Where's Your Multi-Season Money Going

[sakoshooter]

Just read in the latest Northwest Sportsman magazine where the WDFW is hiring 5 people for Wolf issues in WA. Two trappers and 3 wolf techs. Turn 2 pages and you can read where they're increasing multi-season permits. Just guessing but it looks to me like the new hires are going to be paid by the revenue generated from the increased multi-season permits.
Kind of an irony of sorts. 
As most of you know, I'm in favor of a multi-season permit, just not at the price the WDFW charges for it.

[saylean]

I was drawn for both elk and deer multiseason last year....didnt buy either due to tough times/price....

lucky for me, I tagged out both in general season. I wont be putting in for multi anymore....too dang expensive for what it is IMHO.

[washelkhunter]

I couldnt believe they wanted to double the permit numbers for those.  Lets keep our eyes open and find out what the wolf techs and trappers are driving. i wouldnt help them one bit.  maybe put together a radio alert channel to be monitored when  they are around. this wolf hugging nonsense is gonna come to an end here in WASH State. Just wait until they start running all the deer and elk into the lowlands. and you know whats there? the orchards and the wineries, and the grain. whats Yakima gonna do if 8000 elk show up to winter in the apples? this modern populated state is not big enough for the wolf. SSS!

[KopperBuck]

Good idea. Let's not get an idea about how many wolves are running around...

[jackelope]

Should they not hire anybody?

Or maybe a better question is....where should they get the money to pay them?

[Skyvalhunter]

Yea most of mine is going to go to wolf reintroduction!!

[sakoshooter]

If they didn't introduce them here in the first place, we'd have more deer/elk to hunt and our license revenue would be used for huntable game.
With the introduction of wolves(probably with our license money), we now have less deer/elk to hunt plus the license generated revenue is now going to pay for wolf whatever, meaning less money left for deer/elk management - ironic if you ask me.
With all the budget shortfalls etc in the game dept, spending more money on wolves and less on everything else is nothing short of rediculous.

[jackelope]

They must have introduced them here... Lord knows the damn wolves aren't able to just walk across the border from Idaho... what with that big giant fence/ditch/moat at the state line.

[Skyvalhunter]

I like to say reintroduction as inevitably Bobcat jumps on it saying they were never introduced in the first place.

[jackmaster]

i say hire me, i will be more than happy to keep tabs on these wolves   

[dreamingbig]

I have 5 points for multiseason elk.  I am hoping I get drawn before the wolves get out of control.

[bobcat]

I like to say reintroduction as inevitably Bobcat jumps on it saying they were never introduced in the first place.

Wolves were not re-introduced to Washington state.   

And that's the truth.

[bobcat]

They must have introduced them here... Lord knows the damn wolves aren't able to just walk across the border from Idaho... what with that big giant fence/ditch/moat at the state line.

Right. And they also cannot make it across the Canadian border. Too much wilderness in their way.   

[Special T]

I think its a good place to spend the $$$ under the circumstances.  I think our general distrust for the WDFW provides our knee jerk reaction against WHATEVER the WDFW proposes.

[Curly]

Should they not hire anybody?

Or maybe a better question is....where should they get the money to pay them?

Well, they should just have an open season on wolves along with a trapping season, and not have Bios and techs dedicated to wolves.  But since that isn't going to happen because of the damn WDFW commission approving the wolf plan, they should  try getting donations from Defenders of Wildlife for the money needed for wolf management.  I sure don't want any of the money I spend on licenses to go toward a predator I don't even want in the state.  If they can't get money from donations, then they need to figure out a way to get money from a general fund or something............anywhere but from license sales.

(Oh, BTW - wolves were not placed in WA State by WDFW)

[bobcat]

Should they not hire anybody?

Or maybe a better question is....where should they get the money to pay them?

Well, they should just have an open season on wolves along with a trapping season, and not have Bios and techs dedicated to wolves.  But since that isn't going to happen because of the damn WDFW commission approving the wolf plan, they should  try getting donations from Defenders of Wildlife for the money needed for wolf management.  I sure don't want any of the money I spend on licenses to go toward a predator I don't even want in the state.  If they can't get money from donations, then they need to figure out a way to get money from a general fund or something............anywhere but from license sales.

(Oh, BTW - wolves were not placed in WA State by WDFW)

If the wolf plan was not approved, they would still need to spend money to monitor wolves, unless you'd rather they stay on the endangered species list forever.

[Curly]

What I'm saying is the plan was flawed.  They should have sent the writers of the plan back to the drawing board to come up with something better.  With a better plan, I could get behind using license sales to help fund wolf management.

[bobcat]

I agree that the plan calls for an excessive number of wolves before de-listing can occur, but I still have to wonder if it really matters. The wolves are coming here on their own, they're going to increase in numbers with or without a written plan, and when they do finally become relatively abundant, there will be nothing we can do to control their numbers.  (unless they're going to allow the use of poison, traps, and aerial gunning)

[Special T]

Curly, i agree with you that the plan is flawed.  IF wa stood up to the ESA crap like WY did we would not be in this pickle. Unfortunalty that option really isn't one. we are force between choices that are not good enough. Pray we get a different Gov and that could do more for the  cause than anything else. 

[Curly]

I agree that the plan calls for an excessive number of wolves before de-listing can occur, but I still have to wonder if it really matters. The wolves are coming here on their own, they're going to increase in numbers with or without a written plan, and when they do finally become relatively abundant, there will be nothing we can do to control their numbers.  (unless they're going to allow the use of poison, traps, and aerial gunning)

 
That is why they shouldn't even have a plan.  They should just have a season on them right now.

Besides, what good do you think 2 trappers and 3 techs are going to do?  They won't be able to do  , they might as well save their money and don't do anything...........but I could be wrong.

[bobcat]

I agree that the plan calls for an excessive number of wolves before de-listing can occur, but I still have to wonder if it really matters. The wolves are coming here on their own, they're going to increase in numbers with or without a written plan, and when they do finally become relatively abundant, there will be nothing we can do to control their numbers.  (unless they're going to allow the use of poison, traps, and aerial gunning)

 
That is why they shouldn't even have a plan.  They should just have a season on them right now.

Besides, what good do you think 2 trappers and 3 techs are going to do?  They won't be able to do  , they might as well save their money and don't do anything...........but I could be wrong.

I agree, anything they do related to the wolf is a waste of money. The best thing they could do is sell wolf tags, and make money for the state.

[jackelope]

(Oh, BTW - wolves were not placed in WA State by WDFW)

You and Bobcat are like brothers.

[jackelope]

I had a customer the other day who is from Sitka, AK and is a brown bear guide. They also shoot a bunch of wolves he said every year. This guy was involved in the AK guides assoc. and seemed to be pretty knowledgeable regarding the wolves up there. We shot the chit for a while as he waited for his car to get done. He said the only 2 ways to keep the wolf numbers even close to in check is poisoning, which I can't see being a viable option, and 2-aerial gunning. Thats it.

[Special T]

I agree and that means everything else we do is just re arranging the chairs on the Titanic. 

[3nails]

 Just a quick question for Bobcat- Let's say you bought and moved into an old homestead with a barn. Your neighbor informs you that the homestead once had rats but the previous owner poisened them off. The neighbor on the other side of you liked the idea of rats living in your barn and planted some in there without consulting you. Over time the barn became so infested with rats they start moving into your house. Now the question is, did these rats move into your house on thier own?

[bobcat]

Just a quick question for Bobcat- Let's say you bought and moved into an old homestead with a barn. Your neighbor informs you that the homestead once had rats but the previous owner poisened them off. The neighbor on the other side of you liked the idea of rats living in your barn and planted some in there without consulting you. Over time the barn became so infested with rats they start moving into your house. Now the question is, did these rats move into your house on thier own?

I guess you're referencing the fact that the feds transplanted wolves into Idaho. I get that, but the fact is we already had wolves in this state to begin with, and surely it's not a stretch of the imagination to think that they could come into Washington on their own from Canada.

This particular topic is about where the WDFW spends money, and the fact is, they have not spent any money on transplanting wolves into this state.

[3nails]

 I just really wanted to refer to them as rats...........the wolves, that is.

[bobcat]

I just really wanted to refer to them as rats...........the wolves, that is.

Gee, I actually think I'd take the rats over the wolves.   

[Skyvalhunter]

I agree that the plan calls for an excessive number of wolves before de-listing can occur, but I still have to wonder if it really matters. The wolves are coming here on their own, they're going to increase in numbers with or without a written plan, and when they do finally become relatively abundant, there will be nothing we can do to control their numbers.  (unless they're going to allow the use of poison, traps, and aerial gunning)

Big difference is in the number. Wolves have been working their way down the Cascade range for eons and the numbers have been controlled. But to enhance that by the numbers they are stating has a exponential affect on big game hunting in WA. Relatively abundant will is not the word I would use it would be more like impacting existence.

[GoldTip]

Well, I will answer the question of the OP: where is my multi season money going?  It's going with me to Montana and Idaho, thats where it's going.

[bobcat]

I agree that the plan calls for an excessive number of wolves before de-listing can occur, but I still have to wonder if it really matters. The wolves are coming here on their own, they're going to increase in numbers with or without a written plan, and when they do finally become relatively abundant, there will be nothing we can do to control their numbers.  (unless they're going to allow the use of poison, traps, and aerial gunning)

Big difference is in the number. Wolves have been working their way down the Cascade range for eons and the numbers have been controlled. But to enhance that by the numbers they are stating has a exponential affect on big game hunting in WA. Relatively abundant will is not the word I would use it would be more like impacting existence.

How are they "enhancing that"?

[sakoshooter]

Just a quick question for Bobcat- Let's say you bought and moved into an old homestead with a barn. Your neighbor informs you that the homestead once had rats but the previous owner poisened them off. The neighbor on the other side of you liked the idea of rats living in your barn and planted some in there without consulting you. Over time the barn became so infested with rats they start moving into your house. Now the question is, did these rats move into your house on thier own?

Someone actually gets my point! Huh

[sakoshooter]

Well, I will answer the question of the OP: where is my multi season money going?  It's going with me to Montana and Idaho, thats where it's going.

Gold Tip, you're a smart man

[sakoshooter]

They must have introduced them here... Lord knows the damn wolves aren't able to just walk across the border from Idaho... what with that big giant fence/ditch/moat at the state line.

Since the WDFW has trapped, tagged/collared wolves in various areas of WA and has been monitoring them for years now, I assumed that they had a hand in placing them here.
Everyone knows a wolf can walk jackelope.

[Skyvalhunter]

I agree that the plan calls for an excessive number of wolves before de-listing can occur, but I still have to wonder if it really matters. The wolves are coming here on their own, they're going to increase in numbers with or without a written plan, and when they do finally become relatively abundant, there will be nothing we can do to control their numbers.  (unless they're going to allow the use of poison, traps, and aerial gunning)

Big difference is in the number. Wolves have been working their way down the Cascade range for eons and the numbers have been controlled. But to enhance that by the numbers they are stating has a exponential affect on big game hunting in WA. Relatively abundant will is not the word I would use it would be more like impacting existence.

How are they "enhancing that"?

Its not a matter of are it is more will be as in introducing the numbers they are proposing.

[jackelope]

They must have introduced them here... Lord knows the damn wolves aren't able to just walk across the border from Idaho... what with that big giant fence/ditch/moat at the state line.

Since the WDFW has trapped, tagged/collared wolves in various areas of WA and has been monitoring them for years now, I assumed that they had a hand in placing them here.
Everyone knows a wolf can walk jackelope.

You might be surprised given some threads on this topic in the past few years.