Late Archery General Season Date Change

[cmiller85]

I'm not sure how I missed this, but is it right that the late archery is now the 24-30?

It's not noted in red like it should be if so. The fact that I would have had to miss the proposal, miss the discussion that would have happened here, and that it's not highlighted in red makes me wonder (hope) that it's a WDFW typo...

Can anyone confirm?

[Jingles]

Going by what is in the regs would say yes late mulies in some GMU's ends the 30th while other GMU's ends 8 Dec

[Sandberm]

Depends what unit you hunt. I have this and last years regs in front of me. Some subtle changes to a few units. 

[cmiller85]

Depends what unit you hunt. I have this and last years regs in front of me. Some subtle changes to a few units. 

Typically the season is the 21-30, not the 24-30th.

Just seems odd this change (21-30th for as far back as I can remember), isn't noted in red. It snuck up on me, expecting tomorrow as the opening day. Just lucky I looked at the last second.

[Sandberm]

Depends what unit you hunt. I have this and last years regs in front of me. Some subtle changes to a few units. 

Typically the season is the 21-30, not the 24-30th.

Just seems odd this change (21-30th for as far back as I can remember), isn't noted in red. It snuck up on me, expecting tomorrow as the opening day. Just lucky I looked at the last second.

I get what you are saying. Good reminder to always check the regs. 15 to 20 years ago Dad and I went trout fishing in late February at a lake that had been open year round FOR YEARS. I can't remember why I checked, but i did and found out it now had a season of which we were fishing out of season. Whoops! Lucky we didnt get caught.

[jstone]

How many people will be out at the normal dates and not have read the regulation date change

[BAR C3]

These dates have been in place for years! The 21st-24th are usually the hottest days of the rut. I would almost be willing to say it’s been 10 years. There are a few units that open a day earlier, but it’s usually 24th/25th.

[bobcat]

I just looked at the seasons all the way back to 2009, and it's been November 21-30 every year until 2021. I think I'd call and find out if that might be an error in the pamphlet.

[Mtnwalker]

I just looked at the seasons all the way back to 2009, and it's been November 21-30 every year until 2021. I think I'd call and find out if that might be an error in the pamphlet.

Man if it is a misprint it’ll be a great 3 days to be in the woods 

[bobcat]

I found these, and don't see any explanation for the change in late archery mule deer dates:

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-02/cr-102-202102023_season_setting.pdf

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/14_deer_general_seasons_ss.pdf

[BAR C3]

I just looked at the seasons all the way back to 2009, and it's been November 21-30 every year until 2021. I think I'd call and find out if that might be an error in the pamphlet.

I guess it comes down to units. The Northeast units for whitetail have been 24th/25th for some time.

[boneaddict]

Should someone tell the guy headed to the entiat in the morning to hunt, or should we just let him have a couple nice days in the woods almost alone?

(No idea if he is driving to or hunting, or if these dates are for this unit)

[Mtnwalker]

Should someone tell the guy headed to the entiat in the morning to hunt, or should we just let him have a couple nice days in the woods almost alone?

(No idea if he is driving to or hunting, or if these dates are for this unit)

Looks like his QT started today so he should be good...

[Apples]

I heard that many hunters were shooting grouse on September 1st this year even though it didnt open till the 15th, always need to double check the regs!

[Mtnwalker]

Did anybody get a solid answer on this? I haven't gotten a response to my email yet.

[cmiller85]

Did anybody get a solid answer on this? I haven't gotten a response to my email yet.

I've not heard either. At this point I've concluded that it was changed and they messed up not noting it in red...just one step closer to being done with this state.

[Birdguy]

I would assume it is another change needed to support "other" groups and not hunters. Had it been in red the backlash would have started in May when the regs came out. Being most hunters read the seasons and saw the change there were likely few in the field.

Definitely a thing to watch for in the future. Shorter seasons has been the trend for many years, if they slipped this one by be it on purpose or accident it could well happen again.

[spin05]

We asked the local warden this question while over hunting them units. He said its to bring the opening dates with whitetail in line to be same day as mulies.   

[cmiller85]

We asked the local warden this question while over hunting them units. He said its to bring the opening dates with whitetail in line to be same day as mulies.

Hmm, I wonder why that matters? Why not move the whitetail dates back to the 20th? Or, more importantly, if they are matching to the whitetail season, then why didn't they bump the end date to December 15th like it is whitetail?

These aren't whitetail units so conforming the season to a species they don't even want in these units doesn't make sense to me.  And then only doing so as to shorten the muley season (not just change opening dates)? I don't buy it personally.

 They're just chiseling away at another season.

[blindluck]

Right on, if they were aligning the season start dates they would add the days to the end. They just took 30% of the season away.

[Rainier10]

Since I had the entiat archery tag I completely missed this change at first. I just assumed my hunting camp would be hunting swakane while I was in entiat.

I’m not sure how this got passed but I will be lobbying hard to get it back to the 21st-30th for next year

[Rainier10]

The season does appear to get one day longer each year for the next two 23-30 in 2022 and 22-30 in 2023

[spin05]

We asked the local warden this question while over hunting them units. He said its to bring the opening dates with whitetail in line to be same day as mulies.

Hmm, I wonder why that matters? Why not move the whitetail dates back to the 20th? Or, more importantly, if they are matching to the whitetail season, then why didn't they bump the end date to December 15th like it is whitetail?

These aren't whitetail units so conforming the season to a species they don't even want in these units doesn't make sense to me.  And then only doing so as to shorten the muley season (not just change opening dates)? I don't buy it personally.

I agree. The Muley herd there is hurting a bit. But if it was really hurting they cut back on the long rifle season of 11 days vs our late hunt of 7 days.  They need to open up some more areas is what they need to do. Spread out the amount of guys. Theres more and more people doing Archery now especially with multi-season tags

 They're just chiseling away at another season.

[dreamingbig]

Since I had the entiat archery tag I completely missed this change at first. I just assumed my hunting camp would be hunting swakane while I was in entiat.

I’m not sure how this got passed but I will be lobbying hard to get it back to the 21st-30th for next year

Animal preservation.  Any suggestion to shorten seasons is getting the green light right now.  We won’t get it back with this commission.


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[bobcat]

Looks like they're fixing this issue. See number 3 below:

[Rainier10]

That’s great news