Letter to the Editor: One less bull in the Tieton Dr. herd...

[whiteeyes]

+1fishhunt, I also agree with getting these so called hunts on video would help light a fire

more damage to fish runs by non tribal??? enlighten us... indians are some of the most wastefull people I have ever seen!!! My best friend works on the peninsula with the state..piles of salmon they waste!! but yet they get to net rivers that we as citizens of WA foot the bill for hatchery released salmon and steelhead?? not right

You might want to do some research on who is footing the bill for the hatchery's before making statements like that. You might be surprised.   

[gasman]

+1fishhunt, I also agree with getting these so called hunts on video would help light a fire

more damage to fish runs by non tribal??? enlighten us... indians are some of the most wastefull people I have ever seen!!! My best friend works on the peninsula with the state..piles of salmon they waste!! but yet they get to net rivers that we as citizens of WA foot the bill for hatchery released salmon and steelhead?? not right

You might want to do some research on who is footing the bill for the hatchery's before making statements like that. You might be surprised.   

If you have the information all ready, enlighten us........

Educate us, under educated.

[fishunt247]

I know if it weren't for the Yakama tribe, the Yakima River wouldn't have a fishable springer run. So I think the argument that "they net our fish while we pay for them" is a pretty hard one to support. I think the Klickitat is mainly Indian run too, but I don't know that for fact.

But I guess hatcheries aren't what this thread is about anyway.

[hirshey]

Yes, this thread is about a herd established in the early 1900's from Yellowstone National Park stock.

Nice letter; I hope it gets published to at least create more awareness of these sad types of situations: tribal or not.

[fishunt247]

The Wenatchee World called me today to verify that I was the author of the letter. So Wenatchee people, be watching for it, let me know when it publishes, and please write in support letters for it. Don't let the issue die with just one letter. If you want, send me your letter and I'll edit it (I'm an English teacher).

[Coastal_native]

I have much respect for anyone who uses a public forum to share their thoughts about something they feel strongly about...so good job, fishhunt.  I know it's too late to offer a critique about your article, but for anyone who plans on writing a letter of support I would make a few suggestions. 

Although I understand fishunt's use of the "....." when he refers to "hunting" in a sarcastic sense, I would recommend making it clear that harassing animals with vehicles is not a form of hunting by any hunter's standards.  I don't particularly think that sarcasm works in persuasive writing when you are dealing with an otherwise objective public forum.  Also, what they were doing is illegal by anyones regulations and the emphasis should be put on the fact that no one is putting forth effort at enforcing (state/tribal).   

The other recommendation I would make (which most will likely disagree with) is the emphasis that was put on the "unfair" differences of tribal hunting vs. non tribal hunting.  It's a topic that I think has been beat to death publicly...and reluctantly accepted by most.  Maybe if it was worded in a way that explicitly illustrates how lack of co management and/or similar management goals/strategies can have a negative affect on big game populations.

So...In summary....I think It would be beneficial to use this particular situation that fishunt witnessed to illustrate that there is lack of enforcement effort in an area that has a serious lack of co management/cooperation and this could all potentially cause some serious problems for wildlife.  I think with this strategy you could avoid enviro's that get emotional and start attacking all hunters.

Good Job with the diplomacy though, fishunt...I didn't really feel that it was at all an attack on Natives...that gives you a lot more credibility.

[bobcat]

Well, I wasn't going to critique your letter, but since Coastal Native started it, I will give my  as well.

This unit is managed to give special tag recipients a good chance at a big bull.

In the future, I think you might not want to state that the unit is managed so that we hunters can kill trophy size bulls. I just don't think most non-hunters will sympathize much with the idea that tribal hunters are taking the trophy bulls from the non-tribal hunters.

And, honestly I don't believe the primary reason for spike only management is to provide an opportunity for us to kill trophy bull elk. It is done more as a way to provide optimum bull to cow ratios, and a healthy, well balanced elk herd.

Also, don't forget that there is no longer a "Game Department" and hasn't been for many years. We all know what you're talking about but using that term might confuse others.

[Coastal_native]

geeeeesssh!

Bobcat's critique was way harsher than mine...I think you should be mad at bobcat and not me

Oops...did I break my rule about sarcasm in a public forum...

[bobcat]

Really   Yeah I thought about buttering him up some first before I told him how it sucked. But decided to keep it short and sweet. I assume he knows that I'm really glad he took the time to write the letter and to send it off to all the newspapers that he did. I haven't written a letter to anybody about the tribal hunting issue so I really can't complain. But I just thought it might not hurt to point out a couple of minor issues in case others on here were going to take the time to write similar letters.

[Roost Run]

tri-city herald- i would love to see this in the paper

What he said.  I would love to see this in the Saturday "Outdoors" section of the Tri-City Herald

[fishunt247]

Points taken. You guys can tell me it sucks. I'm not offended easily. And I'm not a letter writer; I'm a poet (which I'll probably get flogged for now).

But in my defense Coastal, it is VERY hard to explain yourself in a letter than can be no more than 200 words, especially trying to explain what you suggest. I felt like it was more important to explain the attocities of the situation. I used "hunting" to cut down on the word count; I thought it would get the point across. My point wasn't that harrassing elk with a vehicle is wrong. I think everybody knows that, and that it is done by non tribal members too. I chose to focus on my belief that hunting, targeting, and killing copius amounts of big bulls on the winter range in unit that is draw only for big bulls is very, very wrong.

And Bobcat, while it is true that one goal of spike only is a better bull to cow ratio, I think pretending that another goal isn't to give hunters opportunity to kill bigger bulls is, well, pretending. Big bulls and big bucks bring in the cash; our WDFW is a cash hungry business. One goal is scientific, and the other is reality. Maybe that's just how I see it though. And if people don't know what the Game Dept. is, they surely aren't going to know what the WDFW is. The letter is right at 200 words, so writing it out would put me over the word count.

[bobcat]

Again, thanks for taking the time to do that, and that would be really tough to keep it under 200 words. I'm not sure I could do it.

[Coastal_native]

Points taken. You guys can tell me it sucks. I'm not offended easily. And I'm not a letter writer; I'm a poet (which I'll probably get flogged for now).

But in my defense Coastal, it is VERY hard to explain yourself in a letter than can be no more than 200 words, especially trying to explain what you suggest. I felt like it was more important to explain the attocities of the situation. I used "hunting" to cut down on the word count; I thought it would get the point across. My point wasn't that harrassing elk with a vehicle is wrong. I think everybody knows that, and that it is done by non tribal members too. I chose to focus on my belief that hunting, targeting, and killing copius amounts of big bulls on the winter range in unit that is draw only for big bulls is very, very wrong.

And Bobcat, while it is true that one goal of spike only is a better bull to cow ratio, I think pretending that another goal isn't to give hunters opportunity to kill bigger bulls is, well, pretending. Big bulls and big bucks bring in the cash; our WDFW is a cash hungry business. One goal is scientific, and the other is reality. Maybe that's just how I see it though. And if people don't know what the Game Dept. is, they surely aren't going to know what the WDFW is. The letter is right at 200 words, so writing it out would put me over the word count.

Oops...now I feel like a jerk.  Yes, the 200 word thing makes it difficult...and you said that in the beginning, but I forgot to consider it.  Your critique of my critique is a good critique.

[fishunt247]

I critique for a (meager) living. You are well spoken enough that you could write a letter, and I think you should. Focus on the points you mentioned because I think your ideas have a way better chance of being carried to the higher powers than mine. Basically, I think our government and the tribe's government could accomplish working together...I think. But to have faith in two government agencies???

[boneaddict]

Its going to take sensible folks on both sides, not selfish folks.   Just because its currently a right, doesn't make it RIGHT to overharvest or waste or whatever.  Selling meat because you can isn't right either.  Historically I'd think Native Americans would understand that mistake better than anyone as it truly affected many of them in the past when whitemen were doing it.  Times have changed, learn from the past, improve for the future.  Not take because its there.