Why are there no muzzleloader seasons in the blues for elk?

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

I was looking at the proposals for 2012 and there is no ml season in the blues for spikes,why not?  And they got rid of the cow hunt in lick creek for bow hunters?  Wtf!?  I was excited to have the multi season tags, now I'm not so sure.

[washelkhunter]

Why is there no ML in 346, or 560 or anywhere eastside that isnt for spike. All they offered were the crap units on the west for antlerless. Thats a real good question for the director and the commision. I encourage you to ask them.

[huntnphool]

 Hunting with Rafflemule down there was really interesting. I lost count of the number of branch antler bulls we saw over the season, way more than I thought we would. The interesting part is I only saw 2 spikes the entire time. On another note, I saw more bulls than cows!

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

Why is there no ML in 346, or 560 or anywhere eastside that isnt for spike. All they offered were the crap units on the west for antlerless. Thats a real good question for the director and the commision. I encourage you to ask them.

Isn't lick creek on the east? Are you talking about blue creek?  Regardless they are idiots, not even offering a hunt where modern and archery season are offered is crap!

[rosscrazyelk]

I have not seen any proposed regs yet but in the past couple years the blues for muzzleloader has been permit only. Only reason I can think of is there was not enough representation from that group when the regs were drawn . Just a guess though

[bobcat]

Proposed regulations:

http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/2012/wsr_12-04-098.pdf

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I agree, even though I am not a muzzleloader, I feel compassion for the limited areas available.
As far as why..  I think it again comes down to a bias against primitive weapons, and the $$ generated by modern.
My father was a member in "The Cascade Mountain Mans (?) Association" in the 70's, but not being involved myself, see little representation compaired to Archery and MF, I could be mistaken..
One of the reasons I remember was a result of "resource Allocation" and the +/- 20% success rate once enjoyed by ML hunters, in the WDFW attempts to reduce hunter success, yet increase participation, they forgot the reasons a lot of hunters used "primitive weapons"  as far as increased opportunity...
In their ongoing effort to increase revenue, while eliminating hunter success, they do not offer hunts (except special permit) that have a high chance of harvest.
In my opinion, those areas would be a slaughter with "modern muzzle-loaders" being able to hunt the first week of October,  the combination of Elk numbers, visibility, and escapement, and would have too high an impact on herd numbers.
So much easier to crowd the ML into areas that have less "quality" hunting, just to give them a season, than to actually "manage" the herd.
Another example of why I feel they should quit playing a "numbers" game (with reducing the Yakima and StHelens herds with Cow permits) and give us more days afield, with Antler point restrictions, and increased predator opportunity (Spring bear, hounds for cats, etc..)
But what do I know.. 

[Curly]

Stik is right on the money.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Actually, as far as my predator comment, I remember a study done a while ago where they claimed a 40% mortality on calves by bears, cougars, and coyotes in the Blues, yet they never really did anything to address the problem, but figure out if they allowed a ML season, then they would have to make it spike only,  any increased harvest on antlerless would reduce calf recruitment to almost nothing, and then the MF would scream because there were no spikes left after Archery and ML got through.
And then there would be no Elk left in the Blues, just like in the Colockum. 
What I think they really should do, is make it a prerequisite for ANYBODY that works for the WDFW to be required to pass an interview by hunters and fishermen (women) to be approved before they are allowed to make any decisions regarding hunting seasons.
NON HUNTERS SHOULD NOT BE ESTABLISHING OUR HUNTING REGULATIONS !!!
NON FISHERMEN (WOMEN) SHOULD NOT BE DECIDING OUR FISHING REGULATIONS !!!

[dreamingbig]

Why is there no ML in 346, or 560 or anywhere eastside that isnt for spike. All they offered were the crap units on the west for antlerless. Thats a real good question for the director and the commision. I encourage you to ask them.

There are special permits in 346 for muzzleloader.  I am not sure if you were talking about a general season only.

[B.G.hunter]

NON HUNTERS SHOULD NOT BE ESTABLISHING OUR HUNTING REGULATIONS !!!
NON FISHERMEN (WOMEN) SHOULD NOT BE DECIDING OUR FISHING REGULATIONS !!!

  

[PlateauNDN]

Actually, as far as my predator comment, I remember a study done a while ago where they claimed a 40% mortality on calves by bears, cougars, and coyotes in the Blues, yet they never really did anything to address the problem, but figure out if they allowed a ML season, then they would have to make it spike only,  any increased harvest on antlerless would reduce calf recruitment to almost nothing, and then the MF would scream because there were no spikes left after Archery and ML got through.
And then there would be no Elk left in the Blues, just like in the Colockum. 
What I think they really should do, is make it a prerequisite for ANYBODY that works for the WDFW to be required to pass an interview by hunters and fishermen (women) to be approved before they are allowed to make any decisions regarding hunting seasons.
NON HUNTERS SHOULD NOT BE ESTABLISHING OUR HUNTING REGULATIONS !!!
NON FISHERMEN (WOMEN) SHOULD NOT BE DECIDING OUR FISHING REGULATIONS !!!

Solid info. STIK.   I remember reading a similar report in regards to predators as well not to long ago and one of the comments they hadn't even factored in yet was the increase in wolf predatation, I don't remember which state it was but it was pretty close to WA.  I believe it was north yellowstone area.   I also agree with the end of your post as well.

[bucklucky]

We will be lucky to see a season in the blues in 5 years with the rate the wolf pack is growing and killing in there. Cows and calves get the brunt of the wolf kills from what I have seen in there. Its really too bad.

[bigpaw 77]

It is very frustrating  I hunt Lick creek for deer in the muzzleloader season and elk hunt there when I can draw a tag. I would think they could open one unit down there for us. So this year I am archery hunting lick creek (cow or spike) It is the only way to hunt where I love to hunt. It wont be long and I will give up on this state all together and spend my money elsewhere. 

[bobcat]

If they don't have the unit open for muzzleloader that you want to hunt, then hunt the archery season.

Almost every unit is open for archery.