new proposals are out

[highside74]

I see they are pushing the Archers further from the rut each year. Elk is starting on 4th and ends on 16. I believe in 2014 it's starts the 2nd of September.
For late season whitetail, added another day past peak. Went from November 24th to 25th each year. 

I
could be wrong but I think the next year after the three mentioned will jump back to the 7th or 8th.   (Day after laborious day)
Next year the 3rd then2 nd then1st.......then 7th

Nope, they are proposing it always be the monday after labor which is the 2nd in 2014.  Absolute garbage. 

Labor day goes back to the 7th in 2015 so Elk season would start on the 8th just like in 2009. It starts the Tuesday after labor day which is on a Monday.

[dreamingbig]

2015 is not part of this 3 year season setting process.

[highside74]

2015 is not part of this 3 year season setting process.

I know.  I was pointing out that if they game comissiom was actually using the day after labor day as the start of elk, that it would go back to the 8th in 2015. Read the quote's.

[WAcoyotehunter]

Cougar seasons changed quite a bit.  September 1 - March 31 for most every unit with any legal weapon.  Each unit has a "harvest guideline."  It doesn't specifically say they will close seasons after harvest guidelines are achieved but the guidelines are at least established.  Interesting...

Big thanks to everybody who worked towards getting this season back where it needs to be. 

It's not quite where it needs to be...we need hounds back in the mix.

[fair-chase]

Cougar seasons changed quite a bit.  September 1 - March 31 for most every unit with any legal weapon.  Each unit has a "harvest guideline."  It doesn't specifically say they will close seasons after harvest guidelines are achieved but the guidelines are at least established.  Interesting...

Big thanks to everybody who worked towards getting this season back where it needs to be. 

It's not quite where it needs to be...we need hounds back in the mix.

I agree, but that is a separate issue that needs to be addressed through the legislature and not through the WDFW. For boot hunters this is a huge leap compared to last years shortened weapon specific seasons.

Cougar Hunting
Another preposterous proposal is the new Harvest Guidelines. In Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Orielle counties we used to have about 120 cougar permits annually until hound hunting was closed in 1996 and we had a thriving cougar population. Now the WDFW is suggesting a harvest quota of about 1/3 those numbers, this is preposterous.

I also agree that the harvest guidelines fell a little short of expectations, but not as far as you are suggesting. Remember this is for boot hunters only. Hound hunting needs to be brought back but that is a separate issue that needs to be addressed in a different manner. Boot hunters can never be expected to make up for the harvest levels of hound hunters. That's just not a reasonable expectation. For the N.E. it appears that GMU 105 is the only one that fell significantly below harvest numbers.


GMU                   2010 COMBINED HARVEST TOTAL               PROPOSED QUOTA
101                                             8                                                  7-9
105                                             9                                                    2
108                                             4                                                  5-6
111                                             5                                                  5-6
113                                             4                                                  4-6
117                                             5                                                  6-8
121                                             5                                                  5-6
124                                             4                                                  7-9
130                                             1                                                  7-9
133                                             2                                              NO QUOTA
204                                             1                                                  6-8

[dreamingbig]

2015 is not part of this 3 year season setting process.

I know.  I was pointing out that if they game comissiom was actually using the day after labor day as the start of elk, that it would go back to the 8th in 2015. Read the quote's.

I understand you completely.  I was only pointing out that this package speaks to 2012, 2013, and 2014 only.  They could change gears again in 2015.  Heck they may start archery on Sep 1 again.

[BOWHUNTER45]

The next "phase" is to give permits to what they take away....

Special tags for special seasons

or

Maybe a "spotlighting" permit? 

I'm with Carp on this one....I spotlight a fair amount of coyotes as they get pretty brazen around livestock at night.

how many cougs do you see spotlighting ?

[NoBark]

2015 is not part of this 3 year season setting process.

I know.  I was pointing out that if they game comissiom was actually using the day after labor day as the start of elk, that it would go back to the 8th in 2015. Read the quote's.

I understand you completely.  I was only pointing out that this package speaks to 2012, 2013, and 2014 only.  They could change gears again in 2015.  Heck they may start archery on Sep 1 again.

That is very true, but the point was, it's a calendar thing and not a plot to kill off archery hunting.   I hope they do change it in the mext three year term, but as of now expect it to be the 8th in 2015

[bearpaw]

Cougar seasons changed quite a bit.  September 1 - March 31 for most every unit with any legal weapon.  Each unit has a "harvest guideline."  It doesn't specifically say they will close seasons after harvest guidelines are achieved but the guidelines are at least established.  Interesting...

Big thanks to everybody who worked towards getting this season back where it needs to be. 

It's not quite where it needs to be...we need hounds back in the mix.

I agree, but that is a separate issue that needs to be addressed through the legislature and not through the WDFW. For boot hunters this is a huge leap compared to last years shortened weapon specific seasons.

Cougar Hunting
Another preposterous proposal is the new Harvest Guidelines. In Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Orielle counties we used to have about 120 cougar permits annually until hound hunting was closed in 1996 and we had a thriving cougar population. Now the WDFW is suggesting a harvest quota of about 1/3 those numbers, this is preposterous.

I also agree that the harvest guidelines fell a little short of expectations, but not as far as you are suggesting. Remember this is for boot hunters only. Hound hunting needs to be brought back but that is a separate issue that needs to be addressed in a different manner. Boot hunters can never be expected to make up for the harvest levels of hound hunters. That's just not a reasonable expectation. For the N.E. it appears that GMU 105 is the only one that fell significantly below harvest numbers.


GMU                   2010 COMBINED HARVEST TOTAL               PROPOSED QUOTA
101                                             8                                                  7-9
105                                             9                                                    2
108                                             4                                                  5-6
111                                             5                                                  5-6
113                                             4                                                  4-6
117                                             5                                                  6-8
121                                             5                                                  5-6
124                                             4                                                  7-9
130                                             1                                                  7-9
133                                             2                                              NO QUOTA
204                                             1                                                  6-8

You are correct, we will have to change the law to get back additional hound hunting.

But in the meantime, why do we need these quota's. We have cougar showing up all over the place this winter due to so little hunting pressure. These numbers are all below what they should be in every GMU in NE WA. We have taken away almost all antlerless deer hunting and limited buck hunting in NE WA to try and help our deer herds.

Meanwhile wolves are moving into every GMU (photos are posted in the wolf board to prove this) and the WDFW refuses to manage cougar, bear, or coyotes. This is irresponsible management..... 

[ThePascoKid]

If I'm reading it right it looks like they brought back early goose in eastern Washington , 2 day hunt with a 3 bird limit.

[dreamingbig]

That is very true, but the point was, it's a calendar thing and not a plot to kill off archery hunting.   I hope they do change it in the mext three year term, but as of now expect it to be the 8th in 2015

I can't bring myself to trust them after everything else they have taken away.  Don't be surprised when it is different in 2015.  They ignored the voices of the WSAA and the WSB this year and chose not to adopt the 8-20th.  No reasoning behind it other than they don't want too.

[NWWABOWHNTR]

Here is an excerpt of the letter and email sent by the Archery Coalition to Mr. Dave Ware and Jerry Nelson...

I am submitting this email to follow up on the letter from the Archery Coalition of Washington, as you are aware we are made up of board members from the WSAA, WSB and the TBW.  We have several issues we would like the Department to consider for improving the Bowhunters opportunities within our State. 

1.   Change the early elk season back to 8-21 Sept vice the starting date of the 1st
      Tuesday after Labor Day, and add our 1 day back that was taken away in 2009.

2.   Add more bowhunter opportunity in the late deer season within the 200 GMU’s, to
      alleviate over crowding within the Swakane GMU, preferably ALTA GMU 242.

3.   Add a late Archery elk hunt in the Quilomene for antlerless/spike.

4.   Change the early archery elk hunt in the Bumping GMU 356 from spike only to antlerless
       and spike, as calf recruitment is back at department goals.

[pianoman9701]

My email to the Commission:

Dear Sirs/Madams,
 
With reference to:
WAC 232-12-063 Hunting at night--Regulations--Penalties

 
"...(c) Firearms are restricted to .22 caliber rifles and
handguns, and shotguns are restricted to no. 6 shot or smaller. Hunting with bow and arrow is allowed..."

This restriction basically says that law abiding citizens who are legally hunting game at night will be put at a disadvantage by being forced to use lower caliber firearms so it's easier for law enforcement to identify criminals. This is a bad proposal and should be scrapped. The reasoning for this has no basis in reality.
 
A poacher basically must be caught in the act of shooting an animal (or decoy) to be successfully prosecuted. Because it's not illegal to possess any caliber of loaded weapon at any time while in the woods, a law breaker must be caught doing the illegal deed. This makes it unnecessary to restrict the rest of us law-abiding citizens from being able to use a larger caliber firearm for legally hunting animals at night.
 
Please eliminate this restriction from the proposed game laws. Penalizing the legal hunters to make it easier to bust poachers makes no sense, especially when it really doesn't make it any easier to prosecute them.
 
Thanks for your attention to my request and comments.
 
Most Sincerely,
 
John W

[NWWABOWHNTR]

Public comment period is through 21 Feb... Lets flood them with our comments in regards to the issues you have in this very important Season setting process.  If we do not then they will set the seasons for the next 3 ytears and we will have to live with it.  If you care about an issue... send the letters and emails!

[dreamingbig]

Here are some of the email addresses to send them too:

Written comments may be e-mailed to wildthing@dfw.wa.gov

Phil Anderson: director@dfw.wa.gov

Dave Ware: david.ware@dfw.wa.gov

The commission's email: commission@dfw.wa.gov

Lets get those comments sent in!