Harlequin shutdown

[frazierw]

I heard the state shut down harlequin hunts but can’t find anything online about it. Anyone else heard this?

[Special T]

I heard the state shut down harlequin hunts but can’t find anything online about it. Anyone else heard this?

Yes it was voted on in the comissioners meeting yesterday afternoon. probably get a press release next weeekor you can watch it on TVW

[Grousehunter19]

What was the commissions reason for the shutdown?

[Special T]

What was the commissions reason for the shutdown?

The Waterfowl advisory group recommended it. To much harvest. not enough reporting. Especially out of state hunters which were a lot. Complaints about guides whacking the hell out of them.

probably could have been avoided if more hunters with Sea duck cards reported but it had only a 30 ish % reporting rate, and the out of state reporting was horrible very low.

They will investigate how to manage harvest tighters and get better reporting. im imagining some kind of a draw tag.

Lots of folks didnt know that WA was one of only a couple of states that you can kill one  in the lower 48 over the counter.

[full choke]

IMO this is a good thing.

Maybe when it opens up again it can be as a OIL tag. The only reason to shoot one is for a mount. Period.

[metlhead]

Kiss that opportunity goodbye. Probably the fault of our own though. Funny the state never published a harvest guideline quota. Sounds kinda kneejerk to me with little science to back it. Maybe some rare sea eagle feeds on the things. Guarantee if a harli ever drops into our dry cornfield in Ephrata, it's gonna get smoked regardless😯

[metlhead]

Serious side, anyone ever get to see see them in the summer? I run into them on the Tieton and Wynoochee, and am just amazed how gorgeous they are in full dress.

[Grousehunter19]

Serious side, anyone ever get to see see them in the summer? I run into them on the Tieton and Wynoochee, and am just amazed how gorgeous they are in full dress.

It’s a rare treat but I always love to see them

[ASHQUACK]

Kiss that opportunity goodbye. Probably the fault of our own though. Funny the state never published a harvest guideline quota. Sounds kinda kneejerk to me with little science to back it. Maybe some rare sea eagle feeds on the things. Guarantee if a harli ever drops into our dry cornfield in Ephrata, it's gonna get smoked regardless😯

They have a 5% harvest rate and the number was well above 10%. Making the hunt unsustainable. If you listened to Kyle Spragens in the meeting he spells it out quite nicely. There were a couple newish guides the last 2 or so years that boasted about one killing 150 Harli"s alone. This guide alone brought much unwanted attention to the issue, which prompted the issue and hence the closure. It'll be back but it'll be much much more regulated.

[Jake Dogfish]

Money making opportunity for wdfw.  Sell a limited number of tags. 

[metlhead]

If there was such concern with overharvest, why was the state not open about the numbers. Very easily a dated season similar to brant would have been viable to begin with.

[ASHQUACK]

If there was such concern with overharvest, why was the state not open about the numbers. Very easily a dated season similar to brant would have been viable to begin with.
[/quote

The concern didn't come until one of the guide services started advertising "150 birds" already this year, kind of stuff all.over the internet. This brought a lot of attention to them since the projected population is 5000 birds and there's a 5% harvest rate quota. And that one guide service would have harvested the allowed quota solely. Add in other harvests and we were easily over 10% of the total population.  The numbers have never been secret, Kyle Spragens is very open to putting out information to the public. In fact it's actually in the meeting video where he spells out exactly why they asked for the closure for this coming season.

[metlhead]

By these numbers I'm reading, the state was allowing for 250 birds to be harvested during a season which, in reality, could have legally allowed every license holder to kill one, far surpassing the total number avaiable. Sounds like their fault for not having a system in place beforehand to avoid that.These guides that were successful should not be faulted for seizing the opportunity to legally direct clients to trophy birds. Hopefully the shutdown is repealed and next season opens with specific dates. Thst will allow anyone the opportunity without another stupid punchcard while keeping total harvest reasonable. Along with harlis, I'd like to see scaup reduced to January only, but increased daily limits. I think annual take would remain the same while making the opportunity better.

[ellensburgpo]

I guess my take in the guide thing is a little different. Yeah, you can burn it down for a year or two and make money but screw your supply chain up and be done. Or you can work with it and make it a sustainable source of income. Really short sighted business practice in my opinion.

Harlequin were the draw to me to set us apart from other states in the lower 48 for divers and sea ducks. They now have to compete with every other coast state with no advantage.

[Stein]

Sounds like they could have shut it down for out of state and upped the penalty for not reporting and turning in your card.  Once you shut it down, it's really hard to open it again.

It's a problem of overharvest, not a problem of no sustainable harvest.

[ellensburgpo]

Sounds like they could have shut it down for out of state and upped the penalty for not reporting and turning in your card.  Once you shut it down, it's really hard to open it again.

It's a problem of overharvest, not a problem of no sustainable harvest.

Mark my words, WDFW will move to a draw system for harlequin. More money for them.

[Stein]

It's up to the commission now.  Since they were advised to shut it down, they shut it down.  WDFW could dance all around and the commission could still ignore them, similar to what happened with spring bear.

Here are the people that advised the commission to shut down hunting opportunity for everyone:

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/about/advisory/wwag/2020_waterfowladvisorygrouproster.pdf

[cem3434]

How does one get appointed to the advisory committee?

[full choke]

One person on the WAG is a longstanding sea duck guide, maybe the longest in the state (and he is not the guide being referenced on this thread). He has a pretty damn good reputation for stewardship on the saltwater, and probably a better idea of the status of the harlequin duck than anyone else. I would listen to his recommendation alone and base policy off of that.

[hunterednate]

How does one get appointed to the advisory committee?

Open applications to the WAG are available three years. This link will give you info on how to apply. I think the next opportunity is 2023.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/advisory/wwag

[lokidog]

Sounds like they could have shut it down for out of state and upped the penalty for not reporting and turning in your card.  Once you shut it down, it's really hard to open it again.

It's a problem of overharvest, not a problem of no sustainable harvest.

Completely agree with this. Other states reduce opportunity for non-residents... welcome to the club.

I had the opportunity to get a Harlequin a short walk from my house, I've had no desire to shoot another, well, maybe a hen ;-), since then.

[washingtonmuley]

It's up to the commission now.  Since they were advised to shut it down, they shut it down.  WDFW could dance all around and the commission could still ignore them, similar to what happened with spring bear.

Here are the people that advised the commission to shut down hunting opportunity for everyone:

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/about/advisory/wwag/2020_waterfowladvisorygrouproster.pdf

Sorry but if you are on the Eastside and are not on the water with the specific bird then you should not have a vote!!!!

[metlhead]

Why tell eastsiders they can't vote? All one state we live in. Why divide?

[Caveman123]

I have a feeling that comment on going to turn sour. I took it the wrong way, but having lived on both sides I can see the logic, but the logic would open a whole can of worms.

[bowman]

Comical. West side of the state runs the entire state on pretty much everything. You hear very little from the east about their voices being silenced. Then something happens affecting primarily the west and they don’t believe the east should have an opinion.

[Elkaholic daWg]

Comical. West side of the state runs the entire state on pretty much everything. You hear very little from the east about their voices being silenced. Then something happens affecting primarily the west and they don’t believe the east should have an opinion.

 

[washingtonmuley]

Why tell eastsiders they can't vote? All one state we live in. Why divide?

Because they probably know 0 about the Harlequin. Probably never even seen one in the wild.

[frazierw]

Why tell eastsiders they can't vote? All one state we live in. Why divide?

Because they probably know 0 about the Harlequin. Probably never even seen one in the wild.

Agreed!  And westsiders shouldn't have any input on Mule Deer.

[washingtonmuley]

You don't form a task group with uniformed people!!

[metlhead]

Eastsiders never seen a harlequin? Many of those birds actually nest on the east side of the crest. Not to mention all the chukar, huns, quail, and turkeys. To me, folks in the 509 have more say than most of the bios in Oly.

[pickardjw]

You don't form a task group with uniformed people!!

Agreed, they should be allowed to wear whatever they want.

[washingtonmuley]

You don't form a task group with uniformed people!!

Agreed, they should be allowed to wear whatever they want.

oops!! Sorry grammar police!!

[cem3434]

Anybody heard any scuttlebutt if there is going to be a season next year in 2023-24 yet?

[ASHQUACK]

It'll be pretty quiet until the WAG meets again. I believe sometime in March.