Quality elk hunts cut

[ACCUBOND]

WDFW is cutting the quality elk for Carlton, West Goat Rocks, and Mt Adam’s. Only because of conflicting season. They claim deer but not many muzzleloader deer hunters in those areas. Issue is it’s during archery. Instead of moving dates, they are cutting the hunts. BS

[trophyhunt]

They also said the quality has dropped? I know nothing about the quality but has it? And did they open it to otc instead?

[Bone collector 13]

They cut all the “premium” elk tags minus 1, so there goes a shot at drawing

[ACCUBOND]

It’s always been OTC. Special permit has been moved to last weeks of archery. Not much of a quality hunt during general archery. Used to be Oct 1-10 then moved between archery and muzzle. Now last few days of archery. They say because of conflict with muzzy deer hunters. I bet u can count them on one hand. How is having it during archery better for anyone.

[ACCUBOND]

Makes sense success would be down when u put the season at the end of archery. Just their way to cut more hunting. So sick of this state.

[Stein]

I noticed GoHunt updated their WA odds, I thought maybe I'll get a tag this year and put in for a cow draw.  Yeah, probably not.  Looked up the 336/346 quality just for fun.  29 points gets you 1% draw odds.  That was last year, so plan on it being down due to more points in the pool and maybe fewer tags.

Some states have point creep, WA has point falling off the cliff at light speed.

The poor guy with 35 points in 2020 that didn't draw Wenaha did pick it up in 2021, so he's no longer in the game.   

[blackveltbowhunter]

The quality of the experience has certainly dropped. Speaking mostly to goat rocks and adams. Only know carlton from others report and not my own boots.  Every couple years someone will catch one that crosses the trail and ends up with 3 cows in a drainage on the west side and that is what has kept the hunt alive for the past decade. Part of a quality hunt imo, is seeing ample animals and healthy herds passing on a few and waiting for that special one, or having the freedom to know you can likely fill a tag with a lesser animal at the tail end of your hunt.  Not spending an entire season for a glimpse of a couple critters that may or may not be a "quality". I dont like that they cut it, but it likely saved alot of high points holders tons of frustration. Aside from a very few that know the areas intimately and have some success, their is simply not enough animals and certainly not enough big animals to justify a quality tag.

[duckmen1]

The quality of the experience has certainly dropped. Speaking mostly to goat rocks and adams. Only know carlton from others report and not my own boots.  Every couple years someone will catch one that crosses the trail and ends up with 3 cows in a drainage on the west side and that is what has kept the hunt alive for the past decade. Part of a quality hunt imo, is seeing ample animals and healthy herds passing on a few and waiting for that special one, or having the freedom to know you can likely fill a tag with a lesser animal at the tail end of your hunt.  Not spending an entire season for a glimpse of a couple critters that may or may not be a "quality". I dont like that they cut it, but it likely saved alot of high points holders tons of frustration. Aside from a very few that know the areas intimately and have some success, their is simply not enough animals and certainly not enough big animals to justify a quality tag.

I wasted several general seasons being talked into hunting in one of those areas during general season.Sure there are animals. But if I could take those seasons back and hunt how and where I would have liked too and not the area I was brought to I would. Those seasons I had crazy number of bulls located elsewhere. But was talked into going there as it was a place of the past. Very low density of elk. Felt more like hiking then hunting. I don't feel its a quality hunt. In my opinion if they want the extra permit then put it on bull catagory. But wouldn't put in for that either.

[ACCUBOND]

If the season wasn’t during archery, it would be quality. Spent my whole life in those areas. It’s bs that they claim issue with overlap in deer. Not many deer in those permit areas, but thousands of bow hunters. Is that not an issue? FYI I bow hunt, but don’t like them cutting tags with no knowledge of the area or animals that are there

[ACCUBOND]

Then I call to chat with WDFW about it and the message says “we are working from home, leave a message “

[ACCUBOND]

If they want to move it to the bull permit instead of quality, I get that, but don’t eliminate it for bs reasons.

[steeleywhopper]

Is there a link to this information about the upcoming seasons permits?

[trophyhunt]

Is there a link to this information about the upcoming seasons permits?

its on the WDFW website, it’s just hard to find, if I can find the link I’ll post it.

[trophyhunt]

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/about/regulations/filings/2022/WSR%2022-04-103.pdf

[dvolmer]

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/about/regulations/filings/2022/WSR%2022-04-103.pdf

They have literally destroyed Washington elk hunting in less than 5-7 years.

[Meathunter06]

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/about/regulations/filings/2022/WSR%2022-04-103.pdf

They have literally destroyed Washington elk hunting in less than 5-7 years.

You can thank the Indian's for that!  Just have to have that jerky 

[Stein]

When there are units with more sheep or goat tags than units with quality elk tags, one might wonder what the heck the game managers are doing.  162 had what, one archery tag last year?   Under 10% draw odds with 31 points.   

Heck, the quality tag I would want to draw only had 10 tags last year, down from 134 only 5 years ago!  This is an area with zero development, can't blame urban creep. 

At 12% draw odds with 23 points, I'll put my raffle ticket in the NM bucket.

Let's face it, quality tags are now OIL if you are lucky (and have 20-30+ points) except WDFW lets a guy keep paying every year.  If you are just starting, just drew or have a handful of points, it's the same odds as the best trophy out of state draw tags.

[trophyhunt]

  Oil now for sure! And when you have 27 points you just keep chasing the cheese, but odds just keep getting worse, what a joke.

[NRA4LIFE]

Pretty discouraging after 20 years that the hunting thrill of your life would be to draw a deer permit.  A bull permit to me now is OIL, as I will not even participate after that.

[bigmacc]

Pretty discouraging after 20 years that the hunting thrill of your life would be to draw a deer permit.  A bull permit to me now is OIL, as I will not even participate after that.

Yep, its an absolute shame what the WDFW(we don't have a game department anymore) have done or let happen to most of the once historic and healthy herds in this state and IMHO it started as soon as the switch happened to the WDFW back in the 90,s, after that, management of our herds as anything even close to a priority was only a memory, big game herds have now taken a backseat to everything from frogs, lizards and raptors all the way to their darlings, predators, specifically the wolf. In my opinion and in others I know, our herds are basically being managed now days to support predators, whether it be by their territory expansion or by concentration of their numbers and their growth, anyway you look at it, predators need food sources wherever they are to support their numbers, growth of #,s and their expansion. I don't have to tell any of you, when those  arnt happening or are threatened, we as hunters will loose our opportunities before their darlings(predators) will......And yes, like others on here, I am plenty old enough to remember when we had a Game Department, our herds were priority 1 for hunters...

[huntnnw]

If they want to move it to the bull permit instead of quality, I get that, but don’t eliminate it for bs reasons.

all "bull" permits should be eliminated what a scam! its harder to draw than quality. they all need to be listed under quality nobody is forcing you to apply for them.

[huntnnw]

how many of you with 20+ points applied for the entire duration for muzzy or archery?  if it was rifle then you dont have much to complain about as the odds for almost every rifle bull permit now or 10 years ago was extremely low.