WA management critics can crank up the volume

[CedarPants]

I ask any one who could answer. What would it take to get someone to transplant them garden fed city deer.  The technology is certainly available. I would love to do a little "catch and release" if I was allowed. We as a group have a voice, can we make it happen?

I would think we'd just be throwing $$ and resources away by releasing semi-tame deer into the wild only to be eaten by (fill in your preferance of predator) in less than a week.  Those garden fed city deer wouldn't make it long in the wild, let alone long enough to rebuild the population.   

[pianoman9701]

I ask any one who could answer. What would it take to get someone to transplant them garden fed city deer.  The technology is certainly available. I would love to do a little "catch and release" if I was allowed. We as a group have a voice, can we make it happen?

I would think we'd just be throwing $$ and resources away by releasing semi-tame deer into the wild only to be eaten by (fill in your preferance of predator) in less than a week.  Those garden fed city deer wouldn't make it long in the wild, let alone long enough to rebuild the population.   

They've tried relocation back east and it doesn't work. First, there's a very high mortality, as much as 40%. Secondly, the cost is way up there, so a translocation program for deer is unsustainable. For the places that are overpopulated with whitetails, bullets cost about $0.50 each. Bringing in deer would be cost prohibitive in an economic environment such as ours.

[Glockster]

"WDFW is on track to break or tie their all time record for license (hunting and fishing combined) revenue."

Tex, is that statement really true in terms of 1970's dollars vs 2000's dollars??  Not calling you out, just wondering if inflation has taken into account. 

Also, there were over 40% more deer tags sold back in the 70's-80's than the 90's-2000's, so while revenue is at all time high for WDFW, it comes at the expense of the far fewer numbers of hunters left paying the freight.  And that's not necessarily what I'd consider a badge of honor for them.

[winshooter88]

Something else to add to the record license proceeds is that not all of that money comes from hunting licenses and tags. Fishing licenses account for more of the licensing proceeds than hunting licenses and tags do. We were up in the Entiat unit opening weekend and both the deer numbers and the amount of hunters was way down. We didn't see any deer and of all the people we talked to, they had only seen about 8 animals.

[buckfvr]

All of this points to how badly we need to restructure F&W without politics, and per their draft resolute of scientific management .  A true professional Director of F&W would not allow this wolf debacle............enter politics.  True professional Game Wardens observations and regional experiences would be the deciding factor in regional management.....not some dope in Olympia.  True Wardens of F&W would be busy enough managing our fish and wildlife to the point of not being used on joint operations with drug busts and general peace keeping duties.  The philosophies in Olympia are to wring every last drop of responsibility out of Game Wardens to get the most for the least.  Make them do sherrif duties as well as their own....plain old double dipping by the local goverment.  I myself would like to see it the way it was 30 years ago.......game wardens were just that.   I dont like this new SWAT/Commando Special Forces look and attitude.  Do they really need this to deal with us ?  I think not.  I suppose if we dont fight it, it will continue to fester......God I hate Olympia.

[500 long]

I am not familiar with the relocation back east.  I do know that here they have successfully transplanted elk and numerous other animals. I know of many areas that if it wasn't for all the "man plants" the deer populations would otherwise be unsustainable. I have full confidence that the deer's instincts would give it a fighting chance in the wild. The people paid to hunt, they should have a reasonable chance to harvest. It is naive to think that people killing deer around homes would be tolerated, nor would them thinking that they are being taken away to be shot in the woods. It's all in the marketing, say they are being thinned for the health of herd and the safety of the people. There has been a great many bigger projects done under the guise of health and safety.

[Curly]

The best way to fix the management of deer herds in Eastern Wa would be to create two states out of WA.  Then the East side could have an entirely new "Game" department that could do what is necessary to manage the herds.

[longknife]

No change in antler resrictions in the Methow, so that wouldn't account for that 38%.

Interesting.....38% from what, last year

Discover passes, bump in cost for licenses/tags, unemployment rate, i can see why.

[500 long]

I think the biggest problem with government is politicans.  How many of you have run for office?  I have not.  The typical plug for the that hole is someone who is accustomed to being indoors talking with people and making deals. I personally don't like dealing with volumes of people, much because of the stupidity ratio.  I also don't think the normal outdoorsman would be readily accepted by the "blue voting areas" or the carear politicans and therefor would have difficulty accomplishing any thing productive. There needs to be some major changes in government from top to bottom. 

[Dave Workman]

Maybe they should make it albino only, that would reduce the harvest.

Oh, nice going. I now expect to see this as a recommendation before the commission sometime in January.
 

[whacker1]

Dave, please quit siting Rich Landers.  Rich is a good writer, but sites INWC - Inland Northwest Wildlife Council far too frequently.  INWC was one of the few sportsmans groups that opposed the antler restriction.  Of course his writings opposed the antler restriction. 

The biologists admitted that whitetail population in the NE is down and wanted to do something about it, but opposed this particular mechanism.  This was the most popular mechanism over permit only late whitetail, shortening the late whitetail, etc.

Something needed to be done, this will be a trial time frame and we will all see how it works out in a couple of years. 

For the record I hunted 117 on Saturday and there were less hunters and lots more wood cutters (economy?  maybe?)  On Sunday, I hunted 113 (no antler restriction) and there were still far less hunters than normal.  So it didn't just shift the usual hunters to the next unit over........How is that explained?

I say give it a couple of years and see what the reports look like.  It was better than trying nothing.

[DBHAWTHORNE]

"However, one might ask, what’s the sense of killing off all those older mule deer bucks – which would ideally be supplying the best genetics to the herd"

Older does not necessarily = best genetics

[boneaddict]

I'm trying to figure out why there are even antlerless hunts available.   Generally thats a mechanism when the herd is overpopulated.       Again, making changes by popularity contest versus sound biological choices.

[huntnphool]

"However, one might ask, what’s the sense of killing off all those older mule deer bucks – which would ideally be supplying the best genetics to the herd"

Older does not necessarily = best genetics

+1

[jackelope]

How hard is it to find a 4 point whitetail in those units? Legit question, not trying to be a wise guy or anything. I've not deer hunted there before.