Email about changes being made to the WDFW Special Hunt Apps

[backwoods_boy]

WDFW WILDLIFE PROGRAM
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
wildthing@dfw.wa.gov
Dear Washington Hunter,
This email is being sent to you to inform you about changes being made to the WDFW special hunt permit drawings for 2010.  We will contact you again in the coming weeks as the details about permit submittals are finalized. 
Background:
In recent years, some hunters have expressed dissatisfaction with the selection process used to issue special-hunt permits, which give successful applicants hunting options beyond those authorized by a general hunting license. 
Many of those frustrations stem from the fact that all special-hunt permits are randomly drawn from the same pool of applications, meaning applicants often face a choice between applying for popular hunts or settling for less-popular hunts with better odds of being drawn.
What's Changing:
Under the plan before the Fish and Wildlife Commission since 2009, WDFW would create separate applications for several different categories of big game permits, ranging from buck or bull hunts to senior permits.  This means you would be able to apply in as many categories as you qualify for, per species. 
This plan was developed with broad public input and support from the WDFW's Game Management Advisory Committee.
Under the new plan, "points" accrued by hunters toward special permits in previous years would be applied to each of the new permit categories created under the new plan.  Additional revenue generated would be used to expand hunter access to private lands.
What's Next:
The commission is scheduled to take action on the proposal April 9-10.
Special-hunt permit applications will go on sale starting April 26 and the submittal deadline is by midnight on May 26.
Please plan accordingly and allow enough time to familiarize yourself with this year's new hunt choices and the 2010 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations pamphlet so that you can submit your hunt choices prior to the May 26 deadline.   
The hunting pamphlet will be posted online by April 20 and be available at all license dealerships no later than April 23.
Learn more about the proposed changes here .     
-Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

[bobcat]

This plan was developed with broad public input

 

[Bob33]

Sounds like a done deal. I'd bet good money the pamphlets are already printed and the online changes in place.  Sadly, the Commission meeting may be window dressing.  I hope not.

[SkookumHntr]

Ya there completly giving us a line of *censored*! Im voting to get rid of the WDFW! I hope all those pukes get *censored*canned and the DNR takes over!

[bobcat]

I agree, it's hard to believe with such a short time from the Commissioner's meeting and the deadline for submitting special hunt applications, that it's not already set in stone. They say the regulations will be posted online April 20th, that's just over 3 weeks from now. It really irks me that they pretty much gave the public no notice about this change, and then they lie about it and say it was "developed with broad public input."  I used to support just about anything the WDFW did, but not anymore. I'll be watching them like a hawk from now on.

[chukarchaser]

one word.  Revenue.  We just got sold out.

[Woodchuck]

I got it as well, what a crock 

[Curly]

That damn email of lies should have been sent out last June.

[provider]

Sadly, the Commission meeting may be window dressing.  I hope not.

They will not be taking public input on this issue at the April meeting.  The comment period is over. 

I am not trying to discourage anyone from attending the meeting (infact the contrary), but you will not be allowed to comment specifically on that proposal.  According to WDFW, you had plenty of time to do so.  So, during the open public comment period...  it might be a good opportunity to comment of the lack of transparency and public notification of changes in general by the Dept?

[bobcat]

  So, during the open public comment period...  it might be a good opportunity to comment of the lack of transparency and public notification of changes in general by the Dept?

Yes. I will be writing another letter to the commission addressing just that subject. That's the main problem I have with this whole new permit system anyway.

[provider]

I agree with you bocat... that is the main problem.  Just because the public can no longer comment on that proposal at the Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting, doesn't mean we can't comment on related topics and anyone can comment anytime they want to the WDFW Wildlife Program...  and should.

[Redmist]

Correct me if I'm mistaking, but according to what I just read, we can be drawn for a quality deer hunt (buck) and a doe hunt, and a quality (bull) hunt along with a cow hunt.  We can hunt for each animal but will have to stop hunting when either of the two are harvested.  Then retain the points for the animal we don't harvest?  How is this inforced, reported?  For example, Jane gets a quality bull and cow permit.  She then kills and tags a doe, transports it home and sticks it in the freezer.  Then she hits the field again and kills a quality buck on the late hunt, tags it, again drives home w/o being checked and sticks it in the freezer.  If she didn't get checked on the first tag and registered as a kill, nothing stops her paperwork wise from continuing to hunt for the big buck.  Unless Jane must carry all tags unnotched on her person in the field.  Then, what prevents her from killing a Quality buck, punching the tag, taking it home unchecked, and reporting that she killing a skank and retains her Quality buck permit points for next year?  There must be more paperwork and reporting, or what I just said (above) will be realized?  Do you think that maybe it isn't  regognized as a Big *censored*ing Deal until it is signed into law.  All quotes from Biden are now legal vocabulary and should be uncensored on this site.  Democrifice of America.

[winshooter88]

The way that I understand it is if you get drawn in more than 1 pool you lose your points in whatever categories you were drawn in (quality and doe, or bull and cow). You don't get extra tags, just a permit saying that you can legally hunt in those seasons for those animals. Once you take an animal in any category then you are done and can not hunt that species anymore. If you get drawn for a quality buck permit and a doe permit then you can still only kill one animal total (if you kill a Quality area buck then you can't hunt for does, or if you kill a doe then you can't hunt for the buck anymore).If you choose to kill one animal and not cut your tag and then go kill the other animal and get caught you will be guilty of poaching. As for as I know there is no provision for turning in the tag you don't want. When the regs come out everyone needs to check them over real well so that you don't get caught because the rules are not what you thought.

[bobcat]

As always, a person can only have one deer tag and one elk tag. When you draw a special hunt you have drawn a permit, not a tag. If you draw buck and doe permits, you can hunt with both permits but if you kill a deer, you use your one and only tag. You have already lost your points in both categories by drawing both permits.

[Redmist]

Ok, I think I get it.  We can be drawn for both doe and quality, but will loose points in both catagories when drawn regardless of sex killed.  Took me a while.  Sorry, I'm still glazed from Biden and Obama on the healthcare pat on the back.  Gotta blame somebody, and not the Republicans.