collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Hunting Regulations 2011-2019 show drastic decline in Quality tags  (Read 5146 times)

Offline KFhunter

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Legend
  • ******
  • Join Date: Jan 2011
  • Posts: 34514
  • Location: NE Corner
Re: Hunting Regulations 2011-2019 show drastic decline in Quality tags
« Reply #30 on: February 16, 2020, 12:56:04 PM »
One of the real problems with hunters in general.....My :twocents: :twocents:......is the "trophy hunting."  This state continues to cut in an attempt to produce "quality" not quantity.  The hunters that are very loud and in your face are quite often "Trophy" hunters that are looking for the elusive 200" mule deer.  I drew a quality late archery tag last year and saw 150 deer a day without trying.  We saw plenty of quality bucks (not 200 inchers....but quality).  To say the tags need to be cut even more is simply crazy.  Increase opportunity with bear and cougar.  Allow dogs and bait.  Do it for 3 year and see what happens to our ungulate population.  If it works and we see and increase in numbers then continue.  If we don't see an increase then take it back to where it was.  If you want to be a trophy hunter.....get our and hunt harder because this state carries plenty of big bucks.  I think Bone's calendar proves that.   :tup:

So the trophy hunters that let lots of bucks walk are the problem huh?  Interesting take on it.

I've always said focus on quantity, the quality will take care of itself   :twocents:

Offline OutHouse

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2015
  • Posts: 3049
  • Location: Cowiche WA
  • Department of Foliage, Lifetime Member
Re: Hunting Regulations 2011-2019 show drastic decline in Quality tags
« Reply #31 on: February 16, 2020, 12:56:56 PM »
One of the real problems with hunters in general.....My :twocents: :twocents:......is the "trophy hunting."  This state continues to cut in an attempt to produce "quality" not quantity.  The hunters that are very loud and in your face are quite often "Trophy" hunters that are looking for the elusive 200" mule deer.  I drew a quality late archery tag last year and saw 150 deer a day without trying.  We saw plenty of quality bucks (not 200 inchers....but quality).  To say the tags need to be cut even more is simply crazy.  Increase opportunity with bear and cougar.  Allow dogs and bait.  Do it for 3 year and see what happens to our ungulate population.  If it works and we see and increase in numbers then continue.  If we don't see an increase then take it back to where it was.  If you want to be a trophy hunter.....get our and hunt harder because this state carries plenty of big bucks.  I think Bone's calendar proves that.   :tup:

Completely agree but also see the side that those who kill any buck contribute to the issue. I don't care about the quality tags anymore for similar reasons. Not saying this is true across the board, but most quality bucks I have seen taken you ask the hunter what he did with the meat and hear something like "I experiment with it a little but give most of it away". I never understood this. Is it because an older quality buck tastes bad? It is because it was only ever about the antlers to begin with? Its shameful.

And I have nothing against trophy hunting. I certainly wouldn't pass on a trophy animal.  But for me at the end of the day its about the meat.

Offline buckfvr

  • Washington For Wildlife
  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2010
  • Posts: 4505
  • Location: UNGULATE FREE ZONE UNIT 121
Re: Hunting Regulations 2011-2019 show drastic decline in Quality tags
« Reply #32 on: February 16, 2020, 01:00:48 PM »
I enjoy the hunt even when I dont kill anything, so I am against lost opportunity to hunt.  I dont mind hunting my way through some unproductive years so long as I know they are putting forth legitimate effort for improvement.

For those who dont enjoy spending time in the woods without killing something, I understand your willingness to cut YOUR opportunity down, but dont bargain mine away.  Its bad out there, but not bad enough to quit.  Great opportunity for bear, and coyote hunting is always fun........those two animals right there will hone your woods skills.

For sure the good ol days are gone, so up your game and get after it.  More now than ever before, lack of effort makes a camping trip out of your hunt. 

Offline Bango skank

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+9)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: May 2014
  • Posts: 5880
  • Location: colville
Re: Hunting Regulations 2011-2019 show drastic decline in Quality tags
« Reply #33 on: February 16, 2020, 01:20:28 PM »
108,729 deer hunters in 2018
57,452 elk hunters in 2018
21,068 bear hunters in 2018
Didnt find number of cougar licenses sold

So only 1 out of 5 deer hunters bought a bear license.  And many of those dont even go bear hunting, they buy the tag just incase, same with people who buy cougar tags.  So a small fraction of deer and elk hunters actually hunt predators.  I say if you wont put any effort into addressing the predator problem, you shouldnt be advocating for reducing deer and elk opportunity.  If every deer and elk hunter spent just a couple weekends here and there hunting predators outside of deer and elk seasons it would go a long way.

If youre bothered by our lack of deer and elk, get out there and do something about it instead of asking the state to take away more hunting opportunity.

As hunters we are the ones who manage predators, yet a lot of us arent doing it.  Even if we got hounds, wolf hunting, leg holds, everything, every tool available, it wont do. Damn bit of good if people wont even get out there and try.  Fall bear is 3.5 months long.  Cougar is 4-8 months long.  Coyote is year round.  We should all be able to make a little time, nobody is that busy.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2020, 02:51:30 PM by Bango skank »

Offline full choke

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+13)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jan 2009
  • Posts: 2496
  • Location: Maple Valley
Re: Hunting Regulations 2011-2019 show drastic decline in Quality tags
« Reply #34 on: February 16, 2020, 01:40:41 PM »
108,729 deer hunters in 2018
57,452 elk hunters in 2018
21,068 bear hunters in 2018
Didnt find number of cougar licenses sold

So only 1 out of 5 deer hunters bought a bear license.  And many of those dont even go bear hunting, they buy the tag just incase, same with people who buy cougar tags.  So a small fraction of deer and elk hunters actually hunt predators.  I say if you wont put any effort into addressing the predator problem, you shouldnt be advocating for reducing deer and elk opportunity.  If every deer and elk hunter spent just a couple weekends here and there hunting predators outside of deer and elk seasons it would go a long way.

If youre bothered by our lack of deer and elk, get out there and do something about it instead of asking the state to take away more hunting opportunity.

You are 100% correct.
"If you think our wars over oil are bad, wait until we are fighting over water..."

Offline Jingles

  • WA State Trappers Association
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2011
  • Posts: 3868
  • Location: Methow Valley 98862
Re: Hunting Regulations 2011-2019 show drastic decline in Quality tags
« Reply #35 on: February 16, 2020, 02:33:39 PM »
I think I can say that there are some, maybe not as many as there should be, but there are some that if the opportunity presented itself would do some serious incidental predator control. For me as long as it isn't wearing a collar it is a Coyote............. If it is to big to carry out nature will clean it up.
HMC/USN/RET
1969 -1990
The comments of this poster do not reflect the opinions of HUNTWA Administrators or Moderators unless they so state.

The duty of a Patriot is to protect his country from it's government

Offline Onewhohikes

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2020
  • Posts: 591
  • Location: Monroe
Re: Hunting Regulations 2011-2019 show drastic decline in Quality tags
« Reply #36 on: February 16, 2020, 04:14:09 PM »
108,729 deer hunters in 2018
57,452 elk hunters in 2018
21,068 bear hunters in 2018
Didnt find number of cougar licenses sold
Was the number of bear hunters you quoted the bear tags sold or the number of hunters that filled out the WDFW survey saying they hunted bear?
« Last Edit: February 16, 2020, 04:22:32 PM by Onewhohikes »

Offline jstone

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Jul 2009
  • Posts: 6269
Re: Hunting Regulations 2011-2019 show drastic decline in Quality tags
« Reply #37 on: February 16, 2020, 04:18:53 PM »
How many bears killed

Offline Bango skank

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+9)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: May 2014
  • Posts: 5880
  • Location: colville
Re: Hunting Regulations 2011-2019 show drastic decline in Quality tags
« Reply #38 on: February 16, 2020, 04:23:09 PM »
How many bears killed

1,483 bears
6,559 elk
27,846 deer

Those are 2018 numbers.  Hopefully a good jump in bear harvest for 2019 with our new regs.  Harvest results should be out in a couple months i believe.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2020, 04:30:27 PM by Bango skank »

Offline buglebrush

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2010
  • Posts: 1613
Re: Hunting Regulations 2011-2019 show drastic decline in Quality tags
« Reply #39 on: February 16, 2020, 04:44:10 PM »
Agree that we really need to collectively up our game on predator hunting.  Washington makes it tougher by requiring people to harvest bear meat, and no OTC spring bear. 

I spent a long day post-holing my way into wolf country yesterday.  Couldn't believe I forgot my snowshoes!  Didn't get into any, but found some tracks from earlier in the week.  I'll be back!

Offline Onewhohikes

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2020
  • Posts: 591
  • Location: Monroe
Re: Hunting Regulations 2011-2019 show drastic decline in Quality tags
« Reply #40 on: February 16, 2020, 04:58:56 PM »
Statistics show Cougars are more of an issue than bears to the ungulates population. We should be more concerned with them

Offline Bango skank

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+9)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: May 2014
  • Posts: 5880
  • Location: colville
Re: Hunting Regulations 2011-2019 show drastic decline in Quality tags
« Reply #41 on: February 16, 2020, 05:08:01 PM »
Statistics show Cougars are more of an issue than bears to the ungulates population. We should be more concerned with them
  bears are huge predators of fawns and calves, and there are 10 times as many bears as there are cougars.  Plus theyre easier to hunt, season opens a month before cougar, and you can kill 2.  Im not saying dont hunt cougar, im saying that guys can realistically get out and kill 2 bears a year, and make an impact.  The lion thing is harder.  Bear hunting is the easiest way for a guy to help out our herds.  So get out and whack a bear or two in august, then of course try to get a cougar if possible when its open.  But if guys get serious about bear hunting and we get our numbers up we will be saving thousands more fawns and calves each year.  And if we want to see our permit numbers go back up, we need to do whatever we can to protect all those fawns and calves.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2020, 05:28:43 PM by Bango skank »

Offline hunter399

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Feb 2014
  • Posts: 7661
  • Location: In Your Hunting Spot
  • If you know me,then you know I give zero #&$@$
  • Groups: NRA RMEF
Re: Hunting Regulations 2011-2019 show drastic decline in Quality tags
« Reply #42 on: February 16, 2020, 08:43:23 PM »
New to the site, been trolling for some time. Would the hunters support a decrease in the deer and elk permits more than what is currently proposed?

Hunters have taken the cut again and again and again.  If we keep supporting it, it will never stop, they wont address the predator issue.  Weve given up enough, time to focus on the problem.  More predator control is needed, not less hunting opportunity.  I say we shouldnt have to give another inch until proper predator management goes along with it.
So do you support an increase in permits or remain the same where a quality permit isn't really quality?

No matter how many cuts WE take, the herds will not improve until predators are dealt with properly.  So reduce opportunity all you want, but without predator management it still wont be quality, and it will continue getting worse.  Continuing to cut hunter opportunity year after year is not the answer, it wont fix things.

I can tell that your starting to figure out that WDFW is not gonna deal with predator problem .Hunters are gonna hunt what they wanna hunt.Hunters are not gonna fix the predator problem.Most hunters go home right after deer season and don't return till fall .And you know this man.But in the meantime while we fight for better predator seasons and management,you can't deal deer and elk a $h$t sandwich.

On topic
We should just be happy the permits are even still available.I'm not that guy that's gonna get mad about WDFW reducing opportunity for conservation.Along as some opportunity still exists.
I rather piss in the wind,then have piss down my back.

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

10th Annual - 2024 YOUTH TURKEY HUNT CONTEST (enter by Mar 14) by BigVinn
[Today at 10:21:19 PM]


World Record Archery Blacktail by huntnnw
[Today at 10:09:06 PM]


Let’s see your best Washington bull by huntnnw
[Today at 10:06:34 PM]


Fishing with kids in Wenatchee by HardCorpsHuntr
[Today at 10:03:34 PM]


Let’s see your best Washington buck by jjhunter
[Today at 09:12:44 PM]


Hunting Dog Memorial by ghosthunter
[Today at 08:55:30 PM]


Pairs by Dan-o
[Today at 08:15:34 PM]


Springer 2024 Columbia River by Blacklab
[Today at 06:50:06 PM]


Holster for FNS 40C by bb76
[Today at 06:37:56 PM]


Bangers and mash by elkrack
[Today at 04:32:06 PM]


Wenatchee Hydro Park Fishing by Jake Dogfish
[Today at 03:40:17 PM]


Owners of Ireland Farms Dogs by ASHQUACK
[Today at 12:24:39 PM]


1x scopes vs open sights by andersonjk4
[Today at 09:23:28 AM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal