Washington Mule Deer

[Ironhead]

Washington Mule Deer...

The only state in the west with uncapped OTC general hunt Mule Deer for both RES. and Non Res.                   
 ( Except CA, and TX.) They don't count any way.

You can probably count on both hands how many NR's are pouring into WA to hunt the amazing herds of Mule Deer we obviously must have!

[LDennis24]

Yeah I would love to see a five or ten year limited draw in every mule deer unit in the state

[Tracker0721]

The latest data says we only had 9,000 non resident hunting licenses, tags, stamps sold. That was 2017. Soooo not a lot of people coming to hunt much of anything. It’d be cool to see our herds get managed in a way that makes us a state worthy of visiting for hunting opportunity. I mean, the list even says CA had over 21,000!

https://www.fws.gov/wsfrprograms/subpages/LicenseInfo/Natl%20Hunting%20License%20Report%202017.pdf

[jrebel]

Isn't is awesome!!!  Now if we only had over the counter wolf, spring bear, and houndsmen cat tags.....It would be a great states to hunt mule deer in.  It's not the number of hunters so please don't start down that track again.  It's the lack of predator management and poaching (we will leave that vague) that is hurting our mule deer herds.  Just my two cents......and go!!!!  Let the debate begin.   

[TooTallMike]

Isn't is awesome!!!  Now if we only had over the counter wolf, spring bear, and houndsmen cat tags.....It would be a great states to hunt mule deer in.  It's not the number of hunters so please don't start down that track again.  It's the lack of predator management and poaching (we will leave that vague) that is hurting our mule deer herds.  Just my two cents......and go!!!!  Let the debate begin.   

Stop it you're making too much sense!!!

[JimmyHoffa]

The latest data says we only had 9,000 non resident hunting licenses, tags, stamps sold. That was 2017. Soooo not a lot of people coming to hunt much of anything. It’d be cool to see our herds get managed in a way that makes us a state worthy of visiting for hunting opportunity. I mean, the list even says CA had over 21,000!

https://www.fws.gov/wsfrprograms/subpages/LicenseInfo/Natl%20Hunting%20License%20Report%202017.pdf

I only see a few out of staters, mainly from Alaska, for deer (blacktail).  But I've encountered lots of out of state elk hunters on the westside--I actually see a bunch from Oregon (though, have seen plenty of other states represented).

[Loup Loup]

Drove from Entiat to 25 mile cr on Lake Chelan and back today.
12 live mule deer, one dead in the ditch. 19 whitetail. This is the most whitetail Ive seen in Chelan county in one day. For mule deer, thats poor country.
If WDFW in Olympia ever fessed up to the true numbers their bios are reporting in the field, mule deer here would make the threatened species list.
But, the bean counters at HQ demand they continue to sell the illusion of opportunity.
Dam the resource.
I grew up on game. I raised my kids on game. I haven't purchased a deer or elk tag for three seasons. Im not contributing to WDFW mismanaging our game into extinction, any longer.

[bobdog86]

Until the state Addresses the crap poor predator control, and yes I will say it free range for certain groups, and yes it has an affect.....your spinning your wheels.

[lemondog]

You guys are dead on. We are years beyond needing limited draw on all mule deer tags. The political issues with preadator control, tribel hunting ect does not allow enough resource to have the freedom to hunt as we would all like. I seriously doubt anything can be changed with preadator and tribel issues. I have brought up "limited draw for all" several times only to receive negitive comments from those who want to hunt every year at their will. Until we all realize that the resouce is politically limited and attack with a limited draw solution the quality of the experience will continue to deteriorate.....

[vandeman17]

Not that it means much, but lots of hunting podcasts each winter dedicate a whole podcast to many western states about strategies and rules. Washington is never discussed on any of them, wonder why.... 

[ghosthunter]

Limited draw for mule deer will be the final nail in hunting in this state.
We are already out numbered, out spent,out talked by every user group out there.

Mis management, and the giving up of prime habitat to more mountain bike trails,hikers, and other year round users. Predators all are and will over come mule deer in this state, regardless of a draw.

I use to think that if we shut down hunting for a couple years things would rebound. After this past season with the forest service going around FW and allowing private groups to build miles of Mt Bike trails on ridges that only until last year saw limited traffic. Now groups of 2-20 run these ridges from melt to snow fly hunting season or not. Slopes being opened to more erosion above creeks.

It’s sickening.

Maybe a draw would help if anyone gave a hoot in Management agencies. But they don’t. Hunters have no juice in this state.

Don’t even talk about the other western states in this thread. They are no where even close to the forces at work here against hunting and management. This state is smaller, over populated and doesn’t give a hoot about the 1% or  2% of us that hunt.

The only reason we will still have any hunting at all is there are still hunting camps groups that go every year because well that’s what they do. Once you get your final limited draw those camps will fall away.
And the number of folks on are side will fall by 50% or more.

Those of you will have the woods to yourself, alone, just the predators, tribes and you. No more animals because all the other factors will still be working hard to drive you from the woods.

[Special T]

I agree with the need for predator management. ALL of the states big game would benifit.

Unfortunatly too many folks focus on the things they cannot change. Tribal hunting is one of them. This issue that rubs everyone the wrong way is also an opportunity. What do I mean? If they are unstoppable  for ungulates the tribes are unstoppable for predators. Trubal members could trap for cats and run hounds. Some tribes like the Colville seem to have a cadre of hound hunters getting the job done. Others not so much. If we really want to make a difference we need to get more young natives into predator hunting.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[hunter399]

First you have to get hunters to ditch all antlerless harvest.
Then protect migration routes and winter grounds with predator hunting that we are currently allowed.

With that said..........................
I do agree Washington needs better predator management ,but Washington is a lost cause in that respect.
I honestly hate the permit idea for all mule deer.
Without major changes for many species, permit only is the future of Washington.
Antlerless permits,all antlerless harvest, should of been gone ten year ago.
ITS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY 💰
When the resources are dang near endangered species ,then you will get your permit only ,WDFW will be stacking the gold bricks till the last deer is standing.
Deer counts done on private land should be exempt in my opinion. If you did deer counts on public Hunting land ,we would be way below sustainable populations for all deer species. I consider deer on private land to be like an off shore savings account,retirement fund for future generations of hunters.

[dvolmer]

Washington can not be compared to other western mule deer states.  Way to many HUGE differences.  The first and most factoring difference is the small size of the state geographically and the massive amount of people that live in the state.  Second is the liberal mentality of the majority of the residents.  This affects the native hunting and the predator controlling.  By that I mean the liberal courts have ruled in massive favor of the tribes and the animal rights groups.  This will never change.  Majority of the liberal population feel that cougars, bears, and wolves have more rights to hunt in this state than the average guy or gal.  In most all other western states and conditions, the natives have free range on their reservations but once off of the reservation they have to follow all or most of the rules the general public follow.  In this state the liberal courts have ruled that the entire state is their hunting grounds and can do whatever they want to do. Not only that, the tribes have watered down their bloodline requirements so some tribes only have to be 10% native to participate in this tribal hunting.  Nowhere else is there a state where a guy can hunt every day of the year and have a limit of one elk a day with no possession limit and no reporting requirements.  Just think about that again!  That is what you are up against here!!!  Total craziness!!!!

With the above info stated, a switch for Washington to go to a draw only mule deer hunt would be a disaster.  Look at the quality/bull units for elk in the Yakima, Blues, and Clockum.  The tag numbers have been reduced to nothing because once the quality increased, the above user groups had a hay-day.  Restricting yourself with a draw only gives these other user groups a bigger advantage.  The only real way to improve this state (and it will never be done!) is to get control of the predator rules in the courts and to open up the elk and deer season for the general public to the same thing the natives are now having.  It will decimate the current populations but it will be the only way to get the tribes to come to the table and negotiate in good faith.  Once again, this all will never happen so the last and best option is to quit giving this state any of your money!  If it wasn't for the revenue we produce as hunters, we would have been fazed out already from the equation.  Did I mention the increase in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming out of state hunters?

[HillHound]