2008 Regs are out!

[boneaddict]

That is normal and absolutely a great plan.   Here is the problem with those points you love.  I will have about 12 in Utah and max will be about 24 and you will be at zero.  Essentially it will be too late for you to ever hunt a premium hunt, same for Colorado, same for Nevada, same for Arizona, Wyoming and even Montana, except for maybe deer or elk.   If you are lucky then you can apply for Idaho and have a great chance.   If they start a point system, then you will be that far behind in that one.    Its one of the biggest issues for young hunters. 

[shanevg]

That is normal and absolutely a great plan.   Here is the problem with those points you love.  I will have about 12 in Utah and max will be about 24 and you will be at zero.  Essentially it will be too late for you to ever hunt a premium hunt, same for Colorado, same for Nevada, same for Arizona, Wyoming and even Montana, except for maybe deer or elk.   If you are lucky then you can apply for Idaho and have a great chance.   If they start a point system, then you will be that far behind in that one.    Its one of the biggest issues for young hunters. 

I know, that's the problem I am seeing.  I love points to an extent because it increases your chances of getting drawn each additional years.  But with the number of hunters playing the point system, I am basically screwed in a lot of the good states.  I have very mixed feelings and the more I talk about it, the more I want to do away with points.  The only real solution I can see is setting a maximum number of points hunters can have.  That way long time applicants still have an advantage, but new applicants can eventually catch up. 

[NRA4LIFE]

Boneaddict is spot on.  If you want THE premiere elk tag in CO and have not been applying for the last 20 years or so, you are hosed.  I started applying in 1993 and will have 16 preference points after this years draw,  CO keeps $25 a year now for the point.  The unit I want to hunt (201) required 18 in '07, probably 19 this year.  It has been steadily incrementing by one, every year for about 10 years now.  It only required 7 or 8 when I started to put in.  The problem is that there are so many people with 1 or 2 more points than me that I may never be able to hunt that unit, given the very few tags available to NR's.  I have too much invested now to quit also.  Probably will have to settle for another unit some day. 

Oh well, sour grapes I guess.  at least I can draw deer and elk in MT every other year or so.  Of course, I'll probably spend a grand or more on gas this year........  Dang this hunting thing is getting expensive.

[ThePascoKid]

These states that require you to buy a non-refundable license are contributing to a trend that has been happening more and more, hunting becoming a rich mans sport.  I will not apply for tags in states that require a non-refundable license.  Its *censored*!

[zackmioli]

i just stick with wa. i cant afford to apply for out of state hunts, nor do i have the time to go out there and actually hunt. and even then i dont really have the desire to spend that much money to go out of state to hunt. i like washington, i like hunting in washington.

[Machias]

I applied for nearly 10 years for the Maine non-resident Moose permits.  If you miss a year you loose all your points.  I moved a few years ago when I retired from the Air Force, the send out the notices 3rd class mail.  3rd class mail is NOT forwarded.  I called to check on my permit only to find out it had closed two weeks ago.  10 years down the drain!   

[Antlershed]

Here's a question about the new AHE permit areas at St. Helens. Can the winner of the westside elk raffle tag hunt those areas? It seems to me like they would be able to...

[billythekidrock]

Here's a question about the new AHE permit areas at St. Helens. Can the winner of the westside elk raffle tag hunt those areas? It seems to me like they would be able to...

Shouldn't be able to unless they are a Master Hunter.

[Antlershed]

But the regs say for the raffle ticket:

Westside Elk Raffle Permit
Number of permits: 1
Bag limit: One additional any bull elk
Open area and season: Western Washington,
EXCEPt GMU 485 and those GMUs closed
to elk hunting, and those GMUs not opened
to branch-antlered bull elk hunting by the
Fish and Wildlife Commission
Open season: Sept. 1-Dec. 31, 2008
Weapon: Any legal weapon
Eastside Elk Raffle Permit

The only thing I can find that might make them not open is that they are permits for an "Elk Area" rather than a "GMU", even though those Elk Areas are within GMU's. Nothing says the entire GMU must be open...

 

[bobcat]

It seems to me that since those elk areas are within GMU 522 (Loowit) which is closed to elk hunting, with the exception of those special elk area permits, that the raffle tag would not be good for that unit. This pretty much says it all:

those GMUs not opened to branch-antlered bull elk hunting by the Fish and Wildlife Commission

[Antlershed]

But 522 is open to branch antlered elk hunting within the designated elk area.... Not much different than the GMU's around Cathlamet that are only open in certain areas. I guess the distinction is between GMU's and Elk Areas?

[shanevg]

Seems to me that you would be able to hunt there.  The rule says all GMU's that are open to branched antler hunting.  Well at least a part of the GMU is open at some part of the season to branched antler hunting, so I would guess you could hunt there.  It is kind of vague though, you would probably want to call Fish and Game first.

[Antlershed]

I agree....would definitely want to give them a call.

[bobcat]

I looked over the permits available and out of the four elk areas within the Loowit GMU, three of them have permits available for all user groups. The other Elk Area (Pumice Plains) is only available to AHE hunters.

So Antlershed, I assume that is the one you are referring to? I don't think the raffle permit holder would (or should) be able to hunt that area, unless he is also a Master Hunter (as BTKR said.) 

I think the other three MAY be open to the raffle permit hunter, but I would want to verify that with the DFW. Of course, chances are, I, or anybody else on this board, will not have to worry about whether we can hunt there or not. First we would have to win that raffle.

[Antlershed]

I looked over the permits available and out of the four elk areas within the Loowit GMU, three of them have permits available for all user groups. The other Elk Area (Pumice Plains) is only available to AHE hunters.

So Antlershed, I assume that is the one you are referring to? I don't think the raffle permit holder would (or should) be able to hunt that area, unless he is also a Master Hunter (as BTKR said.) 

I think the other three MAY be open to the raffle permit hunter, but I would want to verify that with the DFW. Of course, chances are, I, or anybody else on this board, will not have to worry about whether we can hunt there or not. First we would have to win that raffle.

Actually I hadn't looked that in depth at the permits to see there were some available to non AHE guys. I was just flipping through the regs at work today and that question popped into my mind. I'm not saying they should be able to, but the regs are not very clear whether or not they can.