Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: JHay on November 14, 2010, 09:32:42 PM
-
Anyone have a clue why Packwood 516 isn't open to Muzzleloader?
-
No idea, but there are more not open than open so I'm not surprised. I believe the Randle GMU is open for late muzzleloader. Maybe try that?
-
Same reason why the winston is not open for ML. Game dept has it figured out. They have a certain number of animals they want us hunters to take in each unit, ML's just don't fit into their equation for the 516.
-
Game dept has it figured out.
Boy I sure don't have that much confidence in them! I'd like to think they manage elk numbers scientifically and have a known number of elk that can be taken out of each unit. But, it seems to me the only units opened for muzzleloader are the ones they figure they can do so without upsetting archery or rifle hunters.
-
Rifle hunters have nothing to do with the ML season, they are not in the woods when the ML guys are. Now archery, ya they get some good units, us ML guys get some good units and we share some ok units. The archery guys get the better end of the stick but thats expected. Whether the dfw really knows how many elk are in a unit or not, they do have a number of elk they want killed and over the years have a pretty good idea which hunters will kill how many in each unit. Of course there are variables like weather that change that year to year, but they have a general idea. I don't think they really know how many are in a unit though. Wa is a tough state to figure that out. Not like montana or somewhere in open country where they can count them. The bulk of counting here in wa is done by helicopters in the areas they can see the ground, then multiplied somehow to account for the acres/sq miles or what not they can't see, or they will base it off of last years hunting. So its far from scientific.
-
I know of at least one GMU that was open in the past for early muzzleloader season and was moved to the late muzzleloader season because of people complaining that it wasn't fair that the muzzleloaders got to hunt in there before they did.
-
I really don't think the dfw cares about complaints of open/closed units. Too many complainers out there, can't satisfy everyone.
