Changing hunting in Washington

[Branden]

Branden- Are there places with overcrowding? Besides the fuzzy-butt hills I mean? I'm actually surprised how few of hunters I see each year. Maybe it's a east side problem?

What/where are the fuzzy-butt hills? I have never heard that before

[kentrek]

im not sure this would work..maybe in the long run but it would realy suck the first few years.idk why you would want to put a limit on something thats already in high demand,take out the draw only places and make them cow or spike only. give hunters more land to hunt,that would cut down on crowding alot. also if some one wants a meat hunt in summer or winter dont let them come back in fall and hunt more.thats there choice. multi hunts could be alot more scarce aswel too but i doubt most of the peaple that draw them even get there moneys worth.one last thing on my wish list..let me shoot spike elk on the west side !!!!

i hunt alot,prolly more than i should but its what i love to do. i would go insane if i was stuck in one unit the whole year.also i dont hunt other states because the hunting is better(would pick wa over them),i hunt there because i can hunt more !!!  over crowding is just part of the game,the trick is to use it to your advantage.

[kentrek]

Branden- Are there places with overcrowding? Besides the fuzzy-butt hills I mean? I'm actually surprised how few of hunters I see each year. Maybe it's a east side problem?

What/where are the fuzzy-butt hills? I have never heard that before

low lands,peaple are scarce in the rough country..most of the over crowded spots are full of flat landers

[Dhoey07]

#1 has to be predator managment, bar none.

#2 should be improving habitat.  Just read an article the other day about CRP land managment and pheasants.  The same could be applied to big game.
  How many thousands of acres do we have enrolled with wdfw and feel free to hunt, hunt by written permission or register to hunt?  Improve these lands for game managment. 

You build it and they will come!!

[runamuk]

I got one I'd be all in for -
You can only hunt the GMU that you live in.   

 

[bearpaw]

Bearpaw, I think the state needs to manage predators, but also manage the units. It is not managing units when there is a free for all. You wanted the APR put in place to test out, which may or may not work. How many less hunters hunted those 2 units this year, and crowded into other units?

Curious why you think it is good to restrict harvest with the apr,  but not actually manage the units?
I agree better predator control would help a lot. Also less poachers. Maybe winter feeding programs like you mentioned in other threads. But there is still an overcrowding problem in some units during certain seasons.

And again, I am not talking about managing harvest. I am talking about reducing overcrowding for a better overall hunt experience.

Brandon, If you review the number of hunters in Washington today verses past decades you will find that there are fewer hunters today than there was in the past. Dave Workman can fill you in better on that than I can, but that is what you will find if you research and compare numbers.

If it was up to me I would like to see hunting made a "Right", I think you should have a right to hunt unless you do something to relinquish that right (like poaching). Next, it's the WDFW's job to maximize opportunity while at the same conserving the resources. The WDFW's continuing reductions in predator management are not maximizing recreational opportunity, in fact it's reducing opportunity, either managers need to revise their efforts and make our herds more productive or heads need to roll so that we can hire managers who will get the job done.

I like to hunt every year and from hunter surveys I have seen that is what most WA hunters want. I will say it again, I like the fact that you are trying to come up with a better management plan, I just don't agree with the plan you have detailed.

I recently had a good conversation about hunter crowding with some residents from the Ellensberg area and the continuing decline of deer herds and elk hunting opportunity in that area. From what I was told there definitely needs to be something done to address the problems in that area, but that doesn't mean hunter crowding is that big of a problem in every area of Washington. I think you need to look at specific areas for the problems in that area, I do not believe "one size fits all" management is the answer for the problems in every area of the state.

FYI - The 4 pt rule was not my idea and I used to oppose it. But we needed to do something other than the status quo and even though the APR was not my favorite choice I was confident that it would immediately build the herd and help maintain a resonable buck/doe ratio. The APR allowed all hunters to hunt the units (this is especially important for youth hunters who live within the units) and the APR did not cause anyone to have to draw and hope for a chance to hunt. So I fully supported the concept. As expected, the first year harvest numbers indicate buck harvest was reduced. I am anxious to see what happens in future years, obviously we have no proof at this time how the APR will work over the long term in this area. But I definitely commend the commission for having the fortitude to deviate from the standard text book approach to management in WA.

My suggestion to you is that you come up with a trial plan for a unit or two that hunters will agree needs a change in management and then try to unite hunters to support the new management plan, then lobby the commission and dept and try to make it happen. But I don't think you will gain much support by asking to change the management style of the whole state on a whim. You need to take a measured approach and let hunters see how a new management model may benefit the herds and hunters in a small area first.

[bobcat]

I don't think hunter crowding should be the main reason behind making any changes. The reason I would support some change is to reduce harvest of deer and elk in certain units. Some units may not need any reduction at all, but others do. If they controlled the number of hunters per GMU, they could manage deer and elk populations properly. The way they do it now is no management at all.

[Branden]

Branden- Are there places with overcrowding? Besides the fuzzy-butt hills I mean? I'm actually surprised how few of hunters I see each year. Maybe it's a east side problem?

What/where are the fuzzy-butt hills? I have never heard that before

low lands,peaple are scarce in the rough country..most of the over crowded spots are full of flat landers

I backpack hunt. I have ran into other hunters 15-20 miles in that also hiked in. I don't think rough country keeps as many people out anymore.

[bearpaw]

Branden- Are there places with overcrowding? Besides the fuzzy-butt hills I mean? I'm actually surprised how few of hunters I see each year. Maybe it's a east side problem?

What/where are the fuzzy-butt hills? I have never heard that before

low lands,peaple are scarce in the rough country..most of the over crowded spots are full of flat landers

I backpack hunt. I have ran into other hunters 15-20 miles in that also hiked in. I don't think rough country keeps as many people out anymore.

If you are after hunting spots of your own you need to lease land. It's not fair to think that you should be the only person hunting on public land. Maybe that's not what you meant, but that last post sorta looks that way. 

[Branden]

I like to hunt every year and from hunter surveys I have seen that is what most WA hunters want.

You could hunt every year under my plan.

I recently had a good conversation about hunter crowding with some residents from the Ellensberg area and the continuing decline of deer herds and elk hunting opportunity in that area. From what I was told there definitely needs to be something done to address the problems in that area, but that doesn't mean hunter crowding is that big of a problem in every area of Washington. I think you need to look at specific areas for the problems in that area, I do not believe "one size fits all" management is the answer for the problems in every area of the state.

My suggestion to you is that you come up with a trial plan for a unit or two that hunters will agree needs a change in management and then try to unite hunters to support the new management plan, then lobby the commission and dept and try to make it happen. But I don't think you will gain much support by asking to change the management style of the whole state on a whim. You need to take a measured approach and let hunters see how a new management model may benefit the herds and hunters in a small area first.

The problem with picking out just a couple units and making them totally limited to reduce harvest, overcrowding, etc. Is that then you promote those things in the adjacent units by adding the additional hunters to surrounding units. Also a lot of guys hunt the same areas year after year, and by changing to pick your unit you could still hunt your traditional hunt every year if you want.

Answer's in red.

I realize this idea isn't popular here. But every state is going to management strategies like this of some sort or another. Why? My guess is because then you can actually manage units. Why does it work in other states, but wouldn't work here? Nevada upped their deer licenses about 35% this year. That is pretty good when almost every other states deer herds are declining in the west.

bearpaw said something like, "blanket management doesn't work" I agree, and neither does not managing units at all. 

[Branden]

If you are after hunting spots of your own you need to lease land. It's not fair to think that you should be the only person hunting on public land. Maybe that's not what you meant, but that last post sorta looks that way. 

No, I meant I don't think rough country keeps as many hunters out now days.

I actually archery hunt now because there are way less hunters in the woods. And if you backpack hunt its rare to see another archer.

[kentrek]

If you are after hunting spots of your own you need to lease land. It's not fair to think that you should be the only person hunting on public land. Maybe that's not what you meant, but that last post sorta looks that way. 

No, I meant I don't think rough country keeps as many hunters out now days.

I actually archery hunt now because there are way less hunters in the woods. And if you backpack hunt its rare to see another archer.

i said scarce and you said rare  mean country def ristrics peaples williness to hunt

[Branden]

lol I meant rare/scarce during archery. Not during modern

[autodink13]

I would like to see some changes with the way our system is but big changes are hard to come by. If i could change one thing about our system it would be this. If you draw a special permit thats the only season you can hunt. This would keep the wdfw happy because they wouldnt lose much revenue. It would help thin out some general seasons. It would improve some draw odds(especially doe tags).

Thats my simple idea that i believe would benefit most people. You could go one step further and make a couple general tags (like swakane archery, a draw hunt with unlimited tags.

I really enjoy hunting wa just not too happy with the huge change reguarding special hunting categories. I would love to have it back the way it was before all the categories but that will never happen because wdfw would lose too much money. Thats why i think the simple change i mentioned above could help.

[Chesapeake]

How about this for a simple change:

Restrict all the OIL and Quality draw apps to 1 choice. Require 3 points to enter the draw for Quality hunts.

WDFW could still get all their money. The 1 choice would maybe make some of the less than premier units easier to draw. And the 3 points requirement would thin the crowd a little improving draw odds.

I'd go for the "if you draw a Quality tag you forfiet your regular season tag". 

I'd also go for that if you draw Multi-season, you cant enter the Quality draw that year other than to purchase a point.

My favorite change to the draw would be to make it "preference point" and not bonus point. I hate the bonus point system we have.