Anyone Not Hunting WA this year?

[WapitiTalk1]

Just a local Blacktail will get my attention in WA. I’m not sure of the last season/year I’ve purposely taken time off and hunted elk in Washington? It’s been a few.  Gonna hunt a week and a half of archery elk in the Cowboy state, then after that, wait for it…. another week and a half rifle elk in the Cowboy state. Between my hunting partner of some 20 years and I, elk will die. Been planning this adventure for a handful of years. Leaving on 9 SEP, stories and pics to follow.

[Special T]

Wont be chasing Elk but will be chasing Blacktails with the bow as well as waterfowl. Probably not gonna take any time off just a weekend warrior.

[elkchaser54]

4th year in a row of going out of state for archery elk.  Tons of points in WA but as soon as they get burnt I won't be reupping them. I like the high buck hunt but that means I have to fill my elk tag early

[Threewolves]

I understand  the frustration  and disappointment  of hunting here. I have been dabbling in hunting MT and/ ID the past 5 years. I would bow hunt here and rifle hunt there.

I look at hunting here as training/practice  hunting in case  you  get to go some good. I started out big game hunt in AK. You can say I got spoiled  there, but I thought  if you put in the work you would  get a moose just about every year and if you shot two caribou that year you would  stop hunting big game because you had more than enough meat, friends and neighbors  had meat. Getting  a moose every year  was an expectation, caribou was a given.

When get disillusioned with hunting  here my wife just points to the walls (man house not man cave) and reminds me of what I have done here. Ya, I think it should be more. There are guys here that get their elk every  year, and that have already  filled two bear tags. It is possible.

My buddy that  I elk hunt with has taken  in quite  a few elk, me, I have done  OK, BUT if you figure  in "my almost stories" I would  be giving him a run his money.

Do to poor timing on my part  on a surgery I turned in my MT elk and deer. But I am still going  over for antelope. Here I switched from bow hunting elk to muzzle loader  for this year. I am traditonally a bowhunter for for elk, but I hunt deer with a rifle. Focus on late buck.

Sent from my SM-A426U using Tapatalk

[pianoman9701]

I elk hunt and am turning 65 this year. I use a CPAP to sleep or I don't. So, unless someone has me hunting out of their cabin that has electricity, I have to rent a trailer or a hotel room. I've been trying to find partners to share the expense and so far they've turned out to be AHs. With the CO trip this year, I didn't want the extra expense of renting a trailer for WA, too. Although my years of hunting elk have been the greatest, I may be coming to the end of my hunting days. Too much hassle, to few opportunities, 14 years late on the honeymoon.

[Mulie87]

I’m done with public land hunting in WA. Haven’t hunted public in three years, and lucky enough to have a private land blacktail spot and a private turkey spot. Once those dry up I’ll be done in this state. My first out of state hunting trip to MT in 2016 ruined this state for me, I just can’t get excited about combat hunting in WA for days/weeks on end on public land and not seeing anything legal. MT and WY are my go to, but struck out this year for the first tome in six years and didn’t get drawn.

[fishngamereaper]

Being done with Washington might not be an option in the future since the net has pretty much created over use of out of State hunting options...

What used to be easy States to hunt are now becoming very difficult to guarantee on a year to year basis.  And in most cases are going to become a every 2-3 year hunt...

[Mulie87]

Sadly enough I think you’re right. The accessibility to information and good hunting land has upped out of state applicants. Too add fuel to the fire, wdfw has not done a stellar job keeping us here either. 

[pianoman9701]

Sadly enough I think you’re right. The accessibility to information and good hunting land has upped out of state applicants. Too add fuel to the fire, wdfw has not done a stellar job keeping us here either.

Most of the problems have to do with a Jay Inslee commission.

[Mudman]

Just a local Blacktail will get my attention in WA. I’m not sure of the last season/year I’ve purposely taken time off and hunted elk in Washington? It’s been a few.  Gonna hunt a week and a half of archery elk in the Cowboy state, then after that, wait for it…. another week and a half rifle elk in the Cowboy state. Between my hunting partner of some 20 years and I, elk will die. Been planning this adventure for a handful of years. Leaving on 9 SEP, stories and pics to follow.

Awesome Buddy!   Good luck and enjoy!

[hunter399]

You know,just throwing it out there.
Probably get the HW book thrown at me.
But you guys could hunt predators in Washington.
Be part of a solution,you know proactive.
Throw some of that money at your local state.

As non-resident hunting gets more expensive,less opportunities through draws and such.
You'll be forced to hunt WA ,then what ,all the seasons you could of feed some deer or elk through the winter,or took a predator or two are gone,put in a water hole at a spring,droped salt or anything that might help.
Sit around and complain that's it,that's the plan.

Out of state hunting,get ready I'm gonna say it.
Your not gonna like it.
May have spoiled a few of you.

All tell ya one other thing about it.
Hunting Washington you get what you put into it.

And most times ,you don't even get that ...LOL.

[Stein]

Sadly enough I think you’re right. The accessibility to information and good hunting land has upped out of state applicants. Too add fuel to the fire, wdfw has not done a stellar job keeping us here either.

Most of the problems have to do with a Jay Inslee commission.

 

Jay appoints the Director and commission, they could have 1,000,000 of the best biologists and it wouldn't matter.  The department does the bidding of the governor, plain and simple.

I'm not complaining, just stating a fact.  I spend my money where it will be put to good use managing wildlife instead of destroying waterfowl habitat and studying frogs.

I would like to get into hunting predators in WA, unfortunately spring bear is off the table but fall bear is still an option and something I'll likely do going forward.

There are still a few really good youth tags although the department seems to be whittling those away even quicker than the adult special permits.

[Twispriver]

I'll hunt Washington every day that I can and appreciate the opportunity. I get to hunt out of state a lot compared to some and I appreciate that as well but my cabin is here, my elk camp, partners and friends we've made in the 340 are here and I look forward to making new memories every year.

[Fidelk]

I elk hunt and am turning 65 this year. I use a CPAP to sleep or I don't. So, unless someone has me hunting out of their cabin that has electricity, I have to rent a trailer or a hotel room.

I have hunting partners that use CPAP in our wall tent.......I think one of them uses a deep cycle marine battery (?)......the charge lasts all week. Another guy uses some other device as his energy source. No generator involved. Let me know if you are interested and I'll get more specifics.

[bobcat]

I elk hunt and am turning 65 this year. I use a CPAP to sleep or I don't. So, unless someone has me hunting out of their cabin that has electricity, I have to rent a trailer or a hotel room.

I have hunting partners that use CPAP in our wall tent.......I think one of them uses a deep cycle marine battery (?)......the charge lasts all week. Another guy uses some other device as his energy source. No generator involved. Let me know if you are interested and I'll get more specifics.

My wife uses a CPAP and when we're camping without power this is what we use:

https://www.bluettipower.com/products/bluetti-eb3a-portable-power-station