Can't Believe the WDFW!!!!

[Machias]

Sorry, respectfully disagree.....actually that's a bunch of  !   Archers are more than capable of handling an issue like flaming lights on the end of their arrow and a multitude of other issues at the same time.  Come on, you guys are going to say that we are losing time in the woods because we didn't fall lock step in with the all technology is good crowd.......Sheesh   

[dreamingbig]

Oregon's archery elk seasons starts August 25th this year.

Just sayin'.   

How long does it last?  Don't post a half truth.

[dreamingbig]

Maybe the archers should push to have it start on the 8th regardless of the day of the week. It seems it would be simple to have it the 8th-20th every year.

Brandon

We did, we have and we are.  We got it that way for 3 years but then they took it away (along with reducing the season 1 day) due to the success rate being too high.  This state is all about the money.  You guys are falling right into their hands if you can't see the inequity that this state breeds.  Look at any other western state (CA doesn't count) and how their archery seasons line up.

[Gobble Gobble]

I’m happy that turkey season will start 7 days before the end of the general archery season this year and not the day after the closer like past years. I might be able convince the misses to let me go hunt private land in GMU 117 for 2 turkey and deer if I haven’t already punched my tag by then.

[Snapshot]

Actually we had it that way (8-21) for at least six years, not just three years. And yes, the organized Archery Coalition has communicated to the department and the commission asking to have the fourteenth day of the season reinstated and to get rid of the floating start (and once again starting on the 8th) exactly because of the reasons stated on this thread.

It wasn't overall success rates that got too high with the Sept 8-21 season. In fact the overall success rates were exactly in line with what resource allocation was supposed to achieve. Rather, what the department hung their hat on as the reason to change our season timing was that bowhunters were better at taking so-called mature bulls (five point or better) than their modern rifle counterparts. Then they cherry picked the statistics they needed to justify a change to the Commission. All this went down after a modern firearms hunter whined that it was unfair that bowhunters were too good at taking decent-sized bulls; instead of bettering himself or perhaps taking up bowhunting he sought change that would affect everyone (sound familiar?).  He pointed out that the largest money source is modern firearms (there again is that 'more revenues' carrot dangled in front of the donkey; hey, it works...) and the department swallowed it hook, line and sinker, dug up statistics to back up the claim and the commission bought it. [I say 'dug up' statistics because before this event the department's own definition of a "mature" bull was one that had at least six points per side, and so was usually at least four years old. The complaint spurred them to suddenly include five point bulls in their"mature bull" tallies, animals which can under good antler growth conditions be as young as two years old!]

[Machias, (I am probably wrong, but) I took Boneaddict's last statement to mean that people spent the time to circulate signature petitions to get a proposed equipment rule change in front of the commission instead of circulating a petition to collect signatures for getting our elk seasons back to the way they were prior to 2009.]

[Fullabull]

Snapshot, you are correct  I remember when it came up that a MF hunter was at the root of all this change. He was complaining how unfair it was that archery harvested more large bulls then MF hunters. They can spin things any way they want but strict number show MF hunters take way more branch bulls then archery hunters. The percentages of bulls to number of hunters is about the same if not in the MF hunters favor now. I had all that data put together but had to re-image my compluter and lost it.

[Machias]

Actually we had it that way (8-21) for at least six years, not just three years. And yes, the organized Archery Coalition has communicated to the department and the commission asking to have the fourteenth day of the season reinstated and to get rid of the floating start (and once again starting on the 8th) exactly because of the reasons stated on this thread.

It wasn't overall success rates that got too high with the Sept 8-21 season. In fact the overall success rates were exactly in line with what resource allocation was supposed to achieve. Rather, what the department hung their hat on as the reason to change our season timing was that bowhunters were better at taking so-called mature bulls (five point or better) than their modern rifle counterparts. Then they cherry picked the statistics they needed to justify a change to the Commission. All this went down after a modern firearms hunter whined that it was unfair that bowhunters were too good at taking decent-sized bulls; instead of bettering himself or perhaps taking up bowhunting he sought change that would affect everyone (sound familiar?).  He pointed out that the largest money source is modern firearms (there again is that 'more revenues' carrot dangled in front of the donkey; hey, it works...) and the department swallowed it hook, line and sinker, dug up statistics to back up the claim and the commission bought it. [I say 'dug up' statistics because before this event the department's own definition of a "mature" bull was one that had at least six points per side, and so was usually at least four years old. The complaint spurred them to suddenly include five point bulls in their"mature bull" tallies, animals which can under good antler growth conditions be as young as two years old!]

[Machias, (I am probably wrong, but) I took Boneaddict's last statement to mean that people spent the time to circulate signature petitions to get a proposed equipment rule change in front of the commission instead of circulating a petition to collect signatures for getting our elk seasons back to the way they were prior to 2009.]

You're probably right, I did not read it that way initially, however I would also say that we can chew gum and walk at the same time, so even then we could do both or even more.  I don't believe we lost our seasons because we were too busy lobbying for soemthing else.  Just my thoughts.

[Kowsrule30]

Glad I don't archery hunt..... ML hunting I don't have to argue about..... And get a better rut hunt to boot!!!   

[greenhead_killer]

i heard somewhere that one of the mucky mucks in the commission was a ml kinda guy and that he is hell bent on getting the seasons altered to his liking...anyway you look at it, this state is fked up when it comes to elk hunting. You say elk, and the fish and wildlife watching dept of retards sees dollar signs...

[sakoshooter]

In regards to the whole "too hot" thing, I'm not buying it. Sure if you dilly dally around some of the meat may spoil. I shot my bull this year opening morning 9:00am on the dot. It was hot that day. We jumped the bull twice throughout the day and he was not in good shape, he just wouldn't die. We made the call to pull out and come back in the morning. We found him in the morning and were back at the truck by 12pm headed to the butcher the meat was fine and tastes as good as any elk I've ever eaten.

I agree Button. Handling the meat quicky and correctly and it'll be fine.

[Gobble Gobble]

I noticed a change to the Quality Elk permit and that was the Klickitat Meadows any bull tag for Archery and ML, the hunt has been eliminated. Mind you it was only 2 tags one for each weapon and there was no pre scouting allowed (Yakima Reservation), no motorized vehicles foot or horseback only. One can only speculate as to why these two hunts were nixed. I noticed it because I was thinking of applying for the archery tag since the average has been 3 points.

[popeshawnpaul]

Good post Snapshot.  I'll give credit where it's due.   

[D-Rock425]

I agree 100% that are archery season needs to be set back to the 8Th-21st but the biggest problem is half the guys on this thread just get on and bitch about it and do nothing to help areselves. 

[Huntbear]

I am a Modern guy, but yes, the start dates always change.  It does for us Modern people too... some years it is the 6 or 7th of November.  Some years it is the 1st of November.  It moves back and forth.

HOWEVER, it really does not matter what day you start the season on in the long run.....  As soon as the wolves get completely established, there will be no elk to hunt anyway.., licenses will go up 500% due to lack of funds because no one will buy said licenses..... The rich will be able to hunt, and the poor working stiffs, will get screwed...  Then they can set a 5 day season for everyone... due to lack of animals.  Your license will cost 500.00.  There will be no cow tags, no big bull tags... just spikes and raghorns....  then they can close hunting for elk and deer in this state completely, because it is not financially feasible to keep the department going for say 5,000 hunters state wide.

[bobcat]

Gee, this last season in southwest Washington, all the private timber companies shut down the woods on September 8th. If the season had started on the 4th, archery hunters could have at least gotten in 4 days of hunting before they were locked out of the woods.