Are you deer hunting private ground?

[yelp]

I also forgot to mention that in the Hunting by written Permission  is popular with landowners because they can say No...to individuals who are troublemakers, slobs, etc..., Some landowners also have a system that they use to keep hunting safe on thier property, they will give only so many permits out.  I know some that give out 3-day slips.  I know others that use a waiting list...

[Dman]

 Sounds like another area where Washington should mimic States like Montana's BMA program. Basically forces a guy to drive aimlessley hundreds of miles from his home to stumble accross a phone number, or name to look up a phone number, sorry sounds like bullfish to me. Now I know why I didn't hear back from DFW, my question made too much sense for them to have a logical answer.

[MountainWalk]

nope. no fences here.

I want to take that back. I hunt the horse farm some, but it isnt cropland. So i guess i hunt private a little.

[E-Town Hunter]

My comment about the land owners getting money from WDFW was inaccurate.......they actually get money from the Conservation Reserve Program and the game department helps facilitate the possibility for getting government grants. So it would be a lie to say that the land owners do not get some kind of benefits from joining the program. If they didn't why wouldn't they simply post their own HBWP signs and allow their buddies or family members to hunt and no one else? All I'm saying is if they are going to join the program they shouldn't get to decide who the permits go to. The WDFW should issue the tags. How that would be done I don't know I haven't really thought about it much. As far as the people that reply by saying, "if it was your property would you want a bunch of people on your land that you didn't trust? Hell NO! That's why I would post it myself and only allow who I wanted in there. Again I don't really get too mad about it now because there are other places to hunt. I just think the current system is flawed.

[finnman]

YOU GUYS ALL WANT A LITTLE ADVICE....................BE POLITE, CONVERSATIONAL, RESPECTFUL, DID I SAY POLITE.
IT TAKES SOME REAL PATIENCE, BUT IF YOU ARE SERIOUS, YOU WILL GET PERMISSION!

HINT: Take your wife or daughter with you it seems to work!!!!

I think the program needs some refining but it has worked for my party, then again we talk to anyone!!!! Sign or no sign!

Finnman

[Antlershed]

I have used it once over by the Snake, and there were so many people in there in a small area it was rediculous. I never went back.

[yelp]

The reason the program is popular is the enforcement the WDFW provides enforcemnt for these landowners versus the county sheriff.  The fines are a tlittle stiffer than the counties..That is huge when you are a landowner in the middle of nowhere.  E-town your right in saying assistance is given to landowners by WDFW in the way of Habitat Improvements funded by Federal money or State and sometimes access is required so the public gets the benefit.  Some are walkin only hunting (feel free to Hunt), some are Hunting by written permission.  The way I look at it is you have landowners allowing access via a program that allows sportsman to communicate with landowners..or you have posted land and No hunting.  Some landowners if they posted it themselves would still allow friends and family..this however isn't the case for the majority of landowners.  The slips are collected by WDFW and reviewed each year, to make sure landowners aren't using signs for personal benefit.  There are flaws in most systems nothing is perfect...but it seems to be working for a lot of sportsman.  My two cents..thanks for the PM E-town and finnman.  

[yelp]

Dman...the go hunt website has a private land layer and that should focus the aimless driving.

[Dman]

  Montana's BMA program does allow you to reserve without having to contact the landowner, it is a great system for restricting numbers -sounds like that's an issue in Wa.. Montana also has annually updated individual unit maps of each open area, with check in locations, etc.. From what I recall of the Washington GoHunt map, it really left me with more questions than answers. Can't help but notice the system works well for EWa. hunters and not so well by comparison for Western Wa. hunters, just looking at locations. No doubt it's easier to build relationships with locals, rather than from accrossed the State. That tend's toward a sense of favoritism that a BMA -type system with booked reservations through a 3rd party would compensate for and level the playing field, though for the folks that have already established relationships, no doubt it might seem like a raw deal to have to book a reservation on a first come first serve basis.

[Dman]

Dman...the go hunt website has a private land layer and that should focus the aimless driving.

 I'll try that, I don't think that was a feature when I looked a couple years ago.

[yelp]

It is the Private Lands Access layer.  There is feel free to hunt, and HUnting by Written Permission.  Also you can hit the info icon and point at one of the symbols and it will tell you what kind of hunting is allowed and how many acres..it just doesn't give you the name or phone number of the landowner.  It gives you a place to start. 

[Wacenturion]

During the mid to late 90's there was approximately 3.5 million acres under agreement with the WDFW's Habitat Development and Access Program, which was called Upland Wildlife Restoration.  Most of this acreage was open to some form of access....i.e. Hunt By Written Permission, Feel Free To Hunt and various forms of Register To Hunt. 
There was no list and phone numbers as it would have lead to a mass exodus of participating landowners.  Rather Upland Biologists who worked in the program assisted folks to find and gain access to these areas.  Many were given contact info for these bio's from Regional offices and headquarters in Olympia.  Printed material was also available with names and areas worked.  Although occasional glitches, it worked well.  Mis-use by landowners was checked and if they were purposely abusing the agreements they were dropped. 
It was up to the landowner as to what you could hunt and how many he allowed on the permission side...basically unlimited on the Feel Free To Hunt end.  Register was like Feel Free except one dropped a card with license number in a box and parked in designated areas.  Consider that property open in any form of public access is far better than closed to all.  Yes it's true ...in some cases,not all though, permission went to family members especially during the first week or so.  Nothing wrong with that.....most here would probably do the same if you owned the land.  Cut the landowner some slack...his granting of access is a priviledge not a sportman's right. 
This program was essentially redirected starting in 1999 and lost momentum.  Blame the *censored*es at WDFW headquarters for that one.....not the landowners or the bio's who work in the program.  Above and beyond the access there was countless examples of expanded habitat development that occured from 1991 till the late 90's (when the WDFW changed the emphasis).  Some work still continues but at a much reduced level.  That worked enhanced wildlife all over eastern Washington. 
One example of the successful end results of this program was TURKEYS.  Did you see many prior to the late 80' -early 90's?  Hell no!  Do you think that was ok?  I think most would agree....pretty damn good end result. 
Come on guys....give some credit where due.  Now I'm not saying to praise the Dept. as quite a few who control things management wise in Olympia and at the regional offices couldn't manage themselves out of a wet paper bag.  But the folks working on this program give it their all in spite of the dumb ass higher ups. 
Someone mentioned the Montana program.  Can't compare apples to oranges.  Landowners in Montana individually own much larger tracts than the average landowner in Washington.  These larger tracts with a lot of open range etc. pose less of a concern than say a 3600 acre farm with muliple crops and out buildings.   Secondly...Washington is the smallest state west of the Mississippi River with the second largest population after California.  Those two things alone pose unique differences in management.  I'll bet in Montana there isn't the same level of habitat development going hand in hand with the access as in Washington.
Nothing works perfect, and I'm not saying that folks here don't have a legitimate complaint, but there are tons of examples of hunters who believe it's their right...don't need to ask....to lazy to ask....didn't like the denial so I won't follow up after the season for next year...damn relatives....bla, bla, bal and so on.  I personally know of folks that were pissed off getting denied access when they asked if they could turkey hunt on opening day morning.  One case some *censored* even woke a landowner up at 4-4:30 on opening day to ask to turkey hunt.  Try putting yourself on the other side of the door and ask what you would do.
In summary, the initial post and photo of the nice Mulie sums it up......Here's a guy who has done his homework and developed a relationship which now proves beneficial.  Persistance and a good attitude will in many cases prove successful if one stays with it.  Enough said....flame away for what it;s worth            

[ThePascoKid]

They join for free "no hunting" signs that's it and that's all I have had the worst luck with this stupid system and no most of the signs do not have a name and phone # on them  I hate this system I would rather they just put up a no hunting sign rather than give a guy false hope that there maybe a slight chance to hunt just to be shot down one more time I have given up on this system and hunt Feel Free to Hunt or public ground for deer and my own place for Elk.  By the way I grew up on a farm so I know what it's like to have people knock at the door and ask to hunt.  If you don't want the knocks at the door or the phone calls then don't sign up for the program.  I have absolutely no problem with a guy that hunts his own land or has relatives that do, hell it's his land he can do what he wants with it.  But when he joins this type of program just to let the same relatives hunt year after year that is a waste of our money to provide him with signs and extra patrols from the WDFW.  I agree they need to go to a system like Montana or South Dakota.  For crap sake SD sends you a book of maps that tells you where all the huntable land in the state is, how many acres, and what type of game, its great I have hunted there twice and shot nice bucks off of walk-in only land just by using this book they send you with absolutely no scouting.  Of course I would rather scout but at 16 hrs away it's not an option.   Bottom line "Hunting By Written Permission" sucks! There's my rant for the day better get to work. 

[yelp]

Well I disagree...I think it is valuable..In every program you have the people that are never satisfied...that being said. The management of this program at it best had over 20 people out working with private land owners on issues.  Habitat or Access.  Sometimes both.  Today there are 8 managers in all of eastern washington..I believe.  It has been difficult for them to maintain the same level of product. I assume that pascokid I assume you hunt the SE  and south central part of the state and I know the manpower down there has been reduced.  Not making excuses, but I don't believe It sucks!  I think WAcenturian nailed it on the head...many people have a negative attitude because they were rejected...or had a negative experience.  so they don't like it..I have buddies with that same attitude.  To be honest after finding out how they approached the landowner....I wouldn't have given them permission either...lol.  There is a way in doing it...I haven't had a problem.  I mainly hunt north central washington..Lincoln County.  Sorry for you luck.   

[yelp]

PascoKid...

didn't mean to make that last post negative towards you personally...I have seen the other side of the coin I guess.  You posted.."I would rather they just put up a no hunting sign rather than give a guy false hope that there maybe a slight chance to hunt just to be shot down one more time I have given up on this"  So I assume that you have been rejected and didn't like it.  I have been told NO too...and sometimes it is legitimate.  Sorry if you were offended.

Yelp