Multi season $

[bobcat]

I do wish they would offer at least the deer multi season to youths at a discounted price so we could introduce them to different weapons hunting on a limited basis when they are young. Its hard for kids to have a lot of time to commit to archery hunting because of school and sports so its easier for them to rifle hunt but it would be nice for them to have a chance to get out there with a bow if they wanted to give it a try. However I can't justify the price WDFW gets for the multi tag for my eleven year old to go out a couple times even though he loves archery.nwhunter

Now that's a great idea. I wouldn't be surprised if the DFW would actually go for that idea if it was proposed to them. It's not like kids would really have a much higher success and a great impact on the actual harvest of game, simply due to hunting multiple seasons. But it would be great to give them the opportunity to try out the different weapons and give them more chances to get out and hunt. I think they should make all youth tags valid for all seasons. That's the best idea I've heard in a while, and one that actually might have a chance of being accepted by the WDFW.

I actually don't have a problem with the high price of the multi-season tags, because it helps to keep the less serious people from applying for it (including me). It's obviously not overpriced, because the number of applicants is higher than the number of permits. As I have said, I did apply for the multi-season deer this year, and would have gladly paid the $180, but I wasn't drawn. I just spent around $500 on a new bow and without the multi-season permit, I won't be able to use the bow this year. Another way to justify the price, is to think about all the extra hunting time it gives you, and how much you would have to pay for the only other way there is to get extra opportunity- by going out of state. If I were to go to Oregon or Idaho if I felt I needed more time hunting deer, it would cost around $500 just for license and tag. Then all the fuel and other expenses I'd be looking at well over $1000. The multi-season would have let me hunt from September 1st to December 31st, and all within 10 miles or so from my house. Think about it in those terms and the $180 doesn't sound so bad.

[KillBilly]

You are saying that you would buy your kid  a bow, a muzzle loader & a rifle to see if he likes one or the other best?

[bobcat]

You are saying that you would buy your kid  a bow, a muzzle loader & a rifle to see if he likes one or the other best?

Is that question directed at me?

If so, not to see what they like best, but to give them more opportunity to get out and hunt.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I just spent around $500 on a new bow and without the multi-season permit, I won't be able to use the bow this year.

Just curious, couldn't you use the bow during MF season on that private property you have access to ?

[bobcat]

I just spent around $500 on a new bow and without the multi-season permit, I won't be able to use the bow this year.

Just curious, couldn't you use the bow during MF season on that private property you have access to ?

Yes, and I will. Just was trying to make a point. I've got $500 invested, with the hope of being able to hunt the early and late archery season with my bow. So what's another $180? That was the point I was trying to make. And yes, I know I could buy an archery tag, but I want to hunt the rut, and for that you need to hunt the rifle season, and I also already had plans with a hunting partner to apply for a rifle permit.

[Alan K]

The second cycle can be good at times the first or second week of late archery.  I've had encounters with a number of good three points during those weeks.  Once you start getting into December very far though the bucks seem to go into recovery mode and go solo and lay low.

[sakoshooter]

Bobcat,
You keep saying you bought a bow and can't use it now since you're weren't drawn for the Multi-Season tag. Wrong - you can buy an archery license. You don't have to hunt modern or muzzleloader ya know. No different than the rest of us. We all have to make that exact same choice every year in WA.

[bobcat]

I thought I explained myself in that last post.   

I KNOW I can buy an archery tag. I don't want to. I would rather hunt with my brother and he's hunting with a rifle. Plus, as I have already said many times on here, I will be hunting with the bow on private property where the owner will only allow bow hunting. But I will be doing this during modern firearm season.

It was only a point I was making in order to show that the $180 really isn't that much in the whole scheme of things. Maybe it's too much for some, but it's not too much for others. It all depends on your situation. I'm limited to how much I can hunt on weekends because my wife works on Saturday and I have to stay home with the kids. So it would have been a great help for me to have my hunting spread out over 4 months, instead of just two weeks.

I don't know. Maybe what I've been posting only makes sense to me. That's entirely possible.

[400out]

I can understand how there are so many multi season tags unclaimed, I would and do not put in for this tag just for the simple reason I don't have the vacation to give it the justice it deserves 

[KopperBuck]

What's with people ripping in to those who drew the multiseason tag and either didn't know the cost or think it's a ripoff? There are plenty of reasons it could have been overlooked. 

If someone drew the tag and isn't buying it because it cost too much that is their choice. Sure there are plenty of people who would of loved to have the tag, but there are also people every year who draw coveted special permits and shoot the first legal animal they see; which is a whole lot more annoying and could be legitimately considered a waste of a permit/tag by those who would have at least attempted to do that tag justice.

Thanx for your post cmiller85. It's refreshing to see that not everyone on here has a know it all attitude.
This was the first year I applied for the multi-season tag and was drawn for the deer tag. I received the notice to purchase via the WDFW email alerts and since you cannot view all of this page at once, having to scroll completely down to the bottom, I missed the $180.50 myself. Since the reminder was at the top of the page and the link to click on was next, I saw no need to scroll down to the bottom of the page. I also immediately notified the WDFW licensing division to make mine available to another applicant.
I proposed the idea of purchasing all three licenses and one tag 15 years ago to generate revenue back when the WDFW was going bankrupt. They laughed at me stating it would put too much pressure on the animals. It appears that when they finally put it into play, they got greedy.
If 'everyone' could purchase(for a reasonable price)all three licenses, hunters would purchase guns and related equipment, bows and related equipment and muzzleloaders and related equipment. In turn, the State would receive millions of $$$ back thru the Wallop Breaux Act and Pittman-Robertson Act. But no, they'd rather run their very own racket and make less money all while making hunters mad.
A deer or elk license/tag is $45.20. Half of that or $22.70 for the license and half $22.70 for the tag. Since you only get one(1)tag with a multi-season tag it should cost $22.70 for each license, so 3 x $22.70 = 68.10 plus $22.70 for the tag. Total - $90.80.
Pretty simple math to me.

And I saw no need to read the GMU restrictions after I bought a deer tag... lol.

I've hunted in other states where declaration of hunting method isn't required and have seen way too many wounded animals b/c of increased opportunity. I like that this decreases incentive for folks that may not be as committed as those that are practiced.

[jstone]

Just bought my multi season deer. I wanted to buy more than 1 special permit. Fred neyers wouldnt let me. Wanted one each for rifle,muzzy and archery. Will i have to do it on the computer.

[bobcat]

You can only buy one special permit application per category. So for Quality deer, you can get one application, and on that application you have the option to apply for up to two hunts. The hunts you apply for can be modern firearm, archery, or muzzleloader hunts, since you have the multi-season deer tag.

You can also buy an application for the "buck" category and one for the "antlerless category." On those applications you can apply for up to four hunts, which can be special hunts for any hunting method.

If you go online to buy applications, you'll see what is available to you. It will only be one application per category. That does not change because you have the multi-season tag. What changes is that on that one application you can apply for any type of hunt. You will see the exact same options that the clerk at Fred Meyer saw on his computer screen.

[jstone]

Thanks got it done.. now for the long wait

[cmiller85]

One thing that irritates me is that you can't use a bow during muzzleloader season. The multiseason tag would be a lot better deal, for me at least, if the department would change this rule. It doesn't make any sense to me as to why you can't use a more primitive weapon like you can during modern firearm season.

[KillBilly]

Archery and muzzle loader are considered the same level of primitive....