Willapa Hills hoof disease tag

[fremont]

I'm hunting a Willapa Hills hoof disease tag Dec 1 - Feb 28.  I don't yet have a commitment from any landowners (GMUs 658, 660, 663, 672, 673, 681), and I was too late for the Weyerhaeuser lottery, so it may just be public land.  The WDFW website on known TAHD sightings is pretty dated (plus I'm guessing sightings are underreported), so I'm asking around if anyone has recently seen herds with affected cows.  Any help is much appreciated; thanks.

[Tbar]

Have you contacted the conflict specialist?

[fremont]

Have you contacted the conflict specialist?

No but it's a good thought.  I have had quite a bit of correspondence with the R6 biology team, though.  Thanks for the suggestion.

[Harbor_hunter]

My dad will be hunting with this tag as well.   We have not contacted any biologists yet, but will be doing that now that general season is coming to an end. 

[300winmag]

Most of the elk u probably will run into will be down in the private cow fields without a weyco permit . There is state ground that holds elk between mill creek and  green creek and a few other areas that join in ....   Good Luck....     

[bkaech]

All the herds there have affected elk. If you find a decent herd the chances are 1 or 2 will be affected, unless they recently moved a good distance and the infected animals weren't able to keep up. Just find the elk and spend time watching them, there is a good chance you will find a limper.

[Cajunhunter]

how does someone enter for this tag in the future?

[HntnFsh]

It's a M.H. special draw.
Filled my Region 5 tag this morning on a big cow.

[grade-creek-rd]

Since this is a M.H. draw and apparently used for hoof rot studies...shouldn't WDFW already have in place access for this hunt? You would think WDFW would set up access into the timber company lands and private landowners (those that claim conflict/damage $$$) so when an M.H. gets drawn it comes with a tag, access pass for the timber company, and written permission slips from the private landowners (as part of their damage claim)?...why does this state (WDFW) make the hunter do all the work to get access for a hunt that is this specific, and on top of that private timber companies make lots of money from their access pass programs as well as damage claims and private landowners get damage claims yet aren't required to allow access to M.H.'ers that draw this tag?

Grade

[fremont]

Since this is a M.H. draw and apparently used for hoof rot studies...shouldn't WDFW already have in place access for this hunt? You would think WDFW would set up access into the timber company lands and private landowners (those that claim conflict/damage $$$) so when an M.H. gets drawn it comes with a tag, access pass for the timber company, and written permission slips from the private landowners (as part of their damage claim)?...why does this state (WDFW) make the hunter do all the work to get access for a hunt that is this specific, and on top of that private timber companies make lots of money from their access pass programs as well as damage claims and private landowners get damage claims yet aren't required to allow access to M.H.'ers that draw this tag?

Grade

Good points.  My understanding is that many of these have been discussed at MHAG meetings and with WDFW staff.