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Poll

Should all OTC tags be eliminated and draw only hunting be the way forward?

NO - keep the general season open
262 (69.1%)
YES - make all hunting special draw only like Utah
117 (30.9%)

Total Members Voted: 379

Author Topic: Should ALL general season Elk hunts be canceled in favor of permit only hunting?  (Read 35323 times)

Offline KFhunter

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Guess I should specify I really know nothing about wetside elk.  But here in central washington there are more elk then there has ever been.  Every year the numbers continue to climb.  Harvest rates are low because output is directly related to input.  Go for a drive in the mountains at noon during elk season and count the number of folks sitting in camp.  Time on the mountain=success, not a permit in your pocket.  I've hunted a lot of the west and I see more elk here in the hills behind my home town than anywhere I have hunted including CO.


That herd is doing well,  come over to the NE corner

Offline grundy53

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If this were about mule deer I would say absolutely 100% should have been done 5 years ago.  Elk on the other hand continue to thrive in this state.  There is ZERO reason to not have an otc season.
I agree

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Online Karl Blanchard

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Guess I should specify I really know nothing about wetside elk.  But here in central washington there are more elk then there has ever been.  Every year the numbers continue to climb.  Harvest rates are low because output is directly related to input.  Go for a drive in the mountains at noon during elk season and count the number of folks sitting in camp.  Time on the mountain=success, not a permit in your pocket.  I've hunted a lot of the west and I see more elk here in the hills behind my home town than anywhere I have hunted including CO.


That herd is doing well,  come over to the NE corner
  I literally know nothing about the NE elk, except it's OTC kill em all?  There must be a reason for the season?  Kind of like the any elk seasons in the ALW and other historic mule deer habitat ranges?  I know there isn't a ton of elk up there but are their numbers at a historic low or just low in general?
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Offline Jpmiller

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There are monster bulls in Washington and I personally have known guys who pull elk every year. Making it permit only won't put a monster behind every tree or even in every drainage. The system right now let's me hunt elk every year and I like that. Success rates are low sure but if you put in the time and effort and get out of your truck and out of eyesight of a road you can get into elk.

I see this more as a blame the natives and the state for my not getting an elk issue. We have permit only areas and we have general season areas, as I can see the system is OK. I am no biologist however.

I always hear the same thing.   I know guys who do it every year, get out of the truck, don't blame the natives because you cannot hunt like the guy I know, It's about the hunt not the kill.......

Sorry jpmiller.  If I want to go camping I'll go camping.

I disagree that an unsuccessful hunting trip is merely camping. That sounds more like the mentality of a high fence hunt. I hunt in the area that receives a lot of bashing on this site due to low elk numbers and High hunter numbers, this General rifle elk season I saw only elk and no Hunters.

Offline KFhunter

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It's just speculation on the numbers, I have no idea and neither does WDFW.   

They aren't managed.  Some few guys have figured it out or they own property(or have access) they hunt every year, for public land DIY hunters it's a tough hunt.  What I do know is there can be a ton more Elk.   I can show you piles and piles of bones and wolf scat along with untouched areas that should be holding elk.   

Offline KFhunter

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There are monster bulls in Washington and I personally have known guys who pull elk every year. Making it permit only won't put a monster behind every tree or even in every drainage. The system right now let's me hunt elk every year and I like that. Success rates are low sure but if you put in the time and effort and get out of your truck and out of eyesight of a road you can get into elk.

I see this more as a blame the natives and the state for my not getting an elk issue. We have permit only areas and we have general season areas, as I can see the system is OK. I am no biologist however.

I always hear the same thing.   I know guys who do it every year, get out of the truck, don't blame the natives because you cannot hunt like the guy I know, It's about the hunt not the kill.......

Sorry jpmiller.  If I want to go camping I'll go camping.

I disagree that an unsuccessful hunting trip is merely camping. That sounds more like the mentality of a high fence hunt. I hunt in the area that receives a lot of bashing on this site due to low elk numbers and High hunter numbers, this General rifle elk season I saw only elk and no Hunters.

I think you missed my point, no one including me expects everyone to be successful year after year.  My point is if you go to the hunt already defeated then aren't you just camping?   I buy a tag and I would hope that my odds were better than 12 in 100.  According to the harvest reports 11 or 12 people out of 100 are going to be successful. 

That sucks.  Even worse is what the stats don't show; it's the same small group of hunters tend to be successful year after year; while the majority continue to be unsuccessful. 


« Last Edit: March 03, 2017, 04:33:10 PM by KFhunter »

Offline RB

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Does Oregon still use a draw only for Elk?
IAFF #3728

Offline trophyhunt

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Does Oregon still use a draw only for Elk?
on the east side.
“In common with”..... not so much!!

Offline RB

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Does Oregon still use a draw only for Elk?
on the east side.


So when they switched to draw only on half the state does anybody know how it affected hunter numbers? Hunting pressure on the west side? And how long the draw odds are?
IAFF #3728

Offline Bob33

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Does Oregon still use a draw only for Elk?
on the east side.


So when they switched to draw only on half the state does anybody know how it affected hunter numbers? Hunting pressure on the west side? And how long the draw odds are?
The east side has serious points creep.
Nature. It's cheaper than therapy.

Offline RB

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Does Oregon still use a draw only for Elk?
on the east side.


So when they switched to draw only on half the state does anybody know how it affected hunter numbers? Hunting pressure on the west side? And how long the draw odds are?
The east side has serious points creep.


Meaning it gets harder draw every year?
IAFF #3728

Offline trophyhunt

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Does Oregon still use a draw only for Elk?
on the east side.


So when they switched to draw only on half the state does anybody know how it affected hunter numbers? Hunting pressure on the west side? And how long the draw odds are?
The east side has serious points creep.


Meaning it gets harder draw every year?
yes.
“In common with”..... not so much!!

Offline Browndawg

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Oregon still has OTC on the east side for Archery. Not all units but some. I've never seen so many rigs during an archery season as I've seen over there. But it's a big unit. You get out, and don't see anyone. Only elk everywhere. It's a spike only unit OTC during modern, unless you draw any bull. Just like eastern WA.

Problem is, most of us on this forum hunt the cascades or SW WA. We've all noticed the lack of elk, or limping elk  in the past 9 years. I'd like to see it go to spike only OTC, and draw for any bull. I'll bet $250 towards the turkey foundation we get better genetics in the cascade herd! Most of the bulls taken in our camp are weird looking raghorns.

Offline kentrek

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There are monster bulls in Washington and I personally have known guys who pull elk every year. Making it permit only won't put a monster behind every tree or even in every drainage. The system right now let's me hunt elk every year and I like that. Success rates are low sure but if you put in the time and effort and get out of your truck and out of eyesight of a road you can get into elk.

I see this more as a blame the natives and the state for my not getting an elk issue. We have permit only areas and we have general season areas, as I can see the system is OK. I am no biologist however.

I always hear the same thing.   I know guys who do it every year, get out of the truck, don't blame the natives because you cannot hunt like the guy I know, It's about the hunt not the kill.......

Sorry jpmiller.  If I want to go camping I'll go camping.

I disagree that an unsuccessful hunting trip is merely camping. That sounds more like the mentality of a high fence hunt. I hunt in the area that receives a lot of bashing on this site due to low elk numbers and High hunter numbers, this General rifle elk season I saw only elk and no Hunters.

I think you missed my point, no one including me expects everyone to be successful year after year.  My point is if you go to the hunt already defeated then aren't you just camping?   I buy a tag and I would hope that my odds were better than 12 in 100.  According to the harvest reports 11 or 12 people out of 100 are going to be successful. 

That sucks.  Even worse is what the stats don't show; it's the same small group of hunters tend to be successful year after year; while the majority continue to be unsuccessful.

Dont take offense to this but you arnt entitled to success by buying a tag, you gotta work for it.....special permits systems don't help you become a better hunter....they do the opposite

If I could I'd eliminate all special permits & spread people out with zone management like idaho

Offline Jpmiller

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There are monster bulls in Washington and I personally have known guys who pull elk every year. Making it permit only won't put a monster behind every tree or even in every drainage. The system right now let's me hunt elk every year and I like that. Success rates are low sure but if you put in the time and effort and get out of your truck and out of eyesight of a road you can get into elk.

I see this more as a blame the natives and the state for my not getting an elk issue. We have permit only areas and we have general season areas, as I can see the system is OK. I am no biologist however.

I always hear the same thing.   I know guys who do it every year, get out of the truck, don't blame the natives because you cannot hunt like the guy I know, It's about the hunt not the kill.......

Sorry jpmiller.  If I want to go camping I'll go camping.

I disagree that an unsuccessful hunting trip is merely camping. That sounds more like the mentality of a high fence hunt. I hunt in the area that receives a lot of bashing on this site due to low elk numbers and High hunter numbers, this General rifle elk season I saw only elk and no Hunters.

I think you missed my point, no one including me expects everyone to be successful year after year.  My point is if you go to the hunt already defeated then aren't you just camping?   I buy a tag and I would hope that my odds were better than 12 in 100.  According to the harvest reports 11 or 12 people out of 100 are going to be successful. 

That sucks.  Even worse is what the stats don't show; it's the same small group of hunters tend to be successful year after year; while the majority continue to be unsuccessful.

But if the same people are successful year after year doesn't that point to the hunter not the elk herd? I'm not trying to be antagonistic or derogatory so please forgive me if I come across as such. I do not consider myself a very good elk hunter, I have harvested 0 elk and taken 0 shots but I have never not been able to find elk over the course of a season. My lack of success is purely based on my own lack of skill and experiences. Things do happen and no one is successful every year but if I can find elk on a consistent basis I don't see why most people can't either.

 


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