How does Fish and Wildlife decide hunting regulations?

[ScoreGasm54]

I'm curious how the State decides what is legal in different GMUs in regards to Deer or Elk? Does it being True Spike Bull Elk, or a 3pt min for Deer GMU mean there's less animal population there than a unit that allows any Deer or Elk, or is that completely irrelevant? I know that's not the exactly the case and there's more to it than that, but what is it?

My unit I've always bow hunted Deer in was always Anterless or 3pt Min. This year, it was only 3pt Minimum. There's a million deer there, so it was super confusing to have that restrictions. We hunted in a different GMU where the restrictions allowed Anterless and see nothing.

We are getting ready for Elk season now, and hear people say there's plenty of Elk in this specific location, but it's a True Spike Unit.

Should I not be persuaded what the regulations are and just keep options open if I know where the animals are? Or should you target units with less restrictions since their may be a higher chance of success?

Thank you for any input. We've had this talk with my family multiple times and we can't decide what's best.

[dwtraut7]

This page should help: https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/management/game-harvest#2023-harvest

[GASoline71]

Take elk for example.  NE GMU's are "Any Bull", and there are hardly any elk in those GMU's.  The Colockum and Yakima herds are the 2 largest herds in the state.  The GMU's north of Ellensburg are "true spike", and the GMU's south of Ellensburg are "spike only".  They are also the 2 hardest hit herds by hunting pressure in the state. If the state switched to 3 points or better, or any bull in these 2 herds, the herd bull harvest would decimate the mature age class of bulls in less 3 to 5 years.  Human population, human land use and urban sprawl have affected the herds more than anything.

Gary

[MeepDog]

As far as I'm aware, the reason they took away much of the archery deer antlerless harvest was from the EHD outbreak that killed so many deer.

In places that have "any deer" or "any elk" they're usually trying to protect crops and manage for zero animals in that area. In the more restrictive areas like spike units they're concerned with maintaining herd numbers and making sure the harvest is sustainable.

GMU 381 is a good example. It's 3 point minimum and antlerless for archery mule deer, any deer for whitetail, and any elk.
The unit is managed for healthy mule deer and is part of a large migratory herd. Theres very few whitetails or elk and they want to keep it that way to protect mule deer and crops.

[bearpaw]

The Dept of Fish and Wildlife recommends seasons to the Wildlife Commission based on multiple factors including their biologist recommendations. The Wildlife Commission ultimately makes the decision on these recommendations .

Commissions have varied over the years in regards to how they make decisions based on who the current commission members are. Unfortunately I do not believe “hunter benefit” is a part of the equation with the current commission members.

It’s possible the Dept recommended changes for reasons we don’t know. If you are truly interested in why the changes were made, call your regional office and ask for the deer biologist for that unit, he/she will likely know why.