EAST/WEST DEER TAG SPLIT POLL

[Karl Blanchard]

WDFW is floating the idea of going to an East/West structure for deer tag allocations like we have for elk currently. If that came to pass are you choosing east or west.

Are you blacktail guys giving up your east side permit applications for the love of those cute, little racked rainforest deer?

Eastside guys going Westside because you think the woods will be wide open with everyone choosing Eastside deer so they can still apply for the Entiat?

[Karl Blanchard]

For me personally,  I'm sticking to Eastside. I use my WA Deer tag strictly as part of my application strategy.

[hunterednate]

Great question. I'm sticking east as well for apps. I expect we'd see multiseason tag demand skyrocket.

[hughjorgan]

It’s not a WDFW proposal but a petition brought by the Northeast Washington. wildlife Group. You can read the reason for it here https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-02/03152024-petition-eastside-westside-deer-tags.pdf

That being said I don’t apply for deer tags and prefer hunting the east side. I wonder if it wouldn’t be better to choose species of deer rather than east or west. I am guessing pressure won’t be significantly changed for whitetails like the petitioner seeks.

[Karl Blanchard]

It’s not a WDFW proposal but a petition brought by the Northeast Washington. wildlife Group. You can read the reason for it here https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-02/03152024-petition-eastside-westside-deer-tags.pdf

That being said I don’t apply for deer tags and prefer hunting the east side. I wonder if it wouldn’t be better to choose species of deer rather than east or west. I am guessing pressure won’t be significantly changed for whitetails like the petitioner seeks.

appreciate the clarification. Just saw it on their meeting agenda and jumped to starting this poll.

I would LOVE the choose your species option over choosing east/west. I personally believe there needs to be more science and structure to our deer seasons. It should be by draw only and every unit should have a quota based on populations of each unit. We are so far past the free for all we currently have. We need to nuke multi season permits as well but I digress. Topics for another thread I guess

[GOcougsHunter]

It's a horrible idea.  The petition is myopic, at best, as it is doing a DEFCON 1 approach to dwindling NE Whitetail numbers.  There are many folks in this small geographical state who have property on both sides of the state.  We already clamp down access to most of our opportunity and I haven't been able to hunt my EWA place late season in over 5 years because I haven't drawn a tag.  So I do my late season hunt in WWA.  So, requiring picking a side of the state to deer hunt is just going to push more folks away from hunting.   

[buckfvr]

Even though I live in 121 and hunt here I cant imagine anyone living in western wa going to the expense and effort of traveling to ne wa for the hunting that is now but a shadow of what it was 10, 12, 15 years ago.

Whitetail hunting has gone from nearly automatic to actually requiring some serious scouting and effort.

Just say no to multi-season permits.

[JakeLand]

Westside and blacktail !! Make it 2 point minimum too

[GOcougsHunter]

Even though I live in 121 and hunt here I cant imagine anyone living in western wa going to the expense and effort of traveling to ne wa for the hunting that is now but a shadow of what it was 10, 12, 15 years ago.

Whitetail hunting has gone from nearly automatic to actually requiring some serious scouting and effort.

Just say no to multi-season permits.

  Agree on your thought of going all the way to NE WA from western WA being a PIA.  But, there are so many folks who have family farms and traditional public land hunting camps all over eastern WA and travel to them to hunt.  If we need to address dwindling populations, cut special permits...eliminate the hunts... close GMUs..  But to shut out the entire half of the state seems a bit excessive.

[kentrek]

Zero chance I'd personally going east, wa is a filler hunt

[James]

I doubt there will be a significant enough change to reduce pressure and have a meaningful impact to herds.

The few people that hunt both sides will just get multi season permits.

[greenhead_killer]

Even though I live in 121 and hunt here I cant imagine anyone living in western wa going to the expense and effort of traveling to ne wa for the hunting that is now but a shadow of what it was 10, 12, 15 years ago.

Whitetail hunting has gone from nearly automatic to actually requiring some serious scouting and effort.

Just say no to multi-season permits.

  Agree on your thought of going all the way to NE WA from western WA being a PIA.  But, there are so many folks who have family farms and traditional public land hunting camps all over eastern WA and travel to them to hunt.  If we need to address dwindling populations, cut special permits...eliminate the hunts... close GMUs..  But to shut out the entire half of the state seems a bit excessive.

i see shutting the units down being thrown out etc, but whats the main issue in every unit in the state, east or west? predators. until we get a firm grip back on their booming numbers, eastside vs westside doesnt matter. the numbers will still not be there.

 i picked eastside btw as i live over on this side and have property here as well

[Jonathan_S]

I picked Eastside because Northwoods whitetails are my first and truest love. I am supportive of this idea and would even support region based tags to an extent.

[raydog]

Karl, don't be jealous because we can carry our deer out on our backs whole.. 

[fishngamereaper]

I'm not going East without a quality tag in my pocket...
On average that happens every 6-7 years...I don't love Mule deer enough to apply and not hunt.
I'll stick to grey ghosts..I like a challenge anyway. 

Personally I  would get rid of multi season first though..