early season date changes

[bobcat]

Early Muzzleloader season was only increased by 2 days. I wouldn't say the "state is tripping over themselves" by giving them two additional days. If you look at the harvest reports you'll see that early muzzleoader deer season has a very low success rate anyway. So the two extra days, while it allows one more weekend of hunting, probably will not increase harvest by any substantial amount.

[dreamingbig]

Muzzleloader success rates still higher than archery.

[bobcat]

Bobcat,

You are a moderator.  I sure hope you can figure that out.  Given your knowledge of the seasons and regulations, witnessed in other posts, I know you know how things have changed from 2005 to 2008 until now (2010).  If you want to hide behind the literal meaning of an individual's post then I guess that is your right.

Last I checked, moderators don't have any special powers that allow me to read a person's mind, from the words that they write. That is why I asked the original poster a question:  

Bowhiker, I have the same question as Bob33. I'm not clear on which "several days" you are talking about that you have lost

[bobcat]

Muzzleloader success rates still higher than archery.

Not a significant amount. Anyone is free to hunt whichever season they like best. (I have done all three)

[Wild Bill]

(Putting armor on now).

....  Is there something wrong with giving more opportunity to the 106,000 who pay about five times more in license fees?....
 

Personally, I wouldnt mind having the lost days back... I can think of 4 dead bulls for me and friends that fell to our arrows on the last day... two on the last evening... every minute counts.... I was thinking we lost 2 days this yr... used to run from the 6- 22... As far as oppurtunity, it makes more since to make all three methods even across the board, and let the hunter pic their poison... but, as pointed out above... its all about money and who pays the most.... Pretty sad..

Good news is I think we will see all the wanna be archers (dudes who crossed because "the season is better")leaving cause of the shorter season...  if that helps it get back to where I only see 2-3 dudes a season, so be it... i'll take the shorter season.... Also wont miss the "90 yrd pin" crews..

I've hunted primarily archery for the last 7 yrs. Used to hunt rifle. I hunt archery as its more of a rush, and I hunt harder than the average dude, therefore make my own luck (hence im 6 for 7 on bulls, would be 7 for 7 but lost one this last yr) ... Also, my wife hunts rifle deer, as blacktail hunters the odds are slim to see two "shooter" blacktails in one yr. By shooter i dont mean decent 3x or forkie. It's gotta be a stud 3x or better, hence weve only shot 4 bucks in the last seven yrs combined... thats fine, again our choice... There has been many seasons that iv'e passed well over 20 bucks up in all sizes.... in 2007 I saw 48 legal bucks.... dinkers by my mark... all during archery...

point is not to toot my horn, but point out that i as well dont like the changes for the most part, (minus the fewer archers) but it damn sure dont change the way I hunt, and for the most part wont affect my success...
just my  
WB

[dreamingbig]

Bobcat,

You are a moderator.  I sure hope you can figure that out.  Given your knowledge of the seasons and regulations, witnessed in other posts, I know you know how things have changed from 2005 to 2008 until now (2010).  If you want to hide behind the literal meaning of an individual's post then I guess that is your right.

Last I checked, moderators don't have any special powers that allow me to read a person's mind, from the words that they write. That is why I asked the original poster a question:  

Bowhiker, I have the same question as Bob33. I'm not clear on which "several days" you are talking about that you have lost

You are entitled to your opinion.  My opinion is that you are hiding behind semantics.

[bobcat]

You are entitled to your opinion.  My opinion is that you are hiding behind semantics.

               

                                 

[dreamingbig]

I was thinking the same thing but I didn't post that.  Isn't that a little over the top?

[fisheral87]

I think those percentages are pretty close together. A percentage point or two does make a difference. But success rates across the board are fairly similar which may indicate how WDFW evaluates harvest opportunities.

Archery success rate = Muzzy Success rate = Modern Success rate = equal opportunity to harvest 

Which I feel is a pretty fair measure. 

Seems to me that lost day is a scheduling issue. I agree with the frustration of losing five days. I'll be interested to see the schedule for '11.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I'll be interested to see the schedule for '11

Page 113 of the new pamphlet, I tried to cut and paste, but...

[bearpaw]

dreamingbig is correct, archery season is being shortened, early archery for many years ran until Sept 30. A big problem with resource allocation is that it pits groups against each other. I don't believe that is healthy for hunting in general but it seems to be what most hunters in this state want, so that is what we will have to live with.

IMO seasons sway to the preference of those in charge, and that is just how politics work. It seems that for "resource allocation" to be truly fair, season length would be based solely on success rates, allowing the number of days for each group to have overall equal success rates.  

For some muzzy seasons very limited numbers of units are open. Rather than give muzzleloaders more days, it seems that it would have been more fair to give muzzleloaders more units during hunts so they could hunt closer to home. Just my opinion.

[fisheral87]

Gotcha. Thanks, SticknString. Yeah, they cut it again.

[bobcat]

They didn't cut the season for 2011, just like they didn't cut a day from it in 2010. Yes, it will be ending on the 23rd instead of the 24th, but that is because it has to end on a Friday, so the early muzzleoader season can start on Saturday. It's just in the way the dates fall on the calendar. Modern firearm deer season for blacktail deer was 6 days shorter in 2009 than it was in 2008. Same reason. They didn't "cut" the season. The opening Saturday just happened to fall on the 17th instead of the 11th like it did the year before.

[fisheral87]

But there will be one less day, that is the way I read it.

I might be missing something though.

[bobcat]

I don't know if you're missing something, but I'll try to explain it again. You are right, one less day in 2011 than in 2010. But as I already said, it is not due to a "cut" by the WDFW. The archery season begins on September 1 and it ends on a Friday. This year that date happens to be the 24th, next year it is the 23rd. In 2012, if they keep everything the same, that date will be the 28th. So that will be a 5 day longer season than the 2011 season. But again that won't be due to the WDFW adding 5 days to it. It's just the way the dates fall on the calendar.