Why is deer modern rifle not two weeks anymore?

[Hot Lunch]

Growing up modern rifle was a two week season. We used to stay at the Boneparte Lake resort in cabin #9. Had the second week reservation for a number of years. I got out of deer hunting for a time, and now that I am heavily back into I can see no logical reason to not have a two week season.

I would like the WDFW to give hunters a first or second week option for deer. It would help with the crowding somewhat. Anyone have the answer why the state most popular rifle season is crammed into one week?

[KillerMiller]

Deer management!  Too many hunters not enough deer.  That is why there is late permit hunts instead of a free for all or second week.

[DBake]

I be willing to bet the East side will be all permit in the next 10 years.com

[Antlershed]

Deer season always starts the first saturday after the 10th and runs through the end of the month. The 10th fell on a saturday this year, so it got pushed to the 17th.

[huntnphool]

 Actually Hot Lunch, there are those of us that remember it being much longer than that and running into the second week of November.

[Armadillo]

the problem is not too many hunters

[boneaddict]

Increased predators = decreased deer
decreased deer = decreased oppurtunity.
More hunters and not enough deer.  Seems pretty simple to me.  Go hunt whitetails if you can't get it done in 9 days, or switch to a different method, or apply for the multiseason permit.

[h2ofowlr]

To many hunters.  It will continue to get worse with all the bear, cougar and wolf depredation on the deer.

[actionshooter]

I be willing to bet the East side will be all permit in the next 10 years.com

I say 5 years

[Pathfinder101]

I be willing to bet the East side will be all permit in the next 10 years.com

I say 5 years

After what I saw this weekend, I could be talked into that proposition easier than I thought. 

[Okano-gun]

I think they should make it so you are guaranteed a tag in the county you reside in and then allow a limited number of tags (special draw) for those who don't.

[turkey buster]

 

[Redmist]

HuntenPhool is right.  It used to be 4 weeks and run hard into the November Migration.  Population growth, competition between weapons groups, and a good share of hard winters and fires, blended with lack of 20/20 forsight from WDFW have cut nail to the skin.  Really though, the bucks are being taken by those that continue to adapt and work hard.  The big bucks still exist, just look at that giant Highhunter clicked with a digital, but the total herd population is way down.  The total season is actually much longer now if you add the user groups together, and that in my opinion is a problem because the game is now pushed from September into December instead of a 10 day Highhunt plus what used to be 4 weeks of any weapon.  Hunter weapons are better, and also knowledge because of websites like this which cause me to waste incredible amounts of time viewing.  

[Hot Lunch]

does anyone have any numbers? The last articles I have read say there are less hunters now than ever.

[Elkaholic daWg]

  And if you're really old you can remember the 2 week elk season, and a NE late hunt running through thanksgiving.

[billythekidrock]

  And if you're really old you can remember the 2 week elk season,

If I remember right, the westside elk season used to last nearly a month.

[KillerMiller]

Too many hunters not enough deer.  It's all relative, either way you cut it.  Management is the driver for decreased seasons and late permits etc... More predators, less hunters, less deer, still have too many hunters for the number of deer per management objectives.   Just look at em driving around!

[Hillbilly270]

i saw more hunters this year than all years past.  Seems to me that all the people who are out of work are out hunting.  Wife probably told'em to get the hell out of the house.

[Yelm hunter]

October 17th to October 31st...

17 saturday, 18 sunday, 19 monday, 20 tuesday, 21 wednesday, 22 thursday, 23 friday, 24 saturday,     25 sunday, 26 monday, 27 tuesday, 28 wednesday,29 thursday, 30 friday, 31 saturday


MODERN RIFLE THIS YEAR

15 DAYS

MODERN RIFLE LATE BUCK

4 DAYS -- THAT RUNS NOVEMBER 19TH , 20TH, 21ST, 22ND

THATS 19 DAYS....

Just letting you know... We tagged out on all our bucks this year 2 opening day and one BIG 3 point friday!!

[lazydrifter]

He's talking mule deer in East. Wa which had a 9 day season.

[Bean Counter]

I be willing to bet the East side will be all permit in the next 10 years.com

I say 5 years

It should be now.    Sorry if that rocks your boat. WA needs to join the rest of the states with mullies.

[JPhelps]

I am going to have to disagree with the whole eastside being permit only .
I think maybe a split two week season may be the answer to pressure.
I have hunted the general season the last two years and have had no trouble finding bucks (about 15 legal bucks) and have seen very few people until I get back to  the truck.  I think this proposal would just be taking oppurtunities away from people.  I know some areas are over populated with hunters, but there is a simple solution to that, get out and walk or walk further.

[turkeydancer]

WDFW just doesn't seem to care much about decreased game populations, shortened seasons, illegal poachers (tree planting hunters), etc as long as we just keep sending them our license, tags, & permits fees.  It is no longer about providing good, quality hunting opportunites, it's all about the money.   

[bornforhorns]

I am going to have to disagree with the whole eastside being permit only .
I think maybe a split two week season may be the answer to pressure.
I have hunted the general season the last two years and have had no trouble finding bucks (about 15 legal bucks) and have seen very few people until I get back to  the truck.  I think this proposal would just be taking oppurtunities away from people.  I know some areas are over populated with hunters, but there is a simple solution to that, get out and walk or walk further.

Well said JPhelps.  No ! to permit only.

[OKbowhunter]

I have lived in E Washington all my life. Own several thousand acres 4th generation and the deer numbers are most defiantly down. I also hunt other states. Oregon, Utah, and such. I know you all want to hunt every year, but unless something is done in the next couple of years, Mule deer here in E. Washington will be a thing of the past. Dividing the season is not the answer. Late season mule deer hunts open over the counter will never happen again. To many mature bucks die. To many hunters period. The only answer to numbers is permit hunting.

Before everyone shoots down my idea, think about it before you reply. I think WDFW should make all mule deer hunting in E Washington draw permit for all weapon types. Think about it, if you were unable to hunt every year but maybe every other or maybe even every three years, (cutting the pressure down to 1/3 that it is now) think what kind of a hunt you would have when you did draw. You would not only see deer you would see multiple mature bucks per day. ( I'm not calling a mature buck a young 4 pointer I'm talking a 5 to 6 year old mature buck) I would be willing to make plans hunting other things in the years I did not draw. You could still hunt along with your buddy's when they drew and you did not. We started the season this year with (from my count 23 legal bucks on our properties) Early 90's were great years here on the ranch. We seen as high as 55 to 60 bucks back then and the 70's were even better. Up until last year we allowed 4 other hunters per year to hunt with permission until we found 3 bucks on the property shot that were only 2 pointers. I know this is not common practice just can't afford for 11 deer a year being shot and 3 of them going to waist. This may not be the answer but we need to come up with something so that our kids will have something to hunt in 20 years. Now that the season is over I can go back to my moose hunt, just my   maybe not the answer just better than what is going on now.

[JPhelps]

OKbowhunter your plan might work for some of the overpopulated areas, but not all areas.

For instance you talk about hunting every third year.  That sucks.  All that means is that the deer I hunt would only see a hunter every third year.  No one would hunt it the other two years.  I GUARANTEE the only way my area would run out of mature bucks is by extremley bad winter kill or disease.  Quality of hunt would be identical.

Ask people on here such as BoneAddict, VEK, highhunter, ridgerunner, michaelj to name a few, how overpopulated there hunting areas are and if the deer they kill are over hunted.

[Axle]

If predation wasn't so bad, the numbers of hunters wouldn't look bad.

With predation as high as it is, there are far fewer deer and the hunters are going where they think there will be deer to be seen and harvested. Take for instance the wet side - predation is bad here too and most don't see deer like they used to so what do they do? - they go to the more visual east side of the mountains. If there were more blacktails in the woods, the wet-side hunters would stay on the wet side of the mountains.

To say there are too many hunters has a way of making a person sound greedy for 'his' hunting area. There is a way of bringing back the herds. Mulies have been hit hard not only by predation, but the mountains have not been able to burn during the summer like they would normally do. Snuffing out forest fires has only hurt the deer.

As far as limited access? It's only a matter of time because it isn't being managed properly. Other states have had to do the same thing. The department is failing in most areas but I feel they are being forced to do so by politicians. Politics and game management don't mix.