White-tailed deer hunt proposals to be reviewed in August meetings

[Hangfire]

If this regulation passes with exceptions to the 4 point only for juvenile, disabled and seniors this will remove some objections by some. It will slow down the transformation of the herd to more 4 points.

It would appear that units 105, 108, 111or 113 would be better suited for a 5 year trial, although these units have a smaller population of whitetail.

What are some of the benefits to the deer herd by having a 4 point minimum? The biologists I have talked to in the past, when ask about this specific thing at a meeting in Colville,  said, there was not any benefits to the herd. They also told me that the total buck kill will be reduced significantly, by going to a older buck population. Those bucks that would have been harvested as 1.5 year old will have to go a minimum of one more year with , one more winter to survive, one more year of predators and poachers, plus the deer killed and left because they were to small.  A retired wildlife agent told me, when a unit in the Mason county area went to 3 point or better, he knew of 18 bulks shot and left in the woods in his area.

I would be in favor of limited hunting or none at the peak of the rut, all user groups, increased predator control, especially coyotes, protection of winter range and what ever else could be done along those lines. We have so much posted land that there are a lot of branched antlered bucks now. If you do not ant to shot a spike don't.

[bobcat]

The best way to increase deer populations, other than predator control, is to reduce the number of hunters. To do this, they would need to go to hunting by permit only (no general seasons.) IMO, that's what they really need to do if the deer numbers really are down significantly. Reduce the number of hunters by about half, yet still allow those hunters to harvest any buck.

A 4 point minimum rule may have somewhat of the same effect, in that it probably would reduce the number of hunters, just because many people would choose to hunt other units that don't have the restriction. Also, even 4 point bucks would be harder to kill, because people would need to take more time to be sure a deer had 4 points before shooting. Many times you only have a split second to shoot and when you have to count points first, the buck is much more likely to be gone before a hunter is able to get a shot off.

[Hangfire]

Increasing the deer population is a separate issue from the 4 point minimum. To increase the deer herd the simplest, is to reduce or eliminate the taking of antlerless. This of course will get the lowland land owners up set. I would take a hard look at redrawing the units boundaries so the mountain areas with the low deer population would be separate from the lowland. I think also, some of the units are to large and should be split up so they could be better managed.

I would also like to see when a person does draw a anterless tag, when they are available. That antlerless tag is there only tag. They would not be allowed to shoot a antlered deer.

It would be most desireable to have land purchased in wintering areas and set aside as winter range, and managed as such. Under current budget restraints probably impossible.

Of course the presence of wolves in Washington and the anticipated population increase complicates everything.  I would hate seeing bucks past up to be eaten later by wolves.

[Hangfire]

The current issue of the "American Hunter" which I just received,has a couple of pages on point restrictions as tried in several states, mostly east and south.  They have also in some states combined point restrictions with spread minimum.

The article said in Texas, the 1.5 and 2.5 year old bucks were not efficient breeders.  I was told a few years ago,  there was not a doe breeding problem in Washington. I was also told many years ago, by a very highly thought of biologist, that a doe that was not bred, almost never occurred. This fellow did a lot of checking of deer, including road kills in the winter, and said in his life time, he found very few unbred does.

Any one with a interest in this proposed change to the whitetail management, should attend one of the meetings if possible, or phone contact the DFW.

[bobcat]

I think one big thing the state really needs to look at after deer numbers have dropped in certain areas due to unfavorable weather conditions, is the taking of antlerless deer during archery seasons, and perhaps muzzleloader as well. Actually I think they may have made many units buck only this year, but I think they ought to do more of that, until deer numbers come back up. I think protecting the does would in some cases be much more effective than protecting the younger bucks.

[yelp]

I think one big thing the state really needs to look at after deer numbers have dropped in certain areas due to unfavorable weather conditions, is the taking of antlerless deer during archery seasons, and perhaps muzzleloader as well. Actually I think they may have made many units buck only this year, but I think they ought to do more of that, until deer numbers come back up. I think protecting the does would in some cases be much more effective than protecting the younger bucks.

I agree...I have seen what you describe in this state with "seasons and timing" with Mule Deer due to the migratory issues of does being bred first estrous and then migrating through an area towards wintering areas only to be harvested in an open GMU.  Shooting pregnant does is a problem.  Defeats the purpose of establishing buck escapement in my opinion.

This same group complained a few years back about to many deer in the colville valley..this led to the creation of the " Colville River" permit.

[bobcat]

OK, just looked in the regulation pamphlet.... GMU's 117 and 121 are now buck only for early archery and muzzleloader seasons. BUT, they ARE open for "Any deer" for the late archery season from Nov. 25 to Dec. 15. Also, these two GMU's, along with ALL of the Northeast Game Managment Units, are open to the taking of whitetail does by Disabled, Youth, and Hunters 65 and over, from Oct. 21 to Oct. 24.

If the deer population in GMU's 117 and 121 is in trouble, I would rather see them eliminate ALL harvest of does, before they go to a 4 point minimum on bucks.

I think I will be writing a letter tonight to the Fish & Wildlife commission regarding this proposal.