Free: Contests & Raffles.
Sawbuck I think you took my post out of context. When I'm referring to people who don't want the Colockum to go permit only then yes they are SELFISH!! If you have a 70% reduction in numbers and you think that that trend is going to change then that person is ignorant or naive. If they don't care then they are selfish. But if you still think a herd that has been decimated such as the colockum should still have a general season then let me ask YOU yourself a question. At what point would you want some conservation to take place. 80, 90 or 95%??? When only .75-1 out of every 5 spikes live through the hunting season don't you think something should be done to stop this??? If not then YOU tell me what should be done in the Colockum or the yakima and Kittitas Mule Deer herd (which has taken an over 50% nose dive in the last six years)
First of all, I'm not saying that nothing needs to be done about the Colockum; I'm saying that implementing a permit only system for every elk herd in Washington state and/or eastern Washington, based on problems with one particular herd, is blanket wildlife management, and that is not good wildlife management. The problems of each herd should be addressed specifically, which is the job of the Dept. of Wildlife.
Quote from: Sawbuck on March 04, 2010, 08:00:57 PMFirst of all, I'm not saying that nothing needs to be done about the Colockum; I'm saying that implementing a permit only system for every elk herd in Washington state and/or eastern Washington, based on problems with one particular herd, is blanket wildlife management, and that is not good wildlife management. The problems of each herd should be addressed specifically, which is the job of the Dept. of Wildlife.A permit only system would not be "blanket wildlife management." It would simply be MANAGEMENT. Which we don't have now. With a permit system, each herd WOULD be addressed specifically. That would be the whole point of having a permit system. They could allocate the number of tags per GMU based on the elk population in that unit. In a GMU with a lot of elk, a lot of tags would be issued. In the Coluckum GMU's, obviously, very few permits could be issued until the numbers come back up. Some of you seem to think it would severely restrict the number of hunters. That isn't necessarily true. They could still allow the same number of hunters in certain GMU's that currently hunt there under the unlimited over-the-counter tag system we have now. And in units that need to have reduced hunting pressure, they could regulate them accordingly. The system we have now... how can that be called management Hunters go randomly wherever they choose. The WDFW does not manage the number of hunters at all.
And no, I don't think that an 80% spike mortality rate is something that needs to be stopped. I would bet that that number is a little high; I'll give you that one. A few weeks ago at the Watt feed lot, I counted sixteen spikes and numerous branch antlered bulls,population and cows.
Yes and NE might possibly be the exception and wouldn't need to be on a draw. But there would somehow have to be a requirement that if you apply for a draw only unit and don't draw, you can't hunt the OTC units.
And leave the Spokane and Walla Walla units OTC