Washington state elk tags
 

I'm curious if there's a consensus as to the best GMUs to put in for a trophy bull elk in Washington state. I've read good things about the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness in the Blue Mountains, but any other areas come to mind? I've hunted Western WA in the past few years where most units are 3 point or better, but this year I'm considering Eastern WA as I'm SICK of getting rained on :-( Most E/WA areas, as you know, are spike only, so I'm thinking to put in for an 'any bull' special hunt, but I want to find a good area to put in. I know most areas up northeast are any bull, but its sounds like its very thick there. What about Ellensburg, or near Hanford? Thanks for any input!

RE: Washington state elk tags
 

There is some big bulls in the Watershed unit. Most land around Handford is priviate and most charge a healthy trespassing fee and them hunts are either cow or any bull. Hopefully you have your points build up and they don't screw up the draw like they did last year.

RE: Washington state elk tags
 

Here in Washington it is always about the money, so if you want a chance at a trophy bull you must submit to the "Special permit"BS ($5.48 a pop) or stay over on the west side,with the excepton of Northestern Wa.

The tagwe have been trying for,for 12 YEARS (any Bull) in 2005 was actually 2 separate hunts with 36 opportunities to draw a permit. In '06 they combined the 2 units to 1 hunt with 9 permits available. I don't have last years numbers available (I beieve it was 9, or 7) but this year there will be over 2500 hunters forking out that money for a grand total of THREE "any bull" permits..........Pathetic!!!!
I have a letter in to the game commission requesting the logic and reasoning for this steady pattern of futility and am waiting for thier response.

RE: Washington state elk tags
 

In my opinion sending a letter is not going to make any changes. I think that might work is if we all Hunters stick together and boycott hunting in this state for one year. That way when the funding for their wages drop and they may think about the question in hand.

RE: Washington state elk tags
 

I wish we could!

Like we could get ANY group in this country could stick together like that. I wasn't thinkingthe letter would change anything- but I want to know WHAT they were basing thier decisions on. After what,13-15 years of spike only there are still not enough numbers that they have to lower the numbers of available permits? SOMEONE(s) are not doing thier job! Is it poaching? There is a heavy farmworking presenceon the northern boundaries of this area. Is it encroaching development? What is it?
My guess is they will try to blame it on human pressure such as snowmobile and ATV use so they can kill two birds with one stone and justify closing More of the roads up there.

RE: Washington state elk tags
 

What also burns me is that it seems that they open Eastern modern firearm ealier very year. Like this year is Oct. 25th. and ends in first part of Nov. Look at the weather Patterns. Unless you own a pack string and get up to around 8500ft. level in the total wilderness area it is useless. I my be wrong. Last year I drew a cow tag for Bumping area. Hunted 2500ft. to 7500ft. level with no snow and didn't even see an elk. My partner seen a cow and calf the day before opening of cow season. Talked with Sportsmans Warehouse manager and they packed in with a big hunting crew and shot 13 spike and and two cows at 8500ft. in the snow line. This year thinking about hunting the Westside due to opening up Nov.1st. thru the 10th.

RE: Washington state elk tags
 

Hey, what about Mt. St. Helens and related Weyerhaeuser lands? I've never been down there for elk season, but it sounds like there are lots of bulls and lots of other hunters. I am also reconsidering Western Washington. It looks like those GMUs around the blast zone put out 300+ bulls a year. Is there a hunting party in every clear cut? I'd like to find a map of roads that will be closed so I could find a good area I can hike in. Is there one available yet? Or will I have to wait until fall?

I share your frustrations about the WDFW. I know they can't be blamed for some tough winters and massive dieoffs, but there are issues within their control as well. Also, from some of my experiences it seems there is a lot of Indian poachers. They poach a lot more than just whales w/.50 cals.

RE: Washington state elk tags
 

I just finished reading their management plan because I was wondering the same thing.

The main problems are uncontrolled tribal harvest and poaching. It's extremely difficult to manage a population when you have no idea how many bulls are being taken, and recruitment into the "mature bull" age class is very low.

I've flown several times with WDFW bio's on retrivals ofradio collard mature bulls.Ifyou knew how manybig bulls are being killed byIndiansand poachers you would be sick.

Here is a link to their report. http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/elk/bluemtn_final.pdf

I'll admit it's not very well done but owning up to a management strategy like this one is not easy to do. It's out of date and is likely being updated this year if it hasn't already.

Their cow:calf ratios are on par with some of the worst areas in Idaho, yet IDFG still offers any bull, but they have capped the number of tags.

WA also has asevere problem withlow calf survival, a function of theirinability to adequately manage bear and cougar populations.

Their program has been plauged by many years of poor data collection and other types of mismanagement. They are basically in an "emergency, no-net-loss" type of management strategy that is unfortunately not socially acceptable.

However, it will be many years before they are able to move beyond this strategy, if they ever can.

I'm somewhat familar with the situations as I have been involved with elk management with both states (ID and WA).

RE: Washington state elk tags
 

Good thoughts, B.A. I've hunted out in Forks on the Peninsula and I hear a lot about the poaching there. Really frustrating for people who play by the rules and don't have a 'race card' to play. I'm still not sure what side I'm going to put in for, or what tags.

Can you explain to me, like I'm six, why we have the spike bull restriction? What is its goal?

RE: Washington state elk tags
 

Still no reply to my questions,But they made sure they got this out...................


WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/
May 29, 2008
Contact: Wildlife Program, (360) 902-2515
OLYMPIA - Hunters have until June 18 to apply for special fall hunting permits, but wildlife managers suggest they submit their applications as soon as possible to avoid potential delays and complications.
The permits, available to winners of a random drawing, afford special hunting opportunities for deer, elk, mountain goat, moose, bighorn sheep and turkey not otherwise available with a general hunting license.
"We strongly encourage hunters to apply for these special permits as early as they can," said Dave Ware, game manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). "It's best not to wait until the last minute, when the system can become busy and complications can occur."
Application instructions and details on special-permit hunts are described in the 2008 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations pamphlet, available at WDFW offices, license vendors, and online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regs_seasons.html .
Hunters will be notified of the result of the random drawing for special-hunt permits by July 31, Ware said.
Before applying for a special-hunt permit, hunters must purchase an application and any necessary hunting licenses and transport tags on line, by phone, or from a licensed dealer for each species they wish to hunt. The cost for each application is $5.48 for residents, $54.75 for non-residents, and $3.29 for youth under 16 years of age.
Ware reminds hunters to update their mailing address in the system when purchasing their special hunting permit applications and licenses. Each year, hundreds of special hunting permits are returned due to invalid addresses, he said.
All applications must be submitted online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov or via a toll-free telephone number (1-877-945-3492). Paper applications will not be accepted.
Ware noted that this year's special fall hunting permits include:
[ul][*]Continuation of expanded permit levels for antlerless elk in the Mt. St. Helens area.[*]An increase in branch-antlered bull permits in the Blue Mountains.[*]An increase in moose special permits in the Mount Spokane, 49 Degrees North B, Huckleberry Range and Hangman hunt units. [/ul]
Ware noted, however, that permits for Game Management Unit 371 have been dropped from this year's hunt because the U.S. Army recently scheduled expanded training exercises at the Yakima Training Center this fall.
Mick Cope, WDFW upland bird and turkey manager, said applications for both early fall turkey permits and late fall turkey permits must be submitted by June 18.
The early fall turkey permit season is Sept. 27-Oct. 3 in units throughout much of eastern Washington. The late fall permit hunt is Nov. 20-Dec. 15 in northeast GMUs 101-124 only. Details are in the 2008 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations pamphlet (page 64).


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