Master hunter enrollment suspended!

[Bob33]

I fixed a lot of elk fences I know that... And haven't gotten a call or drawn a tag for anything... Most the tags are antlerless... Some any elk

All the elk permits are antlerless.

I didn't apply for any this year... Thought there use to be some any elk ones?? Maybe a few years ago??? Don't know if I'm right but maybe around the Toledo area??

The "any elk" permits were eliminated two years ago. All permits are antlerless now.

[Dip-Zag]

Piano man, it sounds to me that if they also suspended the special draw hunts for Master Hunters you would support this too, since this is not why you are a MH?  I agree with Billy that if the suspend enrollment,then they should suspend the special draws for MHs. In fact, I think they should make the previous MH draws a general draws. This is an equitable approach, it meets game management objectives, and will increase revenue.

[pianoman9701]

Piano man, it sounds to me that if they also suspended the special draw hunts for Master Hunters you would support this too, since this is not why you are a MH?  I agree with Billy that if the suspend enrollment,then they should suspend the special draws for MHs. In fact, I think they should make the previous MH draws a general draws. This is an equitable approach, it meets game management objectives, and will increase revenue.

I have no problem with suspending any draws for MHs and have suggested it in the annual questionnaire we're given. I don't quite understand your reasoning about the enrollment reaching the max goal and suspending the draws, but I personally don't care about getting one. I do however feel that any hunter who draws one of the damage tags should go through some sort of course to make sure their sensitive to landowner concerns, public exposure, and an increased level of ethics, as many of those hunts are to do with private land wildlife damage OR very public exposure shooting. That's the reason you currently have to be a MH for those draws; to make sure you don't give hunters a black eye. Wildlife management objectives are not the only concern with these highly visible hunts.

[C-Money]

I had trouble getting the required volunteer time in when I was trying to be a master hunter. F&W just did not have any work. Kinda sucked.

[pianoman9701]

I had trouble getting the required volunteer time in when I was trying to be a master hunter. F&W just did not have any work. Kinda sucked.

Some areas of the state have more ongoing projects than others. Here in SW, we have a few that are annual events. As I said above, though, you can create your own projects and you can also go to your local chapters of the various conservation organizations to ask them what needs to be done locally. Those projects can then be proposed to the MH administrator and approved for the hours. This isn't made very clear in the volunteer outline. I found out only by asking.

[Bob33]

Here’s a partial list of available organizations and activities that could use volunteer assistance:

•   Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
•   Ducks Unlimited
•   Mule Deer Foundation
•   Pheasants Forever
•   Safari Club
•   Eyes In The Woods
•   Washington DNR
•   Washington State Parks and Recreation
•   Private landowners
•   Private timber companies
•   WDFW:assist in fencing or elk hazing projects
•   Private landowners with elk damage
•   Hunter Education classes
•   Mentoring of first-time hunters

Anyone that says they cannot find one of these organizations or activities that would accept 20 hours of free volunteer assistance over a period of several months strains my credibility.

[dreamunelk]

Just go to the volunteer opportunities page at WDFW.  No shortage of projects.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/volunteer/projects/

[adamR]

I had trouble getting the required volunteer time in when I was trying to be a master hunter. F&W just did not have any work. Kinda sucked.

I had to venture out and find my own opportunities for volunteer work, the F&W office wasn't much help when it came to ideas.  I ended up traveling almost 120 miles round trip to do my time on 3 separate occasions.  The opportunities are out there you just have to look a little harder.
I've only been a mh for a year now and was drawn for a permit for it this year but have not been called and even if I was called I probably can't go because of my knee surgery.  Personally it wouldn't bother me if they suspended the permits for now but what would they do then if they had alot of property damage next year from animals?  They almost have to have those permits available.

[CP]

I drove over 500 miles round trip to do my service and spent 4 days in the Sinlahekin doing hard manual labor.  But it was a great experience; I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

If you can’t find anything listed try calling the wildlife area managers directly and ask them if they need help.  Their names and numbers are all on the dept’s web site.

[Skyvalhunter]

I can tell you where to get projects never had a problem

[boneaddict]

I had trouble getting the required volunteer time in when I was trying to be a master hunter. F&W just did not have any work. Kinda sucked.

Are you around Moses, see if you can volunteer to pick up trash around the Desert unit?   

[Wildsau]

I looked into the MH program a couple of years ago and it was no different than sturying for my hunting license in Germany; with the exception of the projects.  We had to know a great deal about the animals we were allowed to hunt, to include the possible deseases.  We had to qualify with a MR and Shotgun (Archery is not yet allowed there).  I feel, if I were to be remaining in the US, I would enter into the program becasue of the good it does for the animals and the sport.

Just my  worth.

[Stizz]

I just finished mine last month, and overall I am pretty happy with the program. Had no problem finding work, I just went out and identified some things I could do in my area and got in touch with some local nonprofits and coordinated the efforts with the master hunter program. Heck my first proposal for some volunteer work with friends of the cedar river was denied, but I wrote an appeal and explained why my work promoted landowner-sportsman relationships and they decided to allow it. While it's far from perfect, they've got the right idea with this program. If they have to freeze it for awhile to sort things out so be it.

[pianoman9701]

By the way, Hunter Ed instruction also counts for MH volunteer hours.

[Simcoe hunter]

Dad gum varmints anyway.  I would like to do the program for the education and challenge.  The tags would just be a bonus.  Is this another example of what our illustrious F&W dept can do?  I agree that a suspension is better than a runaway program though.  Just look at our federal govt.