If you were totally in charge?

[baldopepper]

Just kind of curious with all the complaints and "I'd do this " and "I'd do that's"  what would you do if you were put completely in charge of deer management for 5 years-no questions asked "YOU ARE IN CHARGE"-I'm asking only on deer and even at that I'll probably be sorry I asked.  Give it your best shot!

[500 long]

See my post "WA deer population decline". I would transplant.

[JimmyHoffa]

Hound hunting of cougars and bears, with double the current quota.  Wolves would be open season for hunting.  I think those things would take so much pressure off the deer that the deer population would go up considerably and very few other things would need to be done.

[jackmaster]

if i was in charge it would go to a permit draw for all deer except youth they could hunt any season with that weapon of that season and that woulds also go for the seniors and disabled guys,and that group would be allowed to harvest does as well, but for the rest it would be permit only and it would be 3pt min state wide, but all the permits would be for prime time, during the times of the rut for those areas, and i would have a seperate kull tag for thr genetically challenged deer.

[BIGINNER]

Just kind of curious with all the complaints and "I'd do this " and "I'd do that's"  what would you do if you were put completely in charge of deer management for 5 years-no questions asked "YOU ARE IN CHARGE"-I'm asking only on deer and even at that I'll probably be sorry I asked.  Give it your best shot!

i don't think you can efectively manage only deer without manageing the predeter population

[BLKBEARKLR]

Shut it down, hunt only cougars and bears and wolves. Anyone caught violating take their house, truck, quads, boat, kids everything they own. And in five years have an actual herd to manage.

[GoldTip]

5 years? I would open hound hunting for Lions and bears as well as re-open bear baiting.  It is nothing short of idiotic to be able to bait deer/elk and not bears.  Wolves would be considered varmints and have the same regulations coyotes have now, and we would still never wipe them out of the state.

Deer hunting would be every other year, no draw.  If your wild ID number ends with an odd number, you hunt odd years, if it ends with an even number you get tags on even years.  This would decrease pressure by half on a yearly basis and yet keep everyone at least reasonably happy, as they would "know" they get to hunt next year and would also help prevent the hatred many have towards those people who get lucky and "draw" every year.  This would also mean I have to have control for 6 years to keep things fair!  Point limits would apply only to people I dislike!   Under age 17 can hunt all three seasons with the weapon specific to the season and are not on the every other year plan, also does would be legal for these individuals.  I would also apply a minimum hunting age of 10. 

When my plan started to work I would transfer the same idea's over to the elk seasons and I would be revered as the man who made hunting GREAT here in Washington again.  Everyone would be so grateful they would naturally allow me to hunt the blues for big bulls every year and grant me a Moose tag every other year.   Oh wait a minute, I fell asleep at the keyboard and started dreaming again, *censored*.  Now no one will take my idea's seriously.

[jackelope]

Hound hunting for lions and bears and permit only statewide for mule deer.

[jackelope]

Now that I read Goldtip's idea with the Wild ID #'s I like that just the same as permit only.

[CedarPants]

I'd make poaching an act of treason against your fellow man with a 1-strike and you're out rule.  If convicted, you lose your home, your rights, and your citizenship ... then you are deported to North Korea.

Ok maybe that's a bit extreme - but we certainly aren't going to effectively manage our deer herds if we can't manage ourselves

[500 long]

I am all for predator control. Release the hounds. Back in the day wolves were eradicated for a reason. Although we could stand to have the wolves feeding on some of the stupid people out there. A little Darwinism if you will. Humans being the alpha predator we have the natural right to assert our dominance and defend our territory.  I still think the populations of car wrecking garden eating city deer would do well to replenish the "wild" stocks.

[NWWABOWHNTR]

I agree to manage the deer, you must also manage the predator populations.  Open more spring bear hunting opportunities, allow baiting for bear.  Never ever go to a limited deer hunt such as permit only!  For every bear/cougar taken, give out an extra deer tag to the successful hunter or give a bonus point for special permit hunts.  Allow hound hunting in GMU's where the bear and cougar populations exceed management objectives. Come up with a realistic Wolf plan vice the BS the WDFW is currenlty proposing.  Something along the lines of 4 BP's, do away with the 3 year wait.  Have a GMU/Zone delisting of wolves to manage the wolves in areas that have exceeded the "Wolf Plan" onjectives.  Be proactive in translocating deer from areas of over population to areas below management goals.  IE Catch and relocate some of the Island blacktail into units currently low in numbers.  Give out more whitetail only tags in the Okanagon and units they are invading hurting the Mulie populations.  I could go on and on.....

[baldopepper]

I did'nt put a word restriction on responses-go ahead and say more-I'm honestly interested in what forum readers would do (or present to WDFW if the opportunity arose).   Keep in mind that department people in deer management usually don't have a lot of say in predator management. (kind of fighting the battle with one arm tied behind their backs?)

[500 long]

There is safety in numbers. More eyes and ears. It would be a better balance of predator to prey as opposed to them killing the last few in an area.

[dirty24d]

This is a good thread with some great thoughts and ideas.

[500 long]

I didn't put a word restriction on responses-go ahead and say more-I'm honestly interested in what forum readers would do (or present to WDFW if the opportunity arose).   Keep in mind that department people in deer management usually don't have a lot of say in predator management. (kind of fighting the battle with one arm tied behind their backs?)

It is the job of WDFW to manage predators, deer department or otherwise, they are one entity of government in charge of game. If someone can not do their job then they should be replaced with one who can. Together we can have a LOUD VOICE if it is in unison.

[BIGINNER]

I didn't put a word restriction on responses-go ahead and say more-I'm honestly interested in what forum readers would do (or present to WDFW if the opportunity arose).   Keep in mind that department people in deer management usually don't have a lot of say in predator management. (kind of fighting the battle with one arm tied behind their backs?)

It is the job of WDFW to manage predators, deer department or otherwise, they are one entity of government in charge of game. If someone can not do their job then they should be replaced with one who can. Together we can have a LOUD VOICE if it is in unison.

HEY 500.  IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER OF WFW (WASHINGTON FOR WILDLIFE)  YOU SHOULD SIGN UP,  WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU.

[Helix]

Hound hunting of cougars and bears, with double the current quota.  Wolves would be open season for hunting.  I think those things would take so much pressure off the deer that the deer population would go up considerably and very few other things would need to be done.

It also seems the season might work better if it were a little later in the year too.  better lined up with the rut.  I think I'd start trucking in white tails from Alabama I hear they have so many they could use us taking some off their hands.    

[CAMPMEAT]

I'd hire PETA for 5 years and see if they could prove their point about saving animals. For cripe sakes, we'd have thousands and thousands of animals roaming the state. 
I'm just pullin' your chain, geeze......

[baldopepper]

Well 500 I don't disagree with you at all, so would one of your solutions be to give deer management people more control over predators?  (You may very well be on to something with your response as I think currently they don't have a lot of control-I think all of these things go into better overall management)Just asking, not critizeing.

[Curly]

I'd designate $4 from every deer tag sold go into a pot for a bounty on coyotes.  Wolves would be okay to shoot on sight.  We would have general spring bear seasons............not spring bear permit seasons.  Bring back hound hunting for bears and cougars.  Bear baiting would be back.  Control the predators and the deer herds will grow.

Oh, and if the above didn't work..........then bring back trapping.


edit - I would also get rid of the point system for the special permits.

[500 long]

Well 500 I don't disagree with you at all, so would one of your solutions be to give deer management people more control over predators?  (You may very well be on to something with your response as I think currently they don't have a lot of control-I think all of these things go into better overall management)Just asking, not critizeing.

The deer people should be working with WDFW as a unit when making management policy. If they are not talking to each other then that is BIG PROBLEM.

[Odell]

Besides a bounty on predators, I would eliminate hunter safety course for anyone over 18, they would only need to pass an exam similar to the written portion of a drivers license test.

Kids under 16 hunt free and are given a hair tag for any open general unit.

Require a minimum of 5 points to apply for quality buck units.

Expand multi-season hunting.

Do anything I could to get access on private lands for hunters. Maybe develop some sort of recruitment deal/mentor program where anyone who mentors a new hunter gets an additional tag.

I'm about access and more hunters. I think it is the only way hunting survives all the challenges ahead.

[uplandhunter870]

here in lies the biggest problem, we have a department of fish and wildlife and within that there are sub departments that are species specific, load of crap imo. there should only be fish people and wildlife people, yes we do need specialists but they have to work with the other specialists no animal is more important that any other they all have roles to play. you cannot successfully manage deer populations without simultaneously managing the higher trophic levels especially those the feed directly on deer.

in essence id work my rear off to make DFW do what they are supposed to do, manage fish and wildlife not managing politicians and keeping the peta tree hugger types happy and id cut the fluff out of the DFW ive worked for the state in the past and i know exactly how hard it is to get the lazy asses to actually do their job never mind doing it correctly and even harder to get rid of them. id run DFW like a private business

predators need to be brought down to acceptable levels, id bring back hounds and trapping and wolves would be delisted and hunted just like bears and cougars, its not our fault as a species that wolves failed to adapt to changing environmental conditions, yes we killed a ton of them but adapt or die.

the idea of going permit only hunting is atrocious to me, simply trying to limit hunters is not doing much of anything in my opinion and wont do anything but piss people off. the number of hunters who apply for tags is tiny compared to the total number of people that just buy a general tag

shutting hunting down completely for 5 years is even more horrid, simply doing nothing for 5 years wont accomplish anything besides hacking off the general public and result in lay offs due to lack of funds through license sales and may have an even longer lasting effect when average joe hunter starts going out of state and seeing how the hunting is elsewhere.

in essence predator levels brought down to balanced levels through baiting, hounds, steel traps, expanded seasons, increases quotas, or other incentives like points for draw tags.
even more importantly get DFW back to running like it should and either find places for employees where they are better suited for their skill set or simply cut the imcompetent ones hoping on riding a cush state job into retirement. no more of this:

deer guys: our deer heards are dying from over predation from bears and wolves, bear and wolves guys please decrease your numbers

bear and wolf guys: we cant lower our numbers because the bears and wolves dont have enough deer to eat, so deer guys raise you heard numbers