Swakane deer closure

[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.