WDFW Stealing Antlers from Outdoorsmen

[bbarnes]

Did you know that the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, WDFW has taken all the shed antlers out of the Touttle River Valley game preserve.  They plan on auctioning them off in region 3. 

How do fellow hunters feel about this?  If you are upset about this please contact Brian Calkins or Sandra Yonkers with the WDFW and voice your concerns.

I feel this should be public property and the antlers belong to the citizen's of Washington state not the WDFW.  Many people have hiked in 5 1/2 miles, to find that there were no antlers.  Why didn't the WDFW come out with a public statement letting us know they were planning on taking them all.

[PolarBear]

Why should they?  Would you call a press conference if you found a ton of them?  They are using the money to support elk habitat and feed.  A good cause in my book.

[billythekidrock]

Many people have hiked in 5 1/2 miles, to find that there were no antlers.  Why didn't the WDFW come out with a public statement letting us know they were planning on taking them all.

Probably because if they found out people would hike in and disturb the elk at a time when they need to be left alone.

[muledude]

Befor I had a opinion I would need some more info? Do they do this at oak creek, Or any other feed stations?  Here's another thing... There are still alot of antlers in this part of the country to be found, Including the north fork.. They cant possibly find them all over here in this heavy cover..

[boneaddict]

I have mixed feelings.   It probably costs more in wages and administrative costs than what the antlers bring.  I say leav them for that antler hunters.  I am jealou f those that get that job.  I wonder how many gt stashed up in a tree for later.

[Red Dawg]

The money goes into the general fund. It does not go directly to wdfw. That is strait from a wdfw employee. I guess the state feels they need the money. I thought they were going to aution them off every year, but i do know that they have been stashing the oak creek antlers for about 3 years now in a grain silo somewhere. Just one more way to get up on mankind i guess.

[bobcat]

How about just leave the antlers for the squirrels and mice like we used to do?

[Red Dawg]

Just a thought but I thought that the wdfw looked down apon taking antlers just for that reason.

[WDFW-SUX]

The money goes into the general fund. It does not go directly to wdfw. That is strait from a wdfw employee. I guess the state feels they need the money.

 

[Jerbear]

Brian Caulkins should have the job Yonkers has.  You could talk to him and get results.  Yonkers, in the short time she has had her job, has developed a two sided tongue.  That said, I would say the antlers belong to the public.  If the game Dept needs the money, then perhaps the WDFW should have sold the multimillion dollar salmon and steelhead hatchery on the Klickitat, to the Yakama Nation instead of giving it to them.  Or spent the money on the elk instead of hiring two biology clowns to study the Oregon Spotted Frog and the Western Pond turtle here in region 5.
My sincere hope is that Rossi wins and sends Koenings back to where he came from.  I would like to see the the fish and game get back to just that and not all this other *censored*.  Hell yes they are stealing the sheds.

[Jackjr]

not a big shed hunter.  But it seems to me that hunters spend alot of money doing what they love to to which is hunt.  I am not sure what kind of money they get by picking them up themselves.  You are paying them to pick them up so there cant be alot of money in it.  So i think by letting the hunters and other people find them helps keep more money being spent toward hunting, and also keeps them interested in the sport.

[WARHORSE]

pickin up sheds would be a tuff job how do i sign up!?

[muledude]

labor ready....

[DOUBLELUNG]

I'm fine with them picking them up.  These are concentrated elk at feeding sites.  Leaving them on the ground entices people to come in and blow the elk off the feed site.  Tines will do a fine job popping feed truck tires.  I REALLY doubt they are out beating the brush looking for sheds, and I REALLY doubt it is a money thing.