Post by: PA BEN on August 21, 2010, 11:29:27 AM
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
NEWS RELEASE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
August 12, 2010
Contact: Dave Ware, (360) 902-2509 or
Kevin Robinette, (509) 892-7859
White-tailed deer hunt proposals
to be reviewed in August meetings
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will host four public meetings in August to review proposals to modify Washington white-tailed deer hunting regulations in northeastern Washington game management units (GMU) 117 and 121.
The meetings, which will run 7 - 9 p.m., will take place:
* Aug. 19, Pierce County Library, PAC Room A & B, 3005 112th St. E., in Tacoma.
* Aug. 24, Colville Campus of Community College of Spokane, 985 S. Elm St., in Colville.
* Aug. 25, Center Place Regional Event Center, Great Room, 2426 N. Discovery Place, in Spokane Valley.
* Aug. 26, Yakima Convention Center, Room A, 10 N. 8th St., in Yakima. (Due to construction, visitors should access the convention center from the Yakima Avenue entrance or the North Parking Lot entrance.)
The proposed changes include restricting harvest of bucks to white-tailed deer with four antler points or more. Under current rules, any buck can be harvested in GMUs 117 and 121.
The antler-point restriction was requested last spring by the Stevens County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee in a petition to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. The nine-member citizen commission, which sets policy for WDFW, requested that the department seek additional public input prior to consideration for the 2011-12 hunting season.
WDFW staff, the county advisory committee and other stakeholders met last month to develop specific proposals for public review. WDFW staff will incorporate stakeholder and public input into a final proposal, which will be part of a recommended 2011-12 hunting season rules package.
The commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the 2011-12 hunting season rules package during its March meeting. The commission is expected to take final action on the rules package during its April meeting.
Post by: walt on August 21, 2010, 11:31:00 AM
Post by: Jburke on August 22, 2010, 01:04:17 AM
Post by: Hangfire on August 22, 2010, 05:52:25 AM
A proposal brought forth by a number of clubs, east and westside, county commissioners, and guides. It is not for the sake of the deer herd but for, tourism, money, and bragging. The Sept. issue of Outdoor Life talks about this type of thing. It has occurred in several other states, with enough time past to see the results. The magazine was mostly negative.
I was told by a WDFW employee, there is some people in Olympia in favor, and it may have a good chance of passing. The public meetings may determine which way it will go.
The bittom line, if it passes and once the deer herd is established. The total buck take by hunters will be fewer animals, larger point count per buck, but less total bucks taken.
Post by: 724wd on August 22, 2010, 09:49:42 PM
Post by: Jburke on August 27, 2010, 01:52:15 PM
i don't see whether this is modern firearm only or archery and muzzleloader as well. walla walla (154) has been 3 point or better for a long time (modern firearm), and honestly, it's not really that big of a deal. now 4 point or better... well, that could be a different story.GMU 154 is in a completely different part of the state though, and I would suspect that the reasons behind the point restriction in that GMU has more to do with the fact that the whitetail herd is not as big down there, so it isn't reasonable to shoot any buck you see. In the NE corner, going from any buck to 4 pt min is a dramatic change. I personally don't feel that it's really needed, and then realize that GMU 124, which is any buck, is the top producer of trophy whitetails in the state it. Where is their justification now? Sounds to me like someone's just trying to make money off of it. :dunno:
Post by: Kent Hunter on August 28, 2010, 06:57:24 AM
I think it's a bad idea on the four point or better for those two units. They both have a ton of deer in them. I say put the restriction on units that have alot lower deer densitys in them than 117 and 121. Just my :twocents:.