Another reason not to go elk hunting.

[Dave Workman]

QUOTE DAVE WORKMANSome hunters deserve to have a fight poked at them, because they have gone along to get along for way too long. They walk around with their heads either in the clouds or up their rectums, thinking what they have now is just fine because it cuts down on competition and allows them a more "wilderness experience."
What about success? What about meat in the cooler? What about the next generation of hunters who deserve a lot more than being told by some twerp in Olympia or on television that disappointment is fine so long as they get to see an elk or deer prancing over the far ridge. People do not pay for disappointment. People will not pay to take their kids along when they know the odds of success are dismal; they'll see the kids stay home and play video games where at least they get to win once in a while.QUOTE DAVE WORKMAN

DAVE I want to touch on what you said above.  I don't think that it could have been said any better than this.  A copy of this message should be emailed and/or mailed to every single hunter in Washington State.  We as sportsman are to blame for the loss of opportunity.  Why???  BECAUSE WE DO NOTHING!!!  Like you mentioned above people have their head up their rectum.  They are afraid or too lazy to say anything or question the WDFW.  The biggest excuse is "well lets just be thankfull for what we have."  BS.  This is why they keep chipping away at our seasons and opportunity.  I think people settle too much.  They pay all this money and don't expect anything in return except for what you said.  Well at least I saw one.  What a successfull year.  At the end of my article I said "When people go year after year without getting anything they take up golf."  Which is EXACTLY what happens.  People worry about rocking the boat because they have this "well it can't get any worse" attitude but it IS ALWAYS going to get worse.  History has shown us that it IS GOING to get worse.  I used to fall into that.  When spike only came around I thought well we have to sacrifice so it can get better again.  Well guess what it still SUCKS.  And what has spike only given us???  Nothing.  Its given us elk to look at during the winter.  So the wildlife viewing crowd has gained from it.  The WDFW gets more money from special permit money.  The tribal hunters get bigger bulls to hunt and the poachers have bigger bulls to hunt.  The bull to cow ratio is the same if not worse in the Colockum.  So again what has hunters gained from our sacrifice???  NOTHING PEOPLE!!!! 

Sorry for the rant DAVE.  You summed it up better than me.  People need to stop being complacint they should expect more from the WDFW and should expect more from their hunting experience.

Ahhh...Spock...you have arrived at a state of pure logic!
Or something like that.  And you summed it up as good as anyone. Just with different words and emotions.
Anyone who has been around the outdoors here for the past three decades will tell you I've never been afraid of rocking the boat. It's how one makes waves, and gets things accomplished.

You keep ranting ike this and spread it around. Be prepared to spread it to the Legislature. And never be afraid of sticking up for what you believe.

I wouldn't give a plugged nickel for someone who doesn't.

[colockumelk]

Hey Dave you asked me a direct question.  Why do I feel its not safe during modern season.  Well I could give you countless examples of times Ive been shot at, scoped etc. None of my lack of ethics examples would be construed as elitism.  Unless using a scope for binos to look someone over or shooting directly over someones head or shooting an animal and not looking for it are examples of elitism. No one has flung arrows over my head or drawn back and sighted in on me with their bow.  If you want I can list about 100reasons why I wont hunt the general rifle elk season.  I think that if I give you these two examples it will sum up my experience with a rifle and a bow perfectly.

So I see a buck up on this hill.  Its a sage brush covered hill so its pretty open.  I spotted the deer from the road on my way back to camp.  The buck was about 500-600 yds from the road.  So I started my stalk.  just as I was cresting this plateau which would put me in position for a nice 200yds shot, a group of "hunters" jumps out of their truck and proceeds to shoot at this buck. I am directly between the buck and these guys so rounds start ripping over my head.  Of course they didn't check to see if they hit the buck. (They didn't, I checked) and after they had expended all of their ammo sped off. 

This last year I was again coming back to camp when 4 legal bucks walk across the road.  I jump out grab my bow and start a big circle.  The entire time these deer fed maybe 50 yds from the road and stopped.  2 different bowhunters drove by and stopped at my brothers truck.  They didn't try to push the deer or hunt them themselves.  Instead they watched me attempt a stalk on those bucks. 

I hope this answers your question.  And for the record I still hunt modern rifle for deer.  I don't know why but modern rifle for deer isn't nearly as crazy as modern rifle elk.   

[Glockster]

OK< a little history and my true confession: I used to be an archery hunter.

I hunted archery back when I could do that and join my dad in deer camp for modern...just had to buy both tags.  I still only got to kill one animal.  I'm 40, not 50...which is far too young to have "I remember when stories", but i guess the decline of hunting opportunity in WA has been that quick. 

When they went to choose your weapon the rationale given by the "more dedicated" hunters was that they wanted the "slobs" out of their sport.  ~The guys who don't , in their eyes, prepare and practice enough. The guys who's heart just wasn't in  archery and the guys who used it as just another way to kill animals (to paraphrase some of the archers' arguments for resource allocation)

Well guess what.  ~That was the end of me standing up for archery opportunity and I suspect that was the same decision made by the thousands of other guys who used to buy archery tags to extend their time in the woods.  It's a crying shame.  I used to be able to be a more "dedicated hunter" and spend time with my old man and his friends who hunted modern exclusively.  I chose family over archery.  I loved archery...some of my finest memories afield were late season in the 300 units.  The more "dedicated" hunters and WDFW took that from me and thousands of their fellow hunters when choose your weapon became law. 

You're right on one thing....giving fellow hunters grief instead of focussing our grief and anger at WDFW and anty hunters (perhaps one in the same) is a cry and shame.

[demontang]

Ive been shot at during archery and my dad has a scare on his cheek from an arrow. Ive came down out of heavy cover to someone pointing a drawn bow at me so yes archery is just as bad at times. The thing that sacred me was the fact that people where closer to me when they shot in archery There are bad apples in every crowd and when theres that many more people theres more bad apples just in the numbers.

[Hilltop123]

I hear a mournful wind off in the distance, just hope three separate house of cards can stand against the gale......

[gasman]

 

[longknife]

I have noticed a diffrent croud in archery hunting vs. rifle/muzzys, all i was stating. No ones better than the other, just not as many people seen while archery hunting(cammo, is harder to see than pumkins).

But, I would never put any pressure for any of my youth to kill something. Its not all about killing to me, and my family. When we are 60 yards from a herd that stands and breaks, and cows are surrounding shootable animals, i am never upset! Was a awsome time teaching my future how to enjoy our rights, without making bad decisions if they come home empty handed. I never want them to feel disapointed, they didnt come home with anything. Especially in Washington State!

[colockumelk]

Well I havnt experienced any bad apples  during archeryother than guys on atvs behind closed gates.  Like I said to put it simply the reason more gangster stuff goes down during modern is more people. Just like a big city has more crime than a small town.