Washington elk draw

[krout81]

Read this article and read between the lines from the biologists.... interesting read.

Why would the state and feds log the rimrock area? wildfire?
Elk can and do live around people with cover... escapement is the key and if it means making it harder for some to hunt then so be it.
Better to make it harder to hunt for escapement than to not hunt at all.

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/hunting/news/story?page=h_map_06_WA_Morton_elk

Great Article in my opinion.  Makes sense to me, but I agree with other dont let just any non-resident bet a tag.  Set a limit and give out permits.  There is enough money coming in from the WA hunters. 

[bullcanyon]

Absolutely not! We have really good hunting on the west side. I have 0 complaints about the elk hunting. If I do not fill my tag it's my own fault.

[grundy53]

Absolutely not! We have really good hunting on the west side. I have 0 complaints about the elk hunting. If I do not fill my tag it's my own fault.

I totally agree about the elk hunting on the westside

[Buckrub]

Absolutely not! We have really good hunting on the west side. I have 0 complaints about the elk hunting. If I do not fill my tag it's my own fault.

Sooooo... Why the difference in management approach? east vs. west? cover for escapement?
Maybe there should be a high fence on the crest trail? I'll keep hunting big bulls while you guys keep arguing about permits...LOL

[bullcanyon]

Im no biologist. I pay someone else to figure that stuff out. What I do know is there are big enough bulls where I hunt to keep me up at night and I can hunt them every year

[elkbuster]

I voted yes because it would improve our elk heards and chances of actually shooting an elk. Elk hunters who tag out every year are few and far between. As it is we have the worst elk hunting in the west when we could have great elk hunting if hunters would just give up a couple years. insted of 5000 hunters trying to shoot an elk out of a herd of 100 elk we would have quality elk hunting. but it will never happen

I would only agree if the State of Washington nullified the "Stevens Treaty" with the tribes of WA and the native americans could not devastate the elk herds like they are now.  Then and only then would I be more willing to accept draw hunting or even every other year hunting to improve the elk herds of WA and odds of getting an elk.   

[whacker1]

I voted no.  I don't like the Governor or the folks of the WDFW with the ability to manipulate hunter numbers from year to year by tag allotment and political pressure.

I know a few Oregon Residents that quit hunting, because of the draw system in Oregon.  It was the straw that broke the camels back for those individuals.  They already had issues with hunting for other reasons, but not being able to hunt every year pushed them over the threshold.

Others only hunt Oregon every few years, and hunt out of state for the rest.  I like the idea in concept, but where the rubber hits the road, I would prefer to hunt every year.  We have a lot of residents in this state that choose to hunt elk, yes the number of bodies elk hunting would go down if we went to a draw system for the season as well as going forward, and success should increase over time.  It would be harder to recruit youth into the sport if you can't hunt every year.  It would put additional pressure on deer hunting if deer were left as a general tag, and poaching would increase.  license revenue would also potentially fall if the system were not put in place perfectly and the rest of us would carry the increased costs for the revenue lost by those that quit hunting.  I see a lot of pros and cons, but the cons to this one are too many.

[Bob33]

Oregon is still over the counter for archery tags.

[alanger]

NO

[trophyhunt]

No way.

[Buckrub]

If the elk population is in so much trouble why is the wdfw reducing the yakima herd to 9500 from 12000?

Might be for the goal of 12 bulls per 100 cows? hard to achieve that goal with a low spike recruitment.

Wolf introduction will be a far greater threat than any mismanagement of the wdfw.... 
You eastern boys been hunting spikes all along when you could have been hunting bulls like us west boys.

Tell me again how much trouble the elk herds are in? and why the dept. is reducing population?

We have been snookered in the guise of bull management for permit money.

[sakoshooter]

I don't ever want to see this state go to a draw for any big game species. Hunting is just that - hunting. Killing and tagging happen when all the stars line up. I enjoy the hunt and that means everything about it. Just being out there witnessing mother nature at her finest, camping and the camp company, hunting partners, the anxiety never knowing if or when you're going to see something.
Not even getting the chance to go is just wrong and I hope this state never goes to that.

[Greyson]

As long as it is done scientifically and for the benefit of the elk, I vote "yes".  Higher quality hunts and less crowding the way I see it.  Obviously, way more permits would be available, and access might get batter with fewer hunters. 
  
It won't happen, though.  WDFW makes money more off of tag sales than it would off of permit application sales.  
Figure that they sold 100,000 tags at $25.00 (elk and deer tag option vs. license and deer tag) which equals $2.5 million.
Now figure they could sell 200,000 permit draw applications at around $6.00 each.  That's only $120,000.  

Money is the bottom line.  That money is going to be more important now that the budget is being cut the way it is. 
Road closures seem like a cheap and easy option, too!

[teanawayslayer]

I would like it if it went to draw only.  I always put in for east side tags and never get drawn.  I have a hard time trying to hunt spikes period.  I go out with the wrong attitude right off the bat.  I do not put much time into it.  I spend a lot of time deer hunting.  I mean a lot.  all spring and summer of scouting.  I love to be in the woods.  Most of the time by myself.  I enjoy it.  Like I said can't get into elk in washington though.  I pay for that tag every year and tag soup.  Go to draw only and it would not hurt my feelings one bit.  that's my 

[high country]

my 17th in a row hit the dirt this year. all but 2 have been on public or pulicly huntable land. all but one on the eastside.......why fix a good thing for the weekend warriors? get out, scout sleep with your bulls and kill it. btw, there is a lot of land in the corner that will never see a hunter and holds elk.