Not with an 8% overall success rate. I don't think it would be the slaughter. I'm taking that percentage off last years data that is on the WDFW site now. Your right to an extent that the permit only system will bolster the herds into an over populated state but here in WA they have never even managed the herds to get anywhere close to that status. We'd have better and more animals if they'd quit killing cows to get their" Bull to cowratios" where they deem acceptable. IF they would trust in mother nature a little more than their pocket books the elk herds would be better off. And two why are they screaming that the "Sky is falling" all the time when almost every where there is Elk they ar in more plentiful numbers than throughout recorded history? Am I missing something?

Also you say you'd rather go after spikes instead of waiting to draw a Big bull. Exactly what they want you to do then after some time we'll get tired of chasing just spikes and we'll go along with a permit only thing like Arizona. That is the State's goal. I've seen papers saying such. The WDFW as a whole wants to go that route but the people(Us) aren't going for it....yet. Plus if your against the permit idea think about that as you put in for them as they are now. You're adding ammo to their fight. When they come to us someday proposing sucha plan they will have the documented numbers backing their claims with the entry totals we produce every year. Those against a permit only hunt, yet put in for the Margret and Toutle tags are shooting their beliefs in the foot. I don't doubt this will happen for a second. As you probably know to the "intelectuals" at the WFDW we the hunter are almost their enemy. you can tell it by talking to them they really don't like us. I beleive.[:'(]