Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Waterfowl => Topic started by: goldenhtr on December 19, 2015, 08:25:55 AM

Title: Reservation sites
Post by: goldenhtr on December 19, 2015, 08:25:55 AM
For the life of me I can't figure out how I keep missing a reservation only 5sec in. Do people use a bot or something? I spoke with the young man that sets up the blinds and he had some concerns with the setup as is. He knows of hunters that reserve a blind and don't use it if they can get it later in the week so no one else can hunt it before them. I think this defeats the purpose of the program. My concern is that ANYONE with a wild ID can reserve a blind. This include ANTI's as well. I work in the Skagit area and drove by a site both on Tues. and then  on Thurs. a couple of times to find no one hunting this site. SO do you cancel your reservation if you find you can't hunt it, so someone else has a chance to hunt? I would like to see things changed so that the blind is open to use if no one shows up by 11am. Lets also change it so that you can cancel up to 24hrs before your hunt date instead of 72hrs.

What do you think?
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: NW-GSP on December 19, 2015, 08:28:14 AM
I think that there is some shady stuff going on. Either wdfw is saying its reserved when it is not or something similar.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: JLS on December 19, 2015, 09:09:22 AM
SO do you cancel your reservation if you find you can't hunt it, so someone else has a chance to hunt? I would like to see things changed so that the blind is open to use if no one shows up by 11am. Lets also change it so that you can cancel up to 24hrs before your hunt date instead of 72hrs.

I would very much like to see the cancellation process improved.  I often don't even bother cancelling mine if I have a last minute change in plans.  There is no point in doing so, because it won't be opened up for another reservation.

I doubt anything shady is going on, some of the primo reservation sites go so fast it makes your head spin.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: goldenhtr on December 19, 2015, 09:26:09 AM
If nothing else a call to WDFW to cancel within the 72hrs prior, they should be able to open it back up. After all things can change within the 2 weeks before a hunt. 24hrs is a better solution I think. What do you all think about opening it up after say 11am if nobody is there?  The east side does it after 10am.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: Bill W on December 19, 2015, 09:31:36 AM
you just got to be logged on and ready before 8AM.   As the clock ticks down to 8:00:00 start your reservation (fast).   Works for me.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: goldenhtr on December 19, 2015, 09:44:43 AM
you just got to be logged on and ready before 8AM.   As the clock ticks down to 8:00:00 start your reservation (fast).   Works for me.

Oh I get it Bill. 7:59:59 refresh, bing, bang,boom, 5sec. sorry gone. I do get a few but the majority of the time not so much. But ya, you hunting the east side reservation or the west side. Just gotta keep trying:)
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: johnsc6 on December 19, 2015, 09:47:04 AM

I would very much like to see the cancellation process improved.  I often don't even bother cancelling mine if I have a last minute change in plans.  There is no point in doing so, because it won't be opened up for another reservation.

 :o

Part of the problem, assumtions......... cancel if your not going,
 My opinion is if nobody is there by opening it should be available first come first serve..... it's a bad system, not much better than the "quality snow goose"  fields that brought the slobs to the valley and ruined the snow goose hunting .. :twocents:
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: Bill W on December 19, 2015, 09:51:17 AM
you just got to be logged on and ready before 8AM.   As the clock ticks down to 8:00:00 start your reservation (fast).   Works for me.

Oh I get it Bill. 7:59:59 refresh, bing, bang,boom, 5sec. sorry gone. I do get a few but the majority of the time not so much. But ya, you hunting the east side reservation or the west side. Just gotta keep trying:)

I've seen some of the quality spots last as long as 80 seconds and as short as 3 seconds.

It would be nice if the cancellation process was improved for near term cancellations.   I know a number of spots that the hunters change their minds on and don't hunt the reservations.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: CP on December 19, 2015, 10:25:29 AM
I’d like to cancel my spot for Monday but the system won’t let me.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: JLS on December 19, 2015, 11:20:17 AM
Part of the problem, assumtions......... cancel if your not going,
 My opinion is if nobody is there by opening it should be available first come first serve..... it's a bad system, not much better than the "quality snow goose"  fields that brought the slobs to the valley and ruined the snow goose hunting .. :twocents:

Fact, if you cancel within 72 hours they don't get re-opened for others.  I've asked.

Here's the problem with the time deal.  If I have a reservation and can't be out first thing, I still have the reservation.  Granted, I primarily hunt upland and I may not get to my reserved spot until 2PM on some days, depending on what time I started and how many places I'm hunting.

If I'm waterfowl hunting and can't make daybreak, but want to hit the AM return flight, there's now way I should HAVE to be in there by daybreak.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: Stein on December 19, 2015, 01:59:16 PM
They should allow you to cancel until at least the day before.  A lot of stuff can happen and it is a shame when nobody gets to hunt the site.

There are no bots, just a bunch of people that all want the same few sites.  Even the ugly ones fill every day.

I would even support charging $5 per hunt with 100% of the money going to securing more sites.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: Pnwrider on December 19, 2015, 04:45:55 PM
I'd also be good with charging people that book it and don't show up.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: VarmintVentilator on December 19, 2015, 05:17:11 PM
I'm a land owner with reservation property, and I understand peoples frustration.  I hear about it every year.  But what the normal hunter doesn't understand is the number of properties that are in this program across the state.  I've got to see the computer program that has all these places up for reservation and it's impressive.  There are literally thousands of acres with who knows how many land owners in this program.  To charge people who don't show up for a particular hunt on a specific piece of property is impossible.  For them to open up the reservation after a cancellation is is impossible as well.  This program is far from perfect.  We discuss numerous situations each year.  But you have to remember, this program was set up to give hunters a place to hunt that they would not even have a chance at if it were not for the program.  Again I feel your frustrations, but it's better than not having the chance to hunt a specific location at all. :twocents: :twocents:  Hope I didn't make anybody mad.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: Stein on December 19, 2015, 05:48:39 PM
Hey, I really appreciate people who make their land available for us to hunt.  I know they pay you money, but it probably isn't much particularly when you get to hear F350s turbo in at 4 am every day and light up the sky at daylight.

Every time I have gone out, I have found some type of trash in the area that I have picked up.  Shotgun shells, granola wrappers, water bottles, ear plugs, cigarette butts and just about everything else.  I think people either don't care or have this entitlement mentality that the state owes them great hunts whenever they want.

I agree the system isn't perfect, but it does give guys a very good option if you time the sites right.  Sometimes they can be a total bust and impossible to even access, but every once in a blue moon it all lines up right.

Yes, they are hard and sometimes impossible to book, but when I take my 7 year old son out, the 2 am public land trench warfare really isn't what I'm looking for.  I would rather wait for weeks to get one reservation and chance it on a new spot.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: CP on December 19, 2015, 06:33:58 PM
I'm a land owner with reservation property, and I understand peoples frustration.  I hear about it every year.  But what the normal hunter doesn't understand is the number of properties that are in this program across the state.  I've got to see the computer program that has all these places up for reservation and it's impressive.  There are literally thousands of acres with who knows how many land owners in this program.  To charge people who don't show up for a particular hunt on a specific piece of property is impossible.  For them to open up the reservation after a cancellation is is impossible as well.  This program is far from perfect.  We discuss numerous situations each year.  But you have to remember, this program was set up to give hunters a place to hunt that they would not even have a chance at if it were not for the program.  Again I feel your frustrations, but it's better than not having the chance to hunt a specific location at all. :twocents: :twocents:  Hope I didn't make anybody mad.

Thanks for participating in the program.  I for one love it and I wish there were more landowners like you that are willing to work with the WDFW to make this happen.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: h2ofowlr on December 19, 2015, 07:08:40 PM
They need to have an open blind policy on these reservation sites that allow Hunter's to use them on a first come first serve after a specific time.  This would be a more feasible use.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: dreamunelk on December 19, 2015, 07:46:44 PM
They need to have an open blind policy on these reservation sites that allow Hunter's to use them on a first come first serve after a specific time.  This would be a more feasible use.

There are some site that are open to any hunter after 0800.
Important thing to remember is many of these properties allow access because of the program.  They want to know who is there and don't want to be bothered by hunters.  I know one landowner that is thinking of getting out of the program because of hunters whining to him.  They seem to think they should be able to hunt when ever they want on his property.  Some of whom post of this site... If you are one of them thank you for harassing a landowner.  Really helps improve access.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: Pnwrider on December 19, 2015, 09:47:32 PM
They need to have an open blind policy on these reservation sites that allow Hunter's to use them on a first come first serve after a specific time.  This would be a more feasible use.

There are some site that are open to any hunter after 0800.
Important thing to remember is many of these properties allow access because of the program.  They want to know who is there and don't want to be bothered by hunters.  I know one landowner that is thinking of getting out of the program because of hunters whining to him.  They seem to think they should be able to hunt when ever they want on his property.  Some of whom post of this site... If you are one of them thank you for harassing a landowner.  Really helps improve access.
But what time do people show up? This is the problem at most of the first come first serve quality hunt sites. People show up at 3am to reserve a site.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: dreamunelk on December 19, 2015, 10:28:23 PM
If you have reservation you can be there before 0800.  Fail to show up by 0800 and first come first serve.  This started because of the 3 am wake up call to the landowner.  So far problem solved.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: Cougar125 on December 19, 2015, 10:35:04 PM
I know it has been brought up to Cole Caldwell several times regarding the reservation system needing to be revamped.  I've seen it more times than not that a reservation has been made and the site not hunted.  Unfortunately, that is the way it is set up for now.  My recommendation would to be to contact the landowners and try to get permission directly from them, in writing if possible, to override WDFW's reservation system.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: Pnwrider on December 19, 2015, 11:05:16 PM
I know it has been brought up to Cole Caldwell several times regarding the reservation system needing to be revamped.  I've seen it more times than not that a reservation has been made and the site not hunted.  Unfortunately, that is the way it is set up for now.  My recommendation would to be to contact the landowners and try to get permission directly from them, in writing if possible, to override WDFW's reservation system.
You gonna pay them to hunt? I'm sire the landowner doesn't care so long as they get paid...
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: johnsc6 on December 20, 2015, 06:59:31 AM
I know it has been brought up to Cole Caldwell several times regarding the reservation system needing to be revamped.  I've seen it more times than not that a reservation has been made and the site not hunted.  Unfortunately, that is the way it is set up for now.  My recommendation would to be to contact the landowners and try to get permission directly from them, in writing if possible, to override WDFW's reservation system.
Absolutely the wrong thing to do, most of the land owners are in this because they do NOT want to be bothered by the hunters, it's a pain.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: Skyhigh on December 20, 2015, 07:00:38 AM
I know it has been brought up to Cole Caldwell several times regarding the reservation system needing to be revamped.  I've seen it more times than not that a reservation has been made and the site not hunted.  Unfortunately, that is the way it is set up for now.  My recommendation would to be to contact the landowners and try to get permission directly from them, in writing if possible, to override WDFW's reservation system.
Are you fk me? Landowners are tired of this kind of action.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: johnsc6 on December 20, 2015, 07:36:16 AM
I know it has been brought up to Cole Caldwell several times regarding the reservation system needing to be revamped.  I've seen it more times than not that a reservation has been made and the site not hunted.  Unfortunately, that is the way it is set up for now.  My recommendation would to be to contact the landowners and try to get permission directly from them, in writing if possible, to override WDFW's reservation system.
Are you fk me? Landowners are tired of this kind of action.
:yeah:  And it's not about the money......... it's chump change for the problems it brings.
Title: Re: Reservation sites
Post by: Cougar125 on December 20, 2015, 06:04:50 PM
I guess 4 people disagree with me.  That's your prerogative. 

The landowners I've talked to want people to hunt their fields because they want the birds pushed off.  If reservation holders are not keeping their reservations it is/can be counterproductive to what the landowner wants. 

Depends on the landowner I guess.
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