2011 Game rules are posted.........

[bobcat]

Did anybody notice the late mule deer permits in the Northeast? Geez, I knew they were talking about adding some late mule deer permits in those NE GMU's but I thought they were talking about doing it next year. Guess I heard wrong. I do think it's kind of ridiculous to only have one permit in each unit. Come on! Why not three or four? Or even ten? It won't be 100% success rate anyway. A couple more deer harvested is just a couple more that the wolves and cougars won't get.

[bobcat]

Another interesting thing I noticed- the Green River bull elk rifle permit was moved from the "Bull" category to the "Quality" category. Makes sense. I wondered if it was a mistake that they didn't have it in as a Quality permit last year.

So this year if you have a westside rifle elk tag, there's nothing worth applying for in the "Bull" category.

Which is fine with me, I just saved $6.50.   

[JLS]

Did anybody notice the late mule deer permits in the Northeast? Geez, I knew they were talking about adding some late mule deer permits in those NE GMU's but I thought they were talking about doing it next year. Guess I heard wrong. I do think it's kind of ridiculous to only have one permit in each unit. Come on! Why not three or four? Or even ten? It won't be 100% success rate anyway. A couple more deer harvested is just a couple more that the wolves and cougars won't get.

Agreed.  If three or four permits versus one is going to cause biological problems then there are bigger issues at hand.

[trophyhunt]

Another interesting thing I noticed- the Green River bull elk rifle permit was moved from the "Bull" category to the "Quality" category. Makes sense. I wondered if it was a mistake that they didn't have it in as a Quality permit last year.

So this year if you have a westside rifle elk tag, there's nothing worth applying for in the "Bull" category.

Which is fine with me, I just saved $6.50.   

I agree with you, the green river bull should be a quality hunt.  And your right about not having very many options in the bull catagory as a westside guy, I hunt with muzzy and we only have 3 options. That bull catagory is a joke.

[dreamingbig]

Another interesting thing I noticed- the Green River bull elk rifle permit was moved from the "Bull" category to the "Quality" category. Makes sense. I wondered if it was a mistake that they didn't have it in as a Quality permit last year.

Not a mistake.  They had in the recommendation for approval.  The commission didn't even bat an eye at that one.  Nelson gets what Nelson wants; he referenced conferring with local biologists before changing.

[Ridgerunner]

about the green river tag guys, yes it belongs in quality, I can tell why you it got moved, becuase someone cared enough to complain in a civil manner not yelling and cussing them out, that someone was me, I called DAve W this winter and explained to him why it should be in the quality unit(basically it was the same circumstances as the watershed hunt in the blues and they should be treated consistently).  I also wrote in my comments during the comment period.  Hard to argue with logic that is presented in a positive fashion.  Yeah the bull category on the westside stinks, I think everyone can agree with that.
 
Do yes the department does listen to folks sometimes, with the new three year cycle coming up this summer gather some ideas. I for one would like to see a late mule deer tag in the sherman unit, if the other units have the deer for it, then the sherman unit definately does.   

[Bigshooter]

about the green river tag guys, yes it belongs in quality, I can tell why you it got moved, becuase someone cared enough to complain in a civil manner not yelling and cussing them out, that someone was me, I called DAve W this winter and explained to him why it should be in the quality unit(basically it was the same circumstances as the watershed hunt in the blues and they should be treated consistently).  I also wrote in my comments during the comment period.  Hard to argue with logic that is presented in a positive fashion.  Yeah the bull category on the westside stinks, I think everyone can agree with that.
 
Do yes the department does listen to folks sometimes, with the new three year cycle coming up this summer gather some ideas. I for one would like to see a late mule deer tag in the sherman unit, if the other units have the deer for it, then the sherman unit definately does.

I know a lot of guys that sent emails asking why this wasn't a quality tag including myself.

[bobcat]

They've already got corrections to the 2011 Regulations posted:

2011 BIG GAME PAMPHLET CORRECTIONS
Corrections as of April 18, 2011
Page 53 (added April 18)
An incorrect “Tag Required to Apply” was listed for three Master Hunter Elk Hunts:
 Hunt Choice 2726 Region 1 was listed as “EM” (eastern muzzleloader) it should be “EF”
(eastern modern firearm).
Hunt Choices 2721 Region 5 and Hunt Choice 2725 Region 6 were both listed as “WM”
they should be “WF” (western modern firearm).


http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01184/2011_big_game_hunting_errata.pdf