Boneaddict Entiat deer management plan

[boneaddict]

Boneaddict’s Entiat Deer Management plan. 
 
This is easy for me since I rarely hunt there, but here is an Idea for you.  For the Entiat unit, a two point only season for 2008. (All user groups) 

We all know that there is a growing concern that there are a bunch of two points in the Entiat.  I am still a firm believer in the three point or better rule, just because I have seen a lot of good come from it.  If we continue to hunt for quantity versus quality, we need to do something to try to improve both.  Two genetic groups are being seen a lot in the Entiat or Chelan, big 2s and those with weak backs.  We will continue to enhance this bad trend if we do not do something.   There is so much pressure on the big bucks for all the other things I have discussed, we are trimming out a majority of the big ones, or the prime genetics.  Sure, there are some big ones still, but let them have a year off.  Get rid of the twos, or a bunch of them.  Let the big ones breed for a year. It is obvious that the Entiat gets a majority of the trophy hunting pressure with permits and raffle tags etc.   

[Ironhead]

As dumb as 2 points are you could wipe out a whole generation.

[Idabooner]

A couple things nobody ever mentions, I don't know if you guys consider it or not. Everybody  talks about the buck fawns carrying the 2 point gene, not every male fawn is a 2 point but still passes on the gene for the next generation, also the doe fawns carry the gene and pass it on for several generations. To sum it up, the spread of the 2 point gene can spread very rapidly, and be strong in the herd for many generations to come.  Just my .02 cents from an old stock man.

[WDFW-SUX]

Passion's Management plan.

All Mule deer hunting is by permit only and is broken down as follows.

Region 1
Chelan, Okanogan, Douglas, Grant County

1st Season (archery) September 1-15 2000 Tags 4pt min
2nd Season (Rifle) October 1-7th 4000 tags 4pt min
3rd Season (Rifle) October 15-20th 2000 tags 4pt min
4th Season (Rifle) November 1-15th 200 Tags 4pt min
5th Season (Archery) November 25-December 10th 4pt or antler-less 1000 tags

Region 2
Kittitas, Yakima, Benton,Franklin Countys
1st Season (archery) September 1-15 1000Tags 4pt min
2nd Season (Rifle) October 1-7th 2000 tags 4pt min
3rd Season (Rifle) October 15-20th 1000 tags 4pt min
4th Season (Rifle) November 1-15th 40 Tags 4pt min
5th Season (Archery) November 25-December 10th 4pt or antlerless 400 tags

Region 3
Adams,Walla Walla, Whitman,Columbia, Garfield, Asotin County

1st Season (archery) September 1-15 2000Tags 4pt min
2nd Season (Rifle) October 1-7th 2000 tags 4pt min
3rd Season (Rifle) October 15-20th 1000 tags 4pt min
4th Season (Rifle) November 1-15th 150 Tags 4pt min
5th Season (Archery) November 25-December 10th 4pt or antlerless 400 tags

Region 4
Ferry, Pend oreille, Lincoln, Spokane
1st Season (archery) September 1-15 2000Tags 4pt min
2nd Season (Rifle) October 1-7th 2000 tags 4pt min
3rd Season (Rifle) October 15-20th 1000 tags 4pt min
4th Season (Rifle) November 1-15th 150 Tags 4pt min
5th Season (Archery) November 25-December 10th 4pt or antlerless 400 tags

In addition to the Regions there are areas that have addition restrictions for the 4th and 5th seasons They would be Methow valley(Chewuck, Perrygin, Gardner, Alta. , Entiat(Chiwawa, Entiat, Swakane), Desert.

Only 25% of the 4th and fifth season could be allocated for any of these areas to prevent over harvest.

I dont care what happens to the whitetails maybe any buck or some thing maybe 3pt or better.

 There would be management deer permits for Disabled, youth and senior hunters could shoot 2pts in problem areas. and some special permits for modern.

Also there would be shoot on site orders for all whitetails West of the okanogan river and the Columbia River regardless of the time of year.

A deer application would cost 20 dollars 75% of that cost would be set aside by state statute to fund acquisition of mule deer wintering grounds and habitat restoration. You would have three choices on the app and unsuccessful applicants would earn a point for each year they did not draw. the points would square.

What do you think?

[Slider]

  What duck said!!! The Deer need a YEAR OFF!!! Cut ALL the Tags by 50%!!!

[bobcat]

Passion,

Where would the muzzleloader seasons fit in? Or would there be none? I guess I'd have to sell my muzzleloaders?  

[WDFW-SUX]

They could apply in any of the first 4 seasons no special season though

[NRA4LIFE]

I like a combination of Bones and Passion's.  Do what Bone said, and have a 2-point/spike season.  Then go to permit only, with very few permits the first year, and ramp up to whatever totals seem to be right for balancing the herd.  However, keep it at 3-point min then.  Or 4-point but let brow tines count. 

[bobcat]

Why not just keep all the archery, muzzleloader, and modern firearm seasaons as they are now, but limit the number of tags for each GMU, rather than having a general season...

[Ironhead]

Bone, that might be a good start to clean up the genetics, but we have to continue with some of the other thoughts too. To me permit only is the way to go and I know most will hate this but a permit only high hunt also. Then we close the roads down  in the winter completely. then we go with any buck during the permit hunts to let the less hardcore hunters clean up the spikes and 2 points.

[Lowedog]

Permit only won't fly here in WA.  WDFW will not adopt a trophy management system to satisfy a very small percentage of hunters. 

Some very minor adjustment's to the current seasons will bring big results.  Chelan county deer herds are close to capacity so there is nothing wrong with the amount of deer.  The Entiat unit is no longer a gimme on a late hunt for a quality buck.  Easy fix here is to reduce the amount of late tags for both rifle and archery by 2/3's. 

Our late archery general hunt for the Swakane is a joke.  I don't have an answer there but permit only for that hunt would be nice. 

I second what Duck said about the roads.  Way too much pressure on the animals in that unit.

I think all of Chelan County would benefit from letting youth and senior hunters shoot any buck for a couple years. 

-Lowedog

[boneaddict]

No need for permit only.  The bucks you are wiping out aren't there during the general season.  What permit season there is, you need to limit.  Cut back on the available tags for archery and later permit hunts.  Wipe the two points for a year to knock out the big ones breeding.  Let the big boys recover(maybe no late permits for the year, no raffle no govenor for that unit, unless its for a two point.  This isn't unheard of.  They have to follow the given rules for the unit.  The roads idea is a great idea.  They do it in the Methow...shut it down October 1st.  You aren't going to wipe out a generation by kiling the two points.  I hate to tell you, before three point or better many got shot and we still have deer, not to mention there are spikes and samll threes still out there.  I believe this is a viable alternative to quality and quantity.  keep it simple so the state can handle it.

[LOVHUNTIN]

what if we quit trying to shoot only the big deer??  everyone says how they passed on smaller animals......everyone is a trophy hunter...

[rougheye]

Does anyone know the success ratio for the late bow tags.I hunted it in 06 and I didnt see alot get killed . and the ones I did see ,not very many big ones.Alot of does and 2 points

[Ironhead]

 

 You aren't going to wipe out a generation by kiling the two points.  I hate to tell you, before three point or better many got shot and we still have deer, not to mention there are spikes and samll threes still out there.

If I remember correctly we were not only killing 2 pts. back then, seems like it was any buck. So, while the young bucks were more often killed than the big migrators, we were spreading out the herd managment to more than one age group.

 To me Quality (don't give me the "there are plenty of places to get a way you just have to use boot leather" line ) means more than only trophy critters, I like the solitude of hunting. I like going out knowing there are not going to be 20 guys on the ridge I want to hunt. This will NEVER happen in the Entiat unless the hunter days are cut way down."Permits will never happen in Washington state" That is what they said in  Montana,Colorado,Oregon,and to NR's in Wyoming. Who has better hunting? I understand it won't be easy but something needs to be done. Threre are to many hunters and not enough land in Eastern Washington to have quality hunts unless, you hit the high country and even that is getting over crowded. JMO