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

[buckmaster_wa]

Here is my Letter to editor that I sent out to Yakima Herald, Tr-City Herald, Seattle Times, Wenatchee World,

On average, it takes 8-10 years to draw a permit to hunt bull elk. When a permit is finally drawn, there is a nine day season to try to harvest a bull. I cannot understand why I only get the opportunity to hunt these magnificent bulls once a decade while a group of people who live twenty miles south of me are allowed to harvest an unlimited amount of bull elk every year in these same areas? I know bad apples exist in every culture, but there is a small group from the Yakama tribe that harvest as many bull elk as possible on any given day all year long, typically targeting these animals when they are most vulnerable: on their winter range and trying to survive the toughest time of year. I know they signed a treaty 155 years ago to be able to freely hunt “open and unclaimed” lands. But I still believe they should limit themselves on total harvest, especially a limited number of bulls, and they should penalize the ones who hunt unethically. It should also be required for them to share their harvest statistics with the WDFW so herd health can be evaluated.
 
Dan Gabbard

[grundy53]

i like it.

[fishunt247]

Apparently it showed up in the Wenatchee World. An old friend from college let me know. He doesn't hunt, but read it anyway. Hopefully more people do the same.

[goosegetter79]

Here it is!

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/search/?q=tribal+hunting&sortby=date

[boneaddict]

WOW, reading some of the comments on it.  I can see why this nation is in DEEP *censored*.

[Dslayer]

Imagine if that letter had been published in the Seattle Times, you'd have 300 replies of that kind of rubbish.

[fishunt247]

I agree, Bone. Holy moses.

The editor from the Yakima Herald emailed me yesterday wanting to know how I knew that they "looked tribal." Really??? I mean, I'm not for racial profiling on descriptions or anything, but I have family that lives in Toppenish and I've hunted on and fished on the reservation since I was about ten, and I think I know a Yakama man from a European man from an African man from a Mexican man from an Asian man. Different groups of people look different: that is just the way it is. I tried to be as PC as I could in hopes that it would get published. If a man was robbing a store, and the clerk said it was a Native American man, would the Police and the commuty all question, "Well, how do you know that this man who robbed you actually looked Native American?" Jesus.

[washelkhntr]

WOW, some of those comments are out of control, and these people VOTE!

[ribka]

WOW, reading some of the comments on it.  I can see why this nation is in DEEP *censored*.

I read comments too. Surprised at the amount of *censored* loonies on the E side.

[hirshey]

What silly posters on that Wenatchee World!   

[JCClement]

Best comment had to do with eating organic.  I love liberals, they are so stupid they are willing to tell you how smart they are.

[bobcat]

Here are a couple of comments:

Dixie (anonymous)    2 days, 4 hours ago
Safety Valve: Letters from readers
Mr. McKimmey said they “looked tribal” so WDFW did not stop them. Did they have big-feathered headdresses and moccasins? Is this how they looked tribal? Sorry I have to chuckle. However, getting to the point is it absolutely necessary to bash Native Americans and bring up mostly incorrect assumptions about them because two “tribal looking” dudes poached (?) an elk? Seems to me I read a week or so ago about how several white guys slaughtered a whole herd of elk for sport. I did not hear anyone bemoaning how worthless and lazy white people were when that happened. I agree that tribal hunting agreements need to be revamped but just because some people no matter what the nationality are prone to be jerks does not mean the entire group should be slandered. I would also like say the claims that Native Americans have no long-term connections with specific areas are false. Although many tribes had different areas for winter and summer villages, (many of you can relate to this you call them winter and summer homes. I doubt you would take anyone seriously that said you had no right to either because you move between them.) Many tribes can prove continuity of culture and province well beyond ten thousand years including the local ones. I would suggest that all of you that see Native Americans as nothing more than leaches on white society do a bit of reading up. Two good starter books are “Columbus in the Americas” by William Heat-Moon and 1491 by Charles C. Mann.

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Sign in to replySuggest removal.. firefly87 (fire fly)    54 minutes ago
Safety Valve: Letters from readers
I suppose you've never been able to discern if someone "looked" a specific ethnicity before? If you live in communities with varying racial makeups you eventually can discern such things. It does not take a "headdress or moccasins" to provide a best guess; especially in a situation as brazen as herding elk with a truck in the middle of the day until the persons could get the best shot at the biggest antlers in the group. That would cost a non-native their truck, firearm, and lifetime hunting privelages whereas there are no such regulations in place for natives. And the arguement that they have connections with the area is fine... except that the particular elk herd they are abusing was introduced to the area BY WHITE MEN in the early 1910's. It is not an issue of slandering the entire nationality, it is simply to put to light the fact that reform needs to take place to protect the nation's property. The resources belong to all of us, and should be respected thus.

How about this: if it is an issue of tradition, use traditional gear? If its an issue of ceremony, document it! But if its an issue of bragging rights and selling antlers and jerky and creating waste of animals that deserve more respect than that, let's realize no treaty was created to abuse animals stocked for all to enjoy.. whether we hunt or not!

Also, I would be curious to see how your accusation of "how several white guys slaughtered a whole herd for sport" fits into your mantra of not bashing or bringing up incorrect assumptions "no matter the nationality". Each non-tribal member only gets the opportunity at a single elk per year.. IF they are lucky. I'd like to read up on where you are getting your information.

[hirshey]

In any case, I'm glad they posted it!

[Special T]

I must be missing something??? Police are not allowed to "Profile" people ok i get that... But isn't this a case of reverse profiling? If a WDFW had just driven up to them and asked to see their tribal card then sent them on thier way speedily then what would be the harm?How many of us have been stopped on land we have permission to be on and asked by a cop or WDFW officer if we have permission to be where we were at?   If someone is doing something suspicious isn't it the responsibility of the WDFW to check it out? What is they were some Mexicans with braided pony tails and drove by quickly? 
I think this is just another example of the lack of management and enforcement that wrecking the WDFW... 

[buckmaster_wa]

They printed my letter to editor in the Yakima Herald today.