge sections of grain for the deer. With our state they just clear and leave scrap piles and salal.

Other states spend a lot more time and resources making sure the deer have adequate protein sources. With WA they have this attitude of "deer r fine" and move onto the next logging area.

[Bango skank]

Region 1 (101-121) had 823 antlerless deer harvested (reported, so likely more) in 2018 on general tags. And combined with special permits 949 total does harvested (reported.) So your bet that more does are harvested on special permits is way off, you lose that bet.  823 does on general tags vs 126 does on special permits. 

Well I was making my bet based on 2019 regulations.

Anyways even if 124 isn't technically in the same area it still borders 117 and 121. So you have an area that could be growing bigger bucks but is any deer for a lot of groups.

There is absolutely no antlerless whitetail harvest of any sort whatsoever in ne wa 2019.  No special permits, no general, no disabled, youth or senior.  Nothing.

Your argument is that they should have antlerless otc for archery and muzzy because you think that special permits account for more doe harvest than otc arch and muzzy, but all you have to do is look at the 2018 harvest reports (the last year we had antlerless hunts) to see thst your assumption is incorrect.

[bearpaw]

Last night before dark the wife and I made a drive where normally I expect to see 75 to 200 deer, we saw only 25 deer. I'm hoping that number is different the next time I make the same check! 

[Bango skank]

Last night before dark the wife and I made a drive where normally I expect to see 75 to 200 deer, we saw only 25 deer. I'm hoping that number is different the next time I make the same check! 

It will be different.  Next time youll see 15 instead of 25.