EAST/WEST DEER TAG SPLIT POLL

[elevenpt1]

Just another way to screw us out of opportunities.

[GOcougsHunter]

One more thought on this.  The more we slice and dice hunting opportunity, the more we fall into the current fisheries trap where every inch of water has its own specific rules, openings, closings, gear rules, pinks/not silvers/only clipped kings on Tuesdays with months with an R in them...  The move to more byzantine rules and regulation is going to push more and folks away from hunting.  Trying to explain how to hunt this state in my hunter education classes is already met with a lot of confused stares. Further layering and dicing up stuff is going to be far too complicated for the average new hunter.  If we continue to make it harder, fewer and fewer folks are going to hunt and we will continue the death spiral of the modern day hunter.

[Karl Blanchard]

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

Jesus! I'm thankful my jab at you blacktail boiz didn't go unnoticed 

[Jonathan_S]

If Northeast washington wildlife group has such an issue with whitetail in their corner of the state then why try and screw the ENTIRE state over. If there's a problem in a particular area then you address that particular area?

Maybe just shut down whitetail hunting for a few years if it's so bad that they think westsiders hunting both sides are the reason whitetail numbers are struggling. That'd probably change the tune of these people real fast.

I think every area of the state would benefit. NE WT definitely get pounded the hardest but they aren't struggling as much as certain other areas.

[Taco280AI]

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

Jesus! I'm thankful my jab at you blacktail boiz didn't go unnoticed 

Easy side is for deer hunters that lack skill 

[Karl Blanchard]

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

Jesus! I'm thankful my jab at you blacktail boiz didn't go unnoticed 

Easy side is for deer hunters that lack skill 

[rtspring]

Do our mule deer have a serious problem in this state? YES they certainly do.   But quit thinking a DRAW will solve all the world problems!!!  I didn’t invest thousands of dollars in gear over 40 years to MAYBE go hunting!!!

Here is the problem, Washington does not have enough game to satisfy the hunting population numbers!  Its been that way since I started hunting at 10 years old. 

Yakima elk numbers are better than I have ever seen, I probably spend more time in that unit than most.  So I think I would know if we were in a decline for elk.

I kill a buck almost every year in one of the yakima units. 

You want wyoming, but in reality you live in Washington.   

[blackymaster20]

I'll stick to my rainforest blacktails lol. Would be nice not to have all the Eastside guys who struck out flooding all of my honey holes come late buck. . I do my mule deer hunting in better states.

[Ghost Hunter]

Go with what I know and been hunting all my life.  East it is. 

[huntandjeep]

Do our mule deer have a serious problem in this state? YES they certainly do.   But quit thinking a DRAW will solve all the world problems!!!  I didn’t invest thousands of dollars in gear over 40 years to MAYBE go hunting!!!

Here is the problem, Washington does not have enough game to satisfy the hunting population numbers!  Its been that way since I started hunting at 10 years old. 

Yakima elk numbers are better than I have ever seen, I probably spend more time in that unit than most.  So I think I would know if we were in a decline for elk.

I kill a buck almost every year in one of the yakima units. 

You want wyoming, but in reality you live in Washington.   

Your saying the elk numbers are better in that unit then they were 10 , 15 , 20 years ago  Why are the Elk numbers down in ALL the neighboring units ? Why have  Bull and cow tags been drastically cut in all these units in the past 20 years ?

Eastside for me .

[vandeman17]

Eastside for me because I live over here and have property over here but I would rather they just make you declare species

[Karl Blanchard]

Do our mule deer have a serious problem in this state? YES they certainly do.   But quit thinking a DRAW will solve all the world problems!!!  I didn’t invest thousands of dollars in gear over 40 years to MAYBE go hunting!!!

Here is the problem, Washington does not have enough game to satisfy the hunting population numbers!  Its been that way since I started hunting at 10 years old. 

Yakima elk numbers are better than I have ever seen, I probably spend more time in that unit than most.  So I think I would know if we were in a decline for elk.

I kill a buck almost every year in one of the yakima units. 

You want wyoming, but in reality you live in Washington.   

Your saying the elk numbers are better in that unit then they were 10 , 15 , 20 years ago  Why are the Elk numbers down in ALL the neighboring units ? Why have  Bull and cow tags been drastically cut in all these units in the past 20 years ?

If you trust the counts and estimates then yes. As of 2022 counts the Yakima population unit is near an all time high population. IMO I believe we have exceeded their numbers. This is truly the glory days of elk in Yakima county. We've never had more elk on the landscape in their 111 years.

[The100Road]

Just another way to screw us out of opportunities.

Exactly. Hunters are thinking it’s going to increase deer herds and they’ll be more successful with less pressure. It’s really just the commissions way to make sure they have enough deer to feed the predators since we won’t be allowed to hunt them anymore.

If deer herds are hurting then why are we reducing predator hunting? Hunters give, give and give. Never get anything back.

[hughjorgan]

Just another way to screw us out of opportunities.

Exactly. Hunters are thinking it’s going to increase deer herds and they’ll be more successful with less pressure. It’s really just the commissions way to make sure they have enough deer to feed the predators since we won’t be allowed to hunt them anymore.

If deer herds are hurting then why are we reducing predator hunting? Hunters give, give and give. Never get anything back.

The commissioners aren’t the petitioners; a hunting advocate group from the NE corner is.

[huntnnw]

Just another way to screw us out of opportunities.

But just fine that elk has been that way forever? I’ve pushed for this for a long time or eliminate east west elk tag