Swakane deer closure

[got2hunt]

I heard that the swakane unit might be closing this next year for a 3 year trial period? Has anybody heard about this? Maybe they could close it and open the mission unit that would be better.

[Shed Stud]

Yep! Closed!

[bobcat]

Mission is already open. And I really doubt if they would close Swakane. There is no reason for a closure. The deer are doing fine in that unit. It's no different than Chiwawa, Slide Ridge, or the Entiat. If they close Swakane they'd have to close them all.

[Bigshooter]

Are you talking about the general rifle hunt, the general early archery hunt, the general late archery hunt, or the late rifle permit hunt?  Or all of them?

[Heredoggydoggy]

Don't know why they would do that.  Even the winter after the fire there were lots of deer in there.  I don't know what they were eating, but they were munching on something that was growing back. 

[bobcat]

I think what they're eating in the burned areas is the Ceanothus.

[huntnphool]

 WDFW have discussed closing it for late archery, not the general season. Its one of the things WSB is fighting for us during this next season setting process.

[jrod]

Mission is already open. And I really doubt if they would close Swakane. There is no reason for a closure. The deer are doing fine in that unit. It's no different than Chiwawa, Slide Ridge, or the Entiat. If they close Swakane they'd have to close them all.

                                                                                                                                                                          hes probly talkin about late archery! no late archery in the mission

[colockumelk]

The WDFW tried doing this last year so they could justify givimg out more rifle permits. Every year it seems they try to take from US. I cant remember a single time where we gained opportunity.

[Heredoggydoggy]

One thing hunters or anyone going into the Swakane area need to be aware of is that the area is now posted for Discover Pass permits.  Until you get up high into National Forest land, the lower part is mixed sections of State Wildlife land.

[huntnphool]

One thing hunters or anyone going into the Swakane area need to be aware of is that the area is now posted for Discover Pass permits.  Until you get up high into National Forest land, the lower part is mixed sections of State Wildlife land.

 If you have purchased a Washington fishing/hunting license then the WDFW Vehicle Access Pass is all you need unless you are on DNR land or State Parks. You can't hunt in the parks though so you only need it for DNR, I do not believe any part of Swakane is DNR, but I could be wrong.

[Heredoggydoggy]

I'm not sure if there is DNR land up there either, but a couple of weeks ago I saw a sign at the entrance of a camping area about 3 miles in, that had a "Discover Pass Required" sign posted.  One of the camping sites had some 5/8-Minus gravel spread in it, so I guess that qualified it as an "improved campground".

[huntnphool]

 Right, those signs are there for those that do not have a WDFW VAP.

[TheHunt]

Phool,
You know that area well.   I have been riding my dualsport in that area and on the icicle road area.  So I would trust you on that.

[idahoelkhunter300wby]

you know what? That Swakane archery unit is the only reason i still buy a tag and license in this state. Its the only reasonable season around central Washington. I know the WSDFW tried to cancel it last year and us sportsmans comments changed their minds. It wouldnt suprise me a bit if WSDFW takes that season away next year. If they do, I guess I wont have to gripe about the inflated prices of a tag and license. Ill be spending all of my time and money in Idaho.
All that bein said, I hope we get to keep the Swakane archery season. I really enjoy it.

[Lowedog]

I would like to see it go to permit only for late archery and open up a lot more units under permit only so that everyone isn't concentrated into just a few units. 

[boonerboy]

  and throw in the mission unit permit only also.

[Armadillo]

 if they opened more units to a general late hunt, itd be one thing but when all late archers roll around the same unit....

[huntnphool]

 I hear you guys but you are making sound as if Swakane is the only unit open for late archery mule deer, there are 16 units open for 3 point min. and 9 for antlerless.

 The threat of WDFW closing it down for late archery is real. If you want it kept open then I would suggest sending emails to WDFW and also start supporting WSB, they are fighting to keep it open for you.

[got2hunt]

we still need to keep this unit open and not give out so many tags to the riffle hunters for the late entiat. The deer that come down there are the deer that migrate out of the entiat, the chawawa slide ridge so on and even out of Leavenworth. We still need to keep it open and take bake some of our tags that are given to other hunting category. If you look at the special draw tags for the entiat now and compair them to 5 years ago their were More deer 5 years ago. I call that miss management

[huntnphool]

we still need to keep this unit open and not give out so many tags to the riffle hunters for the late entiat.

 That would be ideal.

[Armadillo]

I hear you guys but you are making sound as if Swakane is the only unit open for late archery mule deer, there are 16 units open for 3 point min. and 9 for antlerless.

Between those units that are open, is the quality the same? I dont think it would be but i havent spent much time in those other units.

[Lowedog]

I hear you guys but you are making sound as if Swakane is the only unit open for late archery mule deer, there are 16 units open for 3 point min. and 9 for antlerless.

 The threat of WDFW closing it down for late archery is real. If you want it kept open then I would suggest sending emails to WDFW and also start supporting WSB, they are fighting to keep it open for you.

It isn't the only unit but it is the most accessible and most popular it seems.  I know my thoughts on the late archery hunt aren't with the majority but I would rather see it closed than continue like it is.  Ideally they could open up all units for late mule deer archery on a permit only system. 

[Cougeyes]

I would like to see it changed.  Far to many people packed into a small area.  I'm sure success rates aren't to high during this season, but the negative impact to the deer on their winter range has to be high.  I would say go to permit only just like the late permit hunts for the other weapons.

[dreamingbig]

The WDFW tried doing this last year so they could justify givimg out more rifle permits. Every year it seems they try to take from US. I cant remember a single time where we gained opportunity.

It has been awhile for sure.  They keep taking opportunity away from our user group and giving it to the muzzleloaders and modern users.  We need to keep fighting.

[wackmaster]

How is it the rifle guys fault.

[teal101]

I would like to see it changed.  Far to many people packed into a small area.  I'm sure success rates aren't to high during this season, but the negative impact to the deer on their winter range has to be high.  I would say go to permit only just like the late permit hunts for the other weapons.

I agree.  Permit draw for Swakene.  It's just too damned small of an area to have that many people.  Although it would be mainly for the hunters.  Hunting up there now is terrible just due to the sheer number of other hunters.  The deer have plenty of area to escape too as most of the hunters wont leave the road.

You do not need a discover pass up there if you have the WDFW vehicle permit.  There is no state park and it is not a designated DNR discover pass site.

[shedcrazy]

Why is everyone whining about the rifle hunter's?? The late archery up Swakane is getting to be like opening morning up the colockum. TO MANY PEOPLE!! They need to have archery quality draws for ALL the late seasons. Success will go up, and it's a much more enjoyable experience. You all can go on the late whitetail hunt and use your bow's instead of a rifle!

[MtnMuley]

Open a few GMU's each year for the late archery, and keep them on a rotation every few years.  Plain common sense and logic that WDFW seems to lack.

[mulehunter]

Big mouth.      whole my life I dont tell friends or on this forum where good places I go.   No wonder.

Mulehunter   

[Rainier10]

Why is everyone whining about the rifle hunter's?? The late archery up Swakane is getting to be like opening morning up the colockum. TO MANY PEOPLE!! They need to have archery quality draws for ALL the late seasons. Success will go up, and it's a much more enjoyable experience. You all can go on the late whitetail hunt and use your bow's instead of a rifle!

The reason Swakane is so crowded has nothing to do with rifle hunters it is because the WDFW keeps taking opportunity away in other GMU's around Swakane.  3 years ago they had over 700 archers in there because it was the only unit in the area open for general doe harevest.  They eliminated the doe option and hunters spread out among the other areas that were buck only.  Then the next year they cut the amount of buck permits in the surrounding areas and those hunters that didn't get permits went to Swakane.

Crowding occurs when there is no opportunity elsewhere.  They need to open more areas for late archery or give out more late archery permits.  If they close the late hunt in Swakane they need to provide a place for the 500 hunters that were there last year.  Those people aren't going to just quit hunting they are going to go somewhere and create overcrowding there.

[huntnphool]

 I would agree with you guys that its crowded because there is a lack of "quality" areas open that late. Entiat, Chiwawa, Slide Ridge, Manson, Gardner, Pearrygin and Chewuch will never be open for late archery unless its permitted, even then I can't imagine any more than a couple permits for either of them.

 So which unit is most likely to be added to Swakane for a late archery hunt? I think opening Alta would be a good alternitive. Its more timbered than those other units and would be a real challenge to archery hunters, I would think it would help spread out the pressure.

[MtnMuley]

If they can leave the Entiat open on a draw every year for archery, there's no reason that they couldn't do it in any other of the GMU's listed above.  It's as visible as any GMU north of the Columbia.

[huntnphool]

If they can leave the Entiat open on a draw every year for archery, there's no reason that they couldn't do it in any other of the GMU's listed above.  It's as visible as any GMU north of the Columbia.

 I was talking general late archery MM, not permit.

[MtnMuley]

I know you were, but just went off on a tangent.

[huntnphool]

I know you were, but just went off on a tangent.