WDFW 2020 Game Harvest Reporst

[fishnfur]

Just for fun, I reviewed last season's Blacktail success numbers for the four units I hunt regularly.   https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/management/game-harvest/2020/deer-general

Remembering back to my first three hunting seasons, ten or so years ago, the sound of gunfire in the hills was almost constant during both the opener and towards the end of the regular season.  Last year? - Nothing!  All season long, only a shot or two during any given day in the field, and many days, no shots heard at all.

  From the WDFW Hunter Success reports, it appears that it was the best Blacktail season in years, but from (painful) memory, I almost never heard the report of gunfire for the surrounding areas during any timeframe of the entire ML/MF season. I am retired and spent many days in the field either hunting or working in family forestry activities.  The total lack of gunfire I heard while in the field indicated that, hunter activity was almost nil all season, including Late Buck. I don't even have to review the threads from last season that I know corroborate my own observation that the hunting was dead. I remember the discussions very well. 

I've questioned these success reports for years.  In my mind, I wonder if  if WDFW has some secret policy that intentionally reports higher than actual success rates, which would then (presumably) generate more hunter participation (and money in their coffers) in the following seasons - especially so during these years when hunter numbers are in rapid decline.  Is it just me or am I just a paranoid cynic?

[acrim]

Interesting , the numbers for areas that I know for a fact had harvest , are conspicuously zero reports.   Poor hunter reporting habits , misreporting GMU , defect in the tabulation program ??

Sure does make it a questionable tool.

[Sandberm]

Its my opinion that you cant look at just one year, you have to look at the trend over multiple years.

In the unit I hunt there was a 25% or so increase in the number of hunters which backs up what folks were saying last fall, and even into this years turkey hunt, "I've never seen so many hunters"

[Platensek-po]

Interesting , the numbers for areas that I know for a fact had harvest , are conspicuously zero reports.   Poor hunter reporting habits , misreporting GMU , defect in the tabulation program ??

Sure does make it a questionable tool.

I know plenty of dudes who report in a different GMU than where they harvested to keep hunters out of their spots

[Skyvalhunter]

The numbers don't seem to gel with what I am witnessing in the areas I hunt. I guess people are hunting with silencers on their rifles and I am not hearing the shots!!