22 points

[dilleytech]

At all?It would take out every person that tags a bull elk out of the draw.Over 800 tags for quality and any bull(2019).Every idea in this thread improves the odds to draw a tag.

The best 1 is 1 application per species.Take away the possible 800 hunters that were successful at tagging a bull odds go up even more.With hunters saying that getting drawn within 100 years i don't see anything wrong with making quality and bull oil tags.

over 50k applications went into the quality bull draw and over 40k went into the any bull drawing.That's almost 10% over a 10 year period out of the draws. 

Marking it a OIL tag would decrease greatly the number of bull tags you could get over your lifetime. I’m 31 I have been drawn 3 times and didn’t Putin for about 7 years.

[Oh Mah]

Exactly my point. 

[Karl Blanchard]

Or we could just increase permits back up to where they should be in the first place 

[Oh Mah]

I have been looking at what you have been saying Karl and if you're right i agree but i'm not sure the herd is all that great over here.Where were all these elk during season last year and when i checked out the feeding stations the herd did seem a lot smaller than past years.

What do you think the bull to cow ratio is in Yakima?

[Karl Blanchard]

The feed lot was vacant because we didn't have a winter to force them down.

[Oh Mah]

True.  snowed heavy during deer then nothing.

[Oh Mah]

Or we could just increase permits back up to where they should be in the first place 

If you're right Karl where do you feel the quota should be?Back to where it was in say 2016 or even more?

[Karl Blanchard]

Somewhere in there yes or maybe more. The yakima GMU's havent changed much as far as numbers go for 30 years so obviously it's beena very sustainable practice. 

[Oh Mah]

That's great,Here's a dumb question.How can we as hunters show that the herds in Yakima are in good condition and get the dept. to bring the permits back?

[Karl Blanchard]

I sure wish I had an answer to that. Its 2020 and we are still counting animals  like its 1975. Its frustrating.  I'm sure it's a budget thing but sometimes I wonder.  I'd volunteer a considerable amount if time if they would implement a volunteer program for winter counts. We all have gps, cameras,optics, even drones, etc, etc. Let us help

[Oh Mah]

I sure wish I had an answer to that. Its 2020 and we are still counting animals  like its 1975. Its frustrating.  I'm sure it's a budget thing but sometimes I wonder.  I'd volunteer a considerable amount if time if they would implement a volunteer program for winter counts. We all have gps, cameras,optics, even drones, etc, etc. Let us help

I would volunteer to count as well. 

[B4noon]

I sure wish I had an answer to that. Its 2020 and we are still counting animals  like its 1975. Its frustrating.  I'm sure it's a budget thing but sometimes I wonder.  I'd volunteer a considerable amount if time if they would implement a volunteer program for winter counts. We all have gps, cameras,optics, even drones, etc, etc. Let us help

It’s not a budget issue it’s a priority issue and depending upon what region your in biologists have been allowed to change adapt their job to their personal interests so in Yakima elk fall into the arm chair quarterback approach with little effort however golden eagles, gray squirrels, and bumble bees have taken the front row believe it or not they are ahead of carnivores and they also come with outside funding which creates more indirect revenue which is how they obtain funding for administration positions until that is changes ungulates although they generate revenue for the state through license sales and have huge economic impacts to the communities they take a back row same the way the game department always throws trout hatcheries on the table when budget cuts have to be made even though they generate huge amounts of money endangered species come with outside funding with less direction in how it is spent wdfw is even looking into reducing or eliminating feed stations

[D-Rock425]

I saw more spikes last year during late archery season than I've ever seen in one season.  Probably saw 10-15 in one day so the bull outlook should be improving not that it was ever really a problem.

[dilleytech]

Exactly my point. 

Huh? Basically I was drawn 3 times in 10 years and you think OIL would be better? Of course there were a lot more tags issued back then..

[Stein]

Exactly my point. 

Huh? Basically I was drawn 3 times in 10 years and you think OIL would be better? Of course there were a lot more tags issued back then..

More tags and fewer applicants.  It's not of much value comparing 10 years ago with the next 10 years.  Many tag numbers are down 75-90% and applicants are up in just 4 years.  The unit I used to apply for went from 134 tags in 2016 to 10 last year - down 92.5%.  You now need 18 points for a 10% chance when only four years ago you had the same chance with 4 points.

Mathematically, quality elk tags are OIL.