Stanwood PLHO Land

[pickardjw]

Anyone know the story on all the PLHO land around Stanwood that went away this year? I thought my OnX was just being glitchy but it looks like it's really all gone on the PLHO website. Seems odd that it all went away at the same time, just curious as to whether anyone knows the story.

[Stein]

I don't know what properties will come back, but it's very normal to have them not appear right away.  Many of them need to wait until the crops are harvested before they will open.  It's not abnormal for them to not be up for a couple weeks after the season opens.  I don't think they have any reservation properties up yet.

The trend is to lose a few of the better ones every year to the private clubs that outspend the state or a landowner that decides to hunt it themselves or their family & friends.  The state is reluctant to make any improvements in the program despite constant feedback from hunters, so the trend is likely to continue.

[pickardjw]

Ahh, the delay until after crop harvest would make sense I guess. Though it seems they could just list the available dates after that. Wouldn't be surprised if all the landowners pulled the access all together though.

[Stein]

I know they don't list it on the website until the sign is up and it's ready to hunt.

They won't lose all of them, a couple properties there probably haven't had a dead duck fall on them for a decade.

The biologist usually does a presentation at a Washington Waterfowl meeting and he will have the list of what they have for the year.

[h2ofowlr]

As stated they won't be listed until the crops are removed and re-planted with the cover crop typically.  Since it was a late planting, it is also a late harvest.  They are just cutting corn in many fields and probably will get tilled next week.  Also many of those spots don't really hunt until end of Oct., first of November.

[WWA]

 Our October 12th chapter meeting will include guest speakers Rob Wingard, WDFW Private Lands Biologist for Region 4 and Greg Meis WDFW Skagit Wildlife
Area Manager. Rob will review the region’s four
(4) different types of access agreements to landowners —

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,273726.0.html

[Man Tracker]

I spoke with one of the landowners today. As of now, several will not be in the DFW program this year. Come to the WWA meeting on Wednesday and ask Rob Wingard why...politics may have something to do with it.

[Special T]

I spoke with one of the landowners today. As of now, several will not be in the DFW program this year. Come to the WWA meeting on Wednesday and ask Rob Wingard why...politics may have something to do with it.

I personally think this is a don't miss presentation if you waterfowl hunt Stanwood North. Rob does not wilt under pressure of hard questions like many employees do.  He shoots it straight and if you specific questions about individual pieces he will fill you in.

[Stein]

Rob's a good guy and his hands are tied in some areas like getting the reservation system fixed after 4, 5, however many years of promising it was "next year."  State IT refuses to allow contractors to fix it and they take a decade to do anything themselves.

In other areas, they could do more but have chosen not too.  Location of blinds and where you can hunt in the properties is one area.  Enforcing the rules on FFTH hours is another.

Personally, I would like to see big changes so WDFW can compete financially with the pay to play private clubs that take the better properties year after year.