Commission to Shorten the east side deer season

[hunter399]

So I watched the last zoom meetings from the commission regarding the 4pt min in district 1.
Pretty much WDFW solution to "save" mature bucks is to Shorten the late firearm season. Everybody has seen the fine for not reporting go up to 20 dollars. I'm sure a licence increase is not far behind. Basically pay more for less time in the woods.Alot of there information is based off a wsu survey last spring from hunters in which over 90% of hunters said they didn't want the season shorter.
Anyway the different options from the sounds of it .
1, APR
2 SEASON SHORTER
3 NO CHANGE AT ALL.

So WDFW is gonna recommend shorter season to the commission I believe.
At this point even I want no change ,cause they just are not gonna break on the 4pt min.
If you like hunting the NE corner,I recommend you contact the commission and let them know you don't want shorter season.
Final decision will be made at a march meeting .
I will post links to contact commission and to the zoom meeting in a few minutes.
Just like spring bear and many other issues coming up if you don't let your voice be heard .Time in the woods will slip away.

[hunter399]

Link to contact commission

https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/commission/contact

Link to meeting-go to 2021 meeting

https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/commission/meetings#public-testimony

[Seabass]

That would be a bummer. A lot of areas are actually on the upswing. I think 21 & 22 could be like the 13/14 seasons... there were a lot of older bigger bucks around.

[Ghost Hunter]

Did I miss something??  Looked like commission leaned towards status quo?  This with trifecta predator pack, and farmers not raising enough grain for the WT.      

[hunter399]

At this point ,I'm really not sure that a decision will be made at the March meeting .They where going to make one in March. But this comment period in February is last time to put your  :twocents. In before deciding.
Claiming they need more info.
Not sure what questions they will ask in February.
I would be very careful how you answer.
Just like the WSU survey last spring they asked if hunters wanted more mature deer to hunt.
Alot of hunter said Heck Ya
But very little supported 4pt min.
So there answer is to Shorten the late season to allow more escapement to mature bucks.
Yet there is no hunter that I know that wants shorter season.
 

[Aeron]

Shorter season = crowded woods.  Instead of people planning a trip at the beginning, middle, or end of the season that is spread out, they will all be there at the same time.  Stupid idea. 

[hunter399]

Ya I have no clue where it's at right now ,missed a few commission meetings and they seem to have problems posting past meeting audio on the WDFW site.

I kinda just gave up on it.Tossed in the white towel.
I not sure if they made a decision.
Pretty sure the Department recommend a shorter season.

Ya I don't believe it's a smart idea. But with covid Alot more people are recreational outside . So I think they figure that people will still buy liences even if they shorten the season.
Which is probably true.
So at this point we really don't have a say in it.
Public comment is over.
It is what it is.
Short term bandaid ,that really does nothing to help hunters ,not one bit.

Not only does it crowd a bunch of hunters.
The hunter that might pass a spike is not gonna due that when you shorten the season.
More people
More deer drives to pressure out deer in a short season.
Other unfavorable acts to harvest.
No pass on smaller bucks.
Does nothing to help youth,disabled,65 over like other options would.

Overall just bad management in my opinion.
The end goal of more mature bucks won't happen with a shorter season ,most small bucks will be gun down quicker instead of passed on with a longer season.
They could of went with APR and added a week ,instead of shorter.

The people that make these decisions are very good at seeing the black and white on paper.
But what really happens in a season ,they really don't have the first clue.

[hunter399]

This stinks🤔

[Russ McDonald]

Everything gets presented to the commision on the 26th for all rule changes.  There will be public comment in a zoom format https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/commission/meetings/2021/25march2021-fwc-agenda . You need to pre register if you want to comment.  Commission will approve what they want on April 9.

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[Ghost Hunter]

Everything gets presented to the commision on the 26th for all rule changes.  There will be public comment in a zoom format https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/commission/meetings/2021/25march2021-fwc-agenda . You need to pre register if you want to comment.  Commission will approve what they want on April 9.

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Thank you for clarifying.  I'm going to try and tune in, although I don't think I will comment any further.  Then I'm packing up.     I want to be sure I'm off the grid and communication network prior to any further communications on spring bear season.   

[hunter399]

Everything gets presented to the commision on the 26th for all rule changes.  There will be public comment in a zoom format https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/commission/meetings/2021/25march2021-fwc-agenda . You need to pre register if you want to comment.  Commission will approve what they want on April 9.

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Thank you for clarifying.  I'm going to try and tune in, although I don't think I will comment any further.  Then I'm packing up.     I want to be sure I'm off the grid and communication network prior to any further communications on spring bear season.   

Same Here.
I'll tune in.
But I'm done with comments,emails to the commission.
It falls on def ears.
Going back to the old ways of doing things.
I'll wait till the regulations come out .Hunt with the time God gives me and hope for the best.
Screw it.

[bobcat]

What they have posted for proposed seasons it doesn't show a shortened season for that area:

[hunter399]

What they have posted for proposed seasons it doesn't show a shortened season for that area:

If you look at 124 late season ,that's what the season should be.
Which was a concern I didn't bring up. That Alot of the pressure will be directed at that gmu since it has the season we are supposed to have. They have decide to stay with Nov 19 closing date. 124 Already has a low deer population but they thought it would be a great idea to send everybody in the next three county's there for 7 days or whatever it is.
Until the late season opens for NE Washington. That's where I will go till these other units open.
The buck in my avatar was taken there this last year.
 

[hunter399]

The late season last year was 7-19
Which means this year should be 6-19
I did notice they scratched whitetail deer ,so maybe we can all hunt late mule deer. Any buck even sweet...

Dang it I guess it does say eastern Washington whitetail deer.

[hunter399]

They forgot to mention that when they wanted to take away antlerless for 124 in there little comments.
That they would be sending every hunter in the NE Wa there +guys that come over to hunt that might hunt there a few days until late season opens for the rest.

Crowd everybody into one gmu for 5 day,then crowd them into the other three gmu for 10 day ,and the magical mature bucks will be all over the place.
It may help archery hunters a little bit ,but after the extreme amount of bullets flying everywhere in these short crowded seasons I really don't think it will help archery.

[Jimmer]

What they have posted for proposed seasons it doesn't show a shortened season for that area:

If you look at 124 late season ,that's what the season should be.
Which was a concern I didn't bring up. That Alot of the pressure will be directed at that gmu since it has the season we are supposed to have. They have decide to stay with Nov 19 closing date. 124 Already has a low deer population but they thought it would be a great idea to send everybody in the next three county's there for 7 days or whatever it is.
Until the late season opens for NE Washington. That's where I will go till these other units open.
The buck in my avatar was taken there this last year.
 

Where do you come up with 124 has a low deer population?
I wouldn’t worry about people coming from the “next 3 county’s”, we all know where the people come from in groves...

[hunter399]

What they have posted for proposed seasons it doesn't show a shortened season for that area:

If you look at 124 late season ,that's what the season should be.
Which was a concern I didn't bring up. That Alot of the pressure will be directed at that gmu since it has the season we are supposed to have. They have decide to stay with Nov 19 closing date. 124 Already has a low deer population but they thought it would be a great idea to send everybody in the next three county's there for 7 days or whatever it is.
Until the late season opens for NE Washington. That's where I will go till these other units open.
The buck in my avatar was taken there this last year.
 

Where do you come up with 124 has a low deer population?

It was in the deer Proposal,in the public comment in February, That's why they are reduced antlerless opportunity.
65 over ,and disabled will not be able to hunt antlerless ,it will be youth only for modern firearm.
I'm gonna post a screenshot for ya.

[Jimmer]

Awesome thanks

[bearpaw]

Just sent my letter to the commission requesting that they keep the late buck season full length and to impose the 4 point rule where they want more buck escapement rather than take away hunting days from hunters.

[hunter399]

Youth will only have a week ,with one weekend,and not opening weekend ,but in the early season in 124.
That's not confusing,but it looks like the last week of early season.
65 over/disabled will not have any opportunity for antlerless in 124 or NE Washington ,unless they do permits,or second deer ECT.

These are just the "prosposed" seasons ,nothing is wrote in stone till the regulations come out.

Just my opinion ,but they didn't shorten the late season in 124 cause of public relations ,even though it looks as though deer population doesn't look great there and 124 isn't considered NE Washington on there region map.

[bearpaw]

Most likely the reason they need to conserve deer in 124 is because they had closed antlerless in all of NE WA except for 124. I had tons of people calling me wanting antlerless deer hunts in 124 the last couple years, I'm sure it has been crowded with antlerless hunters, IMO essentially poor management to cause that to happen! 

[hunter399]

Most likely the reason they need to conserve deer in 124 is because they had closed antlerless in all of NE WA except for 124. I had tons of people calling me wanting antlerless deer hunts in 124 the last couple years, I'm sure it has been crowded with antlerless hunters, IMO essentially poor management to cause that to happen! 

Ya that's pretty much it.
No antlerless hunts at all for NE Washington ,this will be the third year ,I think.
I thought the 4pt min idea was better thought out this time.
With allowing youth,65over,disabled to harvest any buck.
But allowing some escapement for some mature deer.
Allowing younger bucks less hunting pressure to breed all these does that don't get hunted.With a lot better chance of younger bucks with limited hunting pressure to make it through hard winter if we have one.
From what I was told youth/65/disabled make up 30% of deer harvest in district 1 now.So a 4pt min would of only effect 70% of hunters. Over time I believe success rates and the amount of youth/65/disabled would be more like 50% of hunters.
With that said I'm not a youth/65/disabled hunter ,I was just trying to look out for the future.


But what do I know.
I'm just gonna be happy with hunting something.
I already started putting in for time off work cause of this situation.

[baldopepper]

Personally think no antlerless hunting, period. Last time they had youth antlerless over here, hate to say it, there were several groups with small kids who just kinda smiled when you asked which youth shot the doe.  Like a lot of things, a few unscrupolous knuckleheads ruin it for everyone.  We just don't have enough enforcement people over here anymore to put a little fear in the cheaters minds. A couple of well known checking stations in the  area just don't do it.

[hunter399]

It sounds like there is a commission meeting or briefing of hunting seasons this weekend.
I might send an email myself to the commission.
Pretty much if you can't or don't want to attend the zoom meeting,then they want you to email commission with the link at the beginning of this topic. With any comments for up coming seasons.

Mine will probably say something along the lines of how they think sending everybody to gmu 124 for the extra 5 days of hunting is gonna help deer population there.
No change or APR with longer season is the only options I support.

[Russ McDonald]

This is the weekend WDFW presents all proposals to the commision. Public comments will be on the 26th.  Link I posted somewhere in the thread.

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