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Author Topic: Joe Watt Canyon  (Read 26106 times)

Offline Grazer

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Re: Joe Watt Canyon
« Reply #30 on: May 06, 2012, 09:43:51 PM »
Now you know where all of our money for tags goes.  To pay for the game department's fuel, so they can rob us of all the glory.

Offline groundhog

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Re: Joe Watt Canyon
« Reply #31 on: May 07, 2012, 08:18:06 AM »
LUVTOHNT,
I usually agree with most of your post but you are wrong on this one.

The feeders have been stealing antlers out of the feedlot for over twenty years. I know people that have seen the collection of antlers. The head feeder has the big bulls named and has sets from several years off of the same bulls. If you don't believe it just ask your buddy if you can look in his reloading room in the loft of his barn.
Do they get all of the antlers? Of course not. Do they get a lot of the biggest antlers? You bet they do. Between the Feeders and the Fence jumpers most of the bigger antlers have been picked up long before the gate opens.

I am glad that you found a few antlers. If someone has a good day on the opener it is because they found a spot that hadn't been hit by the feeders or fence jumpers. Not because they found some new route. Everyone would have a great opening day if most of the antlers hadn't already been picked up.

Oak creek is run better then Ellensburg. Oak creek has volunteers for the feeding program and they have ride alongs and they involve the public. They try to keep the fence jumpers out by using trail cams and actual enforcement patrol.

In Ellensburg we  pay the feeders to steal from us and we let the fence jumpers have a hay day. Law enforcement doesn't seem to care about any of it. If they would write some big tickets to some of the fence jumpers and shut down the feeders it would be amazing how many antlers would be on the hill opening day.

Offline Pinetar

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Re: Joe Watt Canyon
« Reply #32 on: May 07, 2012, 07:05:45 PM »
Ya what Groundhog said.

It is ridiculous what goes on before May 1st. I also know of two people who have been in that barn and witnessed the pile of sheds that comes out of Robinson and Joe Watt. Years and years of the same bull. They even kept a big 6x6 winter kill bull that died in Joe Watt and the last I heard they still had it and enforcement hadn't taken it from them yet. And believe me enforcement knew they had it. I know a guy that saw the dead bull at their house and the sheds from previous years. About one year ago, according to Sergeant Mike Sprecher there had only been three antlers turned into the Eburg office that the feeders had picked up. I've talked to him personally many times about this issue and believe he was trying to do something about it but unfortunately he left and went back up North. Ya right, three sheds in over twenty years. Talk to Oak Creek about how many they pickup and do the math.

Offline crazyantler

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Re: Joe Watt Canyon
« Reply #33 on: May 08, 2012, 03:36:32 PM »
Well said Groundhog.  I new some of the guys that did this when the program was first up and running before the giant bulls started coming in and the horns were sitting pretty above the fireplace mantel.  Back then I didn't think to ask the question if they had the right to take them but things have not changed a bit.  There was just to many big bulls in there and to see antlers laying on the ground one minute and gone after feeding doesn't take a genius to know they picked the lowest of low hanging fruit! 

Offline boneaddict

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Re: Joe Watt Canyon
« Reply #34 on: May 08, 2012, 03:57:47 PM »
Quote
Does anyone have any photos of them picking up the sheds?

I'll fence jump and photograph them doing it if you guys pay my ticket.

Offline Pinetar

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Re: Joe Watt Canyon
« Reply #35 on: May 08, 2012, 07:20:44 PM »
I will cover the ticket Boneaddict' as I know you will get great pictures that would work when we take them to Olympia. Would you mind packing a video camera also?

crazyantler-not sure which one of the two you knew when the program first started but one of them is still a feeder today. He started the first year, right after they took it away from the volunteers and is still feeding the elk. What hung on the mantle then fills an entire loft in a barn now.

Keeping the public out till May 1st probably had to happen as antler hunting got to popular, too fast. But this should mean everyone, including WSGD employees. It is criminal to allow the WSGD employees to pick all the big antlers up and then to have LEO and game managers deny it.

It wouldn't be every hard for LEO to set them up and put an end to this nonsense. DAMN they are being paid by the public to rob us blind. It has been going on for way to many years and needs to stop.

The LEO's also need to patrol it more often, put out cameras and make the fine steeper so the word gets out and keeps all the fence jumpers out. But they spend most of their time hassling the fisherman on Matoon and Fio Rito. If the fine was $1000 for fence jumping, I bet they'd be up on the elk fence.

Offline boneaddict

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Re: Joe Watt Canyon
« Reply #36 on: May 08, 2012, 09:03:34 PM »
Funny thing is that May 1st is such an arbitrary date.   Grass was already a foot tall in the area, and the animals could have been easily dispersed.    I wish they'd move it to the opener of Turkey season.   There is a  lot of public ground that we are closed off from for Turkey season and bottlenecked elsewhere due to that date.   We had already had a 90 degree day prior to that May 1st opener.   BRILLIANT

Offline crazyantler

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Re: Joe Watt Canyon
« Reply #37 on: May 08, 2012, 09:06:20 PM »
From the sounds of it, looks like a May 1st opener could be at the loft next year! 

Offline runamuk

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Re: Joe Watt Canyon
« Reply #38 on: May 08, 2012, 09:13:25 PM »
How does one get the feeding gig??  I wouldnt steal antlers and would love feeding ... hell I'd do it for the cost of my gas to get out there.....and I'd volunteer if gas wasnt so bloody expensive.....  thinking next season we need to start sitting and pic taking at feeding times once they start dropping

Offline Huntbear

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Re: Joe Watt Canyon
« Reply #39 on: May 08, 2012, 09:22:25 PM »
Get bone out there with an 800 mm lens with a 2x converter on it....  get closeups..  :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:
By my honorable conduct as a hunter let me give a good example and teach new hunters principles of honor, so that each new generation can show respect for their god, other hunters and the animals, and enjoy the dignity of the hunt.

Calling an illegal alien an 'undocumented immigrant' is like calling a drug dealer an 'unlicensed pharmacist'.

Offline SpotandStalk

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Re: Joe Watt Canyon
« Reply #40 on: May 08, 2012, 10:26:18 PM »
I tend to keep my mouth shut on most issues that come up on this forum but Groundhog blabbing his has sparked a response.  It seems ironic to me that you of all people would be so quick to point the finger when it often gets pointed in your direction.  Your name is synonymous with the term fence jumper to many a folk in Kittitas Valley, whether deserved or not.  Your collection of bone is whispered to be mighty, should I make assumptions on how you acquired it??   I have agreed with you on much of your posts regarding the Colockum over the last few months, but the negative rhetoric on our local DFW employees gets old.  Does DFW pick up a few sheds in the feeding site?....I am sure they do.  Do they haul truck loads out?.....give me a break.   Should I believe everything I hear regarding your activities?

Offline coachcw

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Re: Joe Watt Canyon
« Reply #41 on: May 09, 2012, 06:29:17 AM »
I'm sure they picked some nice bone up ( bummer ). But alot of the bulls That I saw hanging around late where dinks , my bet is there are some good bone further up the ridge . theres a spot four or five miles from there that I stumble across them during archery season . Just the sheer number of people looking limit the numbers each guy finds . I'd probilly have a hard time not picking up a big shed if I was a feeder , just saying.
My wife told me that I hunt way more than I did when we first got married. I said yeah I know isn't it great !

Offline groundhog

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Re: Joe Watt Canyon
« Reply #42 on: May 09, 2012, 10:18:08 AM »
Spot and stalk,
I do not want to get into a pissing match. Should I have blabbed my mouth about the feeders? Probably not. I was going to keep my big mouth shut this year.  I guess when I saw that Brandon was defending them it was more than I could take.

You said that it was ironic that I would be pointing the finger because it is rumored that I have a mighty collection of antlers and that it is also rumored that I am a fence jumper. I can guarantee you that no one has any first hand knowledge or evidence of me jumping the fence because it didn't happen. I prefer to do my shed hunting in areas where I do not have to look over my shoulder and worry about getting a ticket.

I would gladly take a lie detector test if the feeders will take one with me!!! That wont happen though because I know I will pass and they know they would fail!!!!

I never said anything about truck loads of antlers. I said "Do they get all of the antlers? Of course not. Do they get a lot of the biggest antlers? You bet they do.

If I am a fence jumper why would I call the wdfw agents every year and push for steeper fines for fence jumping and push for more active foot patrols by enforcement?

Yes, I have a nice collection of Elk sheds. It might have to do with thousands of  miles of hiking and over thirty years of experience. You can assume or believe what you like about me. I know the truth and so do the people that know me and that is all that matters.

The reason I spoke up is because I think that everyone should have a shot at finding some nice antlers on opening day. Not just people that are willing to break the law.







Offline canyelk48

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Re: Joe Watt Canyon
« Reply #43 on: May 09, 2012, 12:48:23 PM »
Perhaps if enough of us on this forum sends an email to WDFW complaining about what people have seen the feeders doing, that it might get their proper attention and force them to take appropriate action to stop the feeders from helping themselves to sheds.  One or two complaints seem to fall on deaf ears, but hopefully a flood of emails will make them sit up and take notice for a change.  The fence jumpers may even stop their illegal activities if they know they'll have a fair chance on opening day.  Worth a try??

Offline Pinetar

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Re: Joe Watt Canyon
« Reply #44 on: May 09, 2012, 02:06:41 PM »
canyelk48- I like your thinking and it may just work. We also need to include in our letter that they should try and patrol it more often and if they catch someone make it a hefty fine. Every time I have called them. which is a lot, they always tell me that they have bigger fish to fry and are way to busy to worry about people jumping the fence. I can fully understand that they are very busy with other matters but if the fine was very hefty it might be worth their efforts.

 


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