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RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???

Brushchimp, are you on the westside, I grew up near bellingham (ferndale) and I wouldnt compare westside hunting with eastside. Its thick and nasty on the westside and where we elk hunt in yakima is timbered with open lands. you can see along way. I see big bulls walking through the open areas alot.

I dont know how it would work out, guess theyll just have to try it to find out. Im done on this thread.

Oh ya, watched a herd of elk out my back door with my spotter last night. saw a spike and bunch of cows.

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???

Yeah, Westside hunter.

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???

Hey, kirkl those elk wouldnt happen to be in the 3912 old naches area for AHE would they?
RyanH

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???

Ryan, they need to go about 600 yards and get below the elk fence according to the boundaries for that AHE hunt. Im taking my test sept 10th.

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???

I was over by Easton and cle Elum( fairview 3911) doing some scouting monday during the Rain didnt see any elk but did see a couple nice mulies 3x3 2x3. Thinking that the animals are still up high.
RyanH

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???

Quote:

ORIGINAL: kirkl

Trapper, just letting you know im not arguing with ya, just letting ya know my perspective on the subject.

Is that 8% taken from the big bull hunters, if so I wouldnt go on that, your sticking anywhere from 30-120 people in one unit hunting for big bulls in the week that they get to hunt early. When general season rolls around and theres 1000 hunters in a unit hunting 3pt or better, where do you think the success will go on big bulls. I could shoot a big bull every year cause thats normally what i see and so could alot of people in my elk camp. I think they should trust mother nature more also but then youll have every farmer that lives by the elk bitchin cause the elk are eating there crops so they end of being shot anyway. I think 3 pt or better would just be like hunting spikes, in a year or two alot of the big boys will be shot then your hunting for raghorns which will be scarce just like spikes are now. so you can kiss hunting for a trophy bull good bye. Utah has limited entry units also where they have to get drawn to hunt big bulls. Im not a game bio but this is the way i look at things.

Ya its spike only but I dont feel were killing all the young bulls, I live right by two feeding stations and there are young bulls all over so there escapement must not be to bad either. They have to be making it through the season otherwise you wouldnt be able to support the 3pt or better deal cause all there would be is old bulls.

I think if it was 3 point or better there would be a shoot out first couple years then where left hunting two year old spikes which are now raghorns so there still young and dumb. So your still hunting the same amount of elk as if they were spikes there just a year older but I think the quality of bulls will go down.

I I ubderstand I'm not argueing either just giving you my take. As far as the 8% that was total overall harvest of Elk for 2003, all weapons and I beleive all permit hunts combine, though it may have been just general seasons. It's up right now on the WDFW site. And also the escapement thing, I can't rmember where but I'm sure it was a WDFW stat that Bigger bulls( age 3yrs and up) have a better escapement thatn do younger bulls. To me that make perfect sense. My little girl wouldn't last a week on her own, yet I can. BUt your statement of letting the raghorns go will equate to dumber animals is just the opposite,yes humans won't pursue them specifically yet other predators will and they will learn to stay safe regardless of gun shots or tooth bites are coming at them.
And on the killing off the big bulls won't leave any around. Where I hunt, in the past 5 years one knob has turned out an 8X9, 8X8, a few 7X7s and I know of one 7X7 that is still there.Also in that smae time I saw an Elk that would be pushing the high 300's maybe even close to 400. All of that is three point or better and has more huntin pressure then the Sherman area during April;)

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???

Hey Kirkl. How far are you from the Oak Creek area? I think that if it is close to there, that may give a false reading of the true nature of the herd, cuz a lot of those Elk migrate from where those big boys were taken. It's kind of a safe haven and they know it, they either run into Mt. Rainier N.P. or the slide off the other side and head for O.C.?

I'm just pondering ideas? I guess on the antler restrictions I think there maybe room for both and they may have a benefit each way but I think our State is really bad at managing the wildlife, for their pockets and the bottmline and not for the Wildlife.

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???

But I have to say that I am in trapper t's and Brushchimps corner on all other points made here!!![>:]
[quote]ORIGINAL: summit daWg

Quote:

ORIGINAL: kirkl
Id rather hunt spikes every year than sit on the couch for 5 years cause I cant draw a elk permit.

I have to admit- me too!

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???

Was it only in certain areas, becuase I don't remember that when we've hunted between Barstow and Laurier (both sides of the river)- and we've been over there for over 10 years,except for last year .We'll be watching Monday Night Football at the Orient Tavern again this year (probably more than once!)

Quote:

ORIGINAL: WAYNE1

summit daWg ...Seem's like 8-10 year's ago...and that was in Ferry County

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???

Boy I'm gone for a few days and things get interesting.
Ryan the youth hunt is now by drawing, I believe that started last year just for the reason you state. The kids were not shooting the deer the adults were. In my oppinon, they were stealing from their kids just to fill a tag.
The bulk of the breeding here is done by the big migratory bucks and not the smaller bucks. I live here and get to see who's doing what. The smaller bucks pick up the doe's that stray out of the big guys control. The Gardner unit was a 3pt unit before the rest became that way and I could always get a good buck out of there even when everyone else was shooting any buck. Since they went 3pt min for all mule deer I have seen alot more big bucks every year.
Now as far as elk go, not sure exactly what to think on that. But because of the size of the overall herd on the eastside of the state and the number of hunters, I foresee in the future that it will be a set number of tags and when that number is sold thats that. Alot of other states have it and it seems to work ok. From what I know of, it's pretty much first come first sever on those tags sales, least that is how it is in Idaho. Lets face it if you are going to go elk hunting you will be first in line or on line when they come up for sale. I think that will weed out alot of the fly by night hunters that feel they must fill a tag at any cost. Also with a 3pt or better rule on the elk it wouldn't be that much of an impact. I just don't think our elk herds can keep taking a unlimited tag sale policy like we have right now.
Now for the new local critter report..... still seeing lots of bucks and now I'm starting to see alot more whitetails since the weather cooled a bit. The fire up Twisp river is not a factor anymore so thats good. Also I've seen 4 bears since I last posted, the latest was last night on the way home, not 100 ft from my house.