Should Washington Move to a Draw Only Management for Yakima, Colockum, and Blues

[Maverick]

If we cant get the tribes to help us properly manage the herds then there is no point sadly

[KFhunter]

I'll also throw this out there...


If the 100 series GMU's were properly managed for Elk and had predator reduction,  I believe they could take up the slack.  The habitat could hold a lot of Elk and they'd have great escapement, cover and winter habitat.   

It could be an epic elk hunting mecca.


It pisses me off to think what it could be here.   

[dilleytech]

It seems true that most people who aren’t successful usually aren’t the guys putting in for tags anyway but if it went to draw only most of those guys would be in the draw so odds would get worse. At least short term.

[KFhunter]

If we cant get the tribes to help us properly manage the herds then there is no point sadly

I can only think of about 2 ways to get the tribes to come to the table and make a joint management plan...


1) scorched earth.  Open up OTC any elk in all units that tribes are an issue, slaughter the elk until there's so few left no one is getting much elk.   Keep it this way until the tribes are willing to work with the state and we can finally have a joint state/tribe management plan that is fair for all.   Then rebuild the herds. 

2) go roadless.  destroy all access except foot only.  This would harm all other recreation and the push back would be tremendous.   We could compromise by gating roads from Oct thru May. The point is make it hard for the tribes to drive up to a herd and load in a truck. 

[KFhunter]

It seems true that most people who aren’t successful usually aren’t the guys putting in for tags anyway but if it went to draw only most of those guys would be in the draw so odds would get worse. At least short term.

Yes, there'd be some that got into the points game,  but honestly I think most hunters just go to walmart and buy their tags on opening day or maybe a week prior.   This would be a shock to them because they do not participate in the planning, they don't email WDFW.   I think they'd get pissed and just buy a deer tag or not even buy a tag. 

Some would jump into the points game,  but meh    most would just be disgruntled, curse WDFW and go home. 

[predatorpro]

The draw system is strictly to make money, it has no other purpose and in no way has anything to do with wildlife management.

[BoomWhop]

If we cant get the tribes to help us properly manage the herds then there is no point sadly

I can only think of about 2 ways to get the tribes to come to the table and make a joint management plan...


1) scorched earth.  Open up OTC any elk in all units that tribes are an issue, slaughter the elk until there's so few left no one is getting much elk.   Keep it this way until the tribes are willing to work with the state and we can finally have a joint state/tribe management plan that is fair for all.   Then rebuild the herds. 

2) go roadless.  destroy all access except foot only.  This would harm all other recreation and the push back would be tremendous.   We could compromise by gating roads from Oct thru May. The point is make it hard for the tribes to drive up to a herd and load in a truck. 

Do both....with a couple of draw only wilderness units. I wish that was a choice on the polls.

[idahohuntr]

The draw system is strictly to make money, it has no other purpose and in no way has anything to do with wildlife management.

I agree it has a revenue focus in many ways - and that has influenced decisions by WDFW - but to say it has nothing to do with wildlife management is not accurate.  If all tags were OTC the quality and quantity of game would be decimated from current levels. 

[Maverick]

The draw system is strictly to make money, it has no other purpose and in no way has anything to do with wildlife management.

I agree it has a revenue focus in many ways - and that has influenced decisions by WDFW - but to say it has nothing to do with wildlife management is not accurate.  If all tags were OTC the quality and quantity of game would be decimated from current levels.

Basically our elk hunting would be like our deer hunting

[idahohuntr]

The draw system is strictly to make money, it has no other purpose and in no way has anything to do with wildlife management.

I agree it has a revenue focus in many ways - and that has influenced decisions by WDFW - but to say it has nothing to do with wildlife management is not accurate.  If all tags were OTC the quality and quantity of game would be decimated from current levels.

Basically our elk hunting would be like our deer hunting

minus all the permit late season hunts for deer

[B4noon]

Living where I can watch tribal harvest off the front porch unfortunately until an agreement could be reached I can’t support giving up anytime with my family in the woods seems like about the time other tribes started utilizing the resource in the Yakima area is when activity from the yakamas increased maybe coincidentally not sure interesting enough other tribes such as the colvilles seem to have sound managment plans that work and are productive I agree that predators are also a huge problem along with horn hunters running pregnant cows to the snow line starting in early March and master hunters cutting holes in elk fences to create opportunities hard for me to support losing time with my boys hunting successfully or not until all parties can come to the table and a sound joint effort is made I also think to much emphasis is placed on trying to manage for trophy vs healthy herds that provide opportunity I like huge antlers as much as anybody and but the mindset needs to be find a way to balance the herd before we try and figure out how to create quality opportunities that produce 330 plus bulls however that can be the long game after we solve the other issues at hand regardless if we all sit on the sidelines to do our part the jerky guy will still kill over 100 bulls a year as he brags to do now

[ridgefire]

I would also be all for opening up the units the Indians hunt for any elk in all seasons until they are gone. Hopefully it would open their eyes and get the Indians on board with some sort of a management plan and them rebuild the herds back up. It would suck short term but would be worth it long term.

[Karl Blanchard]

Shoet term    you guys are talking the end of elk hunting. Itll take 20 years to get sustainable herds back. By then a large portion of WA elk hunters will be dead or too old to hunt. There will be almost no new recruitment in that time period. I'm all for shaking the tree but it has to make sense.

[Onewhohikes]

Don't shake too hard you might get hit by an apple.

[dvolmer]

I've enjoyed reading all of your different responses on this very important issue.  Like I said, Nothing will be done about the situation and that is sad and tragic.  It will over time drift out into the sunset and be gone.  The ones that would have to come to the table and be willing to give a little, will never come to the table unless drastic measures take place and the ones that would have to take the drastic measures don't have the stomach or willpower to do it.  (Believe me, I don't know if I would be able to condone or take those measures myself because it would be absolutely terrible).  But the fact is absolute!  Its just a matter of how long it will take!  The goose that lays the golden egg will be cooked and eaten...... Then no one will enjoy the golden eggs in the long haul.

Because if the elk numbers drop so low that there are no tags to be given out due to poor game management, abundant tribal abuse,  massive predators, and so forth, then the revenue from the sportsmen and women will dry up because no matter how many points you have, you cant draw a tag if there isn't one to be had!

Sounds pretty dreary, but you just wait 20-30 years and see!  Plucking the golden goose will take time.  As she is slowly plucked, the stress will slow down her egg production until it is all over on the day she is cooked!!!