(poll added) Management input on Colockum Elk

[danderson]

The Archers have been getting the shaft for the past 10 years,( pun intended), the master hunters have been skimming the cream off the top for far to long, it time to have have more equity in the user groups.

[colockumelk]

Doyourtime will do. I already had one finalized I was going to release to the wfw for reveiw but now I have to edit it because of these numbers.

Danderson I think the muzzle loader guys have had the biggest shaft since they dont have a season there.  But for the past 8 years ALL licensed hunters have been getting hosed in that area. No cow permits for anyone, no muzzle loader season, no antlerless hunting for archery and a total of 6 branch bull permits between the three user groups, and best of all true spike. And still the bull to cow ratio declines.  The people who benefit are the Yakamas who have easy access to trophy bulls.

And WTF is up with the WDFW. They will let the master hunters kill two cows each to try and stem the Sharp and rapid increase in the cow population but they wouldnt give out cow permits? And now that they do they give out a measly 70 total. That herd needs to have its cow population cut by 300-400. FACT!

[danderson]

I know all about the plight of the muzzeloaders in Kittitas county, I have lived and hunted the upper county for the last 30 years and have seen the departure of hunters from the group,  including myself, they have favored the so called (master hunters) over the archery and muzzy guys, granted the muzzy hunters have taken the biggest hit over the rest, I know most all of my friends have made the switch also, taking muzzeloader out of the management picture falsely reinforces the WDFW management plan to allow a small user group to be favored, I have to wonder what drives the decisions made by our commission, is it game management,or is it emotions, science, or outside influence?

[Elkaholic daWg]

Late archery season in 328 is open for spikes and cows.

Yeah I just looked at that. Also if you draw a Colockum bull tag you can not only hunt 328 and 329 like always. But you can now hunt 335 teanaway as well.

 WOW great news there eh? Didn't mention that last year between those (M/R) dates there were   A WHOLE 3 quality permits for 328/329/and335, whereas this year there are  whopping 2!! 

[colockumelk]

Late archery season in 328 is open for spikes and cows.

Yeah I just looked at that. Also if you draw a Colockum bull tag you can not only hunt 328 and 329 like always. But you can now hunt 335 teanaway as well.

 WOW great news there eh? Didn't mention that last year between those (M/R) dates there were   A WHOLE 3 quality permits for 328/329/and335, whereas this year there are  whopping 2!!

Whoa 2 permits! It feels like Christmas   I didn't see anything positive in the proposals. I saw a few scraps tossed our way. Actually the bull and cow permit numbers are more insulting than anything. They make me want to    

[luvtohnt]

The master hunters gain is a direct result of complaints from local ranchers, crop damage is a big issue, and in order for the WDFW to not pay out big time they had to do something. All of the ranchers I know in the Colockum area won't let any John Doe on their place to kill elk. In fact it has taken me several years to be allowed access to some of the properties. I do however agree with removing the state land from the 3911 damage unit, because most of the cows that are taken there are not inflicting any damage to private property. They are simply utilizing public land as they should. 

I wonder if the WDFW could do something like close 328 for a year or two, then when it reopens close 329 for a year or two. I am not sure if this would allow the conservation clause to stop tribal hunting to be enacted but it would create escapement. It could be done for 6 or 8 years and the bull numbers should rebound. This would also alleviate the problem of overcrowding in the Yakima units as the majority of people would still hunt in the open unit. Just a thought, and I am not sure if it is plausible, especially because I do not hunt the Colockum herd.

[danderson]

Unfortunately that's become part of the problem, a big percentage of farmers in affected areas of Kittitas County were elk are using private property as safe havens, areas that border public land or timber company land don't open up access to allow hunting, and want to keep it that way, they are controlling who hunts and who doesn't, not the game department, I know of at least 5 large land owners in the teanaway that receive landowner damage permits every year and still don't open up their land to other hunters, I would do the same thing if I could, they are taking advantage of the situation, we are subsidizing the large landowners. The problem with letting private citezens determine game management objectives is they have their own personal objectives, the master hunter program experiment didn't work, all it does is prolong the regions elk management problems. The solutions to getting bull to cow ratios back to unit objectives will need to be done by wildlife biologists, not left up to a few special interest groups with personal agendas, road closures, with emforcement are going to be important to reduce pressure on the herds, it will reduce poaching,  scrap the true spike rule, it failed, didn't work,go back to spike only for 3 more years, by then bull numbers should start climbing, if the objective is to reduce the cow population then spread the permits amongest all the groups, leaning heavy on youth, disabled, and senior cow tags.

[bearpaw]

I added a poll to gather your opinions before the upcoming commission meeting!

Please let me know if you want any options added.

[C-Money]

I really like the 5point option. More LEO patrol time during peek non WDFW hunting seasons, meaning more patrols year around! Keep the roads open for people not breaking any laws. I hate my freedoms being taken away because of others inability to follow laws.

[bearpaw]

C-Money, I added three options regarding patrolling the area. You can remove your vote and revote if you like.

[bearpaw]

bumping up for more votes

[Rainier10]

I just voted but one thing that was not addressed was the number of cows killed because of damage to farmers fences.  I would like to see a fence built and an area set aside for the elk to feed in the lowlands close to Ellensburg.  Over 150 elk are getting shot by master hunters trying to discourage the elk from coming onto the farmland but all it does is scare the elk up until the hunters are done gutting their kill and often times within hours the herd is back down on private lands.  Just my 

[Recurve-Elk]

I am a firm believer in road closures, and more wardens.  In my 12 years of hunting ive seen maybe 3 wardens.  Only one talked to me.  Sounds too easy for those who poach, to poach. 

[bearpaw]

I just voted but one thing that was not addressed was the number of cows killed because of damage to farmers fences.  I would like to see a fence built and an area set aside for the elk to feed in the lowlands close to Ellensburg.  Over 150 elk are getting shot by master hunters trying to discourage the elk from coming onto the farmland but all it does is scare the elk up until the hunters are done gutting their kill and often times within hours the herd is back down on private lands.  Just my 

This a good comment with a solution included, I will add it to my message to the commission. 

Be sure and get your vote in, I am forwarding the results to the commission right before their meeting... 

[jstone]

lots of ideas but until the politics change you can shut the roads down and stuff like that but there still will be some people driving in there and killing the bulls and bucks.