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duckfvr
Guest
I just read that the archery regulation season in washington is now spike only, wow i am glad i am not a spike elk in this state. What do you guys think of this
Most of eastern Washington has been spike only for years. Where did you get the idea that this is something new? Bull to cow ratios are very good now because of this, and chances of killing a Boone & Crocket bull are now very good, if you draw one of the any bull permits.
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duckfvr
Guest
I got a folder last night from the wdfw cause i had written them a letter about my thoughts for the up coming seasons, but anyways in the folder was the changes and 1 change was going to spike only hunting in the quilamine unit for archery unless i am reading this wring but i am pretty sure its what it said. Its a good thing i havnt boughten a tag yet I am not 2 fond of searching for a spike in 80 degree weather.
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boneaddict
Guest
Hopefully if so, its only for that unit. I want to fill my freezer with steaks this year if I don't get drawn for that big bull.
OK...I see, no more either sex for the Quilomene. Well that wouldn't surprise me as the herd has been declining for several years and they get lots of pressure from the archery hunters. Only makes sense to stop killing the cows to reverse the decline. I would think they will also be eliminating the rifle cow permits for the Colockum herd also.
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Muleyslyr
Guest
OMG....they changed my unit, Nanuem for spike only archery also. Figures, last year was my first year archery hunting over there after rifle hunting since I was a kid. Sure didn't seem like the elk numbers were on the decline to me. In fact, just the opposite. I can't even count the amount of cows I saw, and out of 8 bulls I saw the smallest one was a 5x5.
You can't tell me they get more pressure from archery hunting in 328 and 329 then they do from rifle hunters. I'd like to see exactly how many cows were arrowed last year in those units. I'm sure it's not enough to put the entire Clockum elk herd on the decline!
You can't tell me they get more pressure from archery hunting in 328 and 329 then they do from rifle hunters. I'd like to see exactly how many cows were arrowed last year in those units. I'm sure it's not enough to put the entire Clockum elk herd on the decline!
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slider
Guest
Yes, Archery unit 328 and 329 are Spike only!!! No Cow Hunting!!! There are only 161 Special Archery Permits for Cow's in the Entire State of Washington!!!Muzzle Loader's 1861 was that a misprint NO 1861. Rifle Hunters 3489!!!Good Luck
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Muleyslyr
Guest
Bob, did you see slider's post. Look at those cow permits! Especially rifle. Do you still really believe the Clockum herd is declining because of pressure from archery hunters?
What a crock! It's almost silly to even go elk hunting this year for bowhunters if they don't draw an any elk/bull tag.
What a crock! It's almost silly to even go elk hunting this year for bowhunters if they don't draw an any elk/bull tag.
They should give out a few more big bill permits for archery hunters in the Quilamine and Naneum units to. Last year there were 79 archery bull permits for the two units and they only killed 9 bulls and 3 cows with this permits.
Rifle had 39 bull permits and they got 22 bulls
muzzleloader had 9 permits and they got 3 bulls
So i don't think giving the archery hunters some more bull permits will hurt the elk population very much.
This year between the two units there are 8 less archery bull permits, the same amout of muzzleloader permits, and only 2 less rifle bull permit so the srchery hunters are taking the big hit here to.
Rifle had 39 bull permits and they got 22 bulls
muzzleloader had 9 permits and they got 3 bulls
So i don't think giving the archery hunters some more bull permits will hurt the elk population very much.
This year between the two units there are 8 less archery bull permits, the same amout of muzzleloader permits, and only 2 less rifle bull permit so the srchery hunters are taking the big hit here to.
Hey guys, the only other choice would be for the WDFW to make archery elk hunting in those units by permit only. Which option do you think would cause archery hunters to whine the most? There is still plenty of opportunity for a bow hunter who wants to hunt cow elk. There is Taneum, Manastash, Nile, Bumping, and Rimrock for the early season, and Taneum, Little Naches, Nile, Rimrock, and Cowiche for the late season, all open for anybody who buys an eastern Wa. archery elk tag, and all of those are excellent units. Look at the general muzzleloader and rifle hunts for the Yakima and Colockum herds....how many units are open for cows? None!!! And, looking at the special permits, I see NO MODERN FIREARM COW PERMITS for the Naneum or Quilomene units. What they do have for cow permits within those units are "antlerless" and "any elk" permits for the Peshastin and Malaga Elk Areas. Do you guys realize those are damage control hunts? Those permits have a purpose and it's called wildlife management. The WDFW is making use of the best tool they have for the job, and that is rifle hunters. The goal is to kill elk in specific areas and to do it in the most efficient manner. Why would they want archery hunters chasing those elk all over the countryside in areas where there is a lot of private property and not killing the required number of elk? Also, there is absolutely no opportunity for muzzleloaders to hunt cow elk in the Yakima or Colockum herds during either the early or late general season, and the only cow permits I see in the Colockum is for the Malaga Elk Area. I really think archery hunters are lucky to have the opportunities they do have. If they don't feel the same way, nobody is forcing them to hunt with a bow.
ironhead
Active Member
- Messages
- 663
Bob D. My question to you since you seem to be speaking for the WDFW. is; If they need to have damage controll hunts for the Colockum heard, why don't they let us take some cows during the regular archery season and the late season out of 328 and 329 ? They are giving the modern guys 285 antlerless tags out of the Colockum herd (All the animals in the Malaga elk area are out of the Colockum herd) and Muzzy's another 100 antlerless tags plus another 50 any elk tags between the two of them for a total of 435 tags. Archery =0 IMO, they should give us a chance at a cow also, why not spread it around. Maybe 100 antlerless tags for archery? Ironhead
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Muleyslyr
Guest
ironhead, Bob thinks the archery hunters "push all the elk around the country side into private property and don't shoot enough." So the only way to fix that is to eliminate cow tags for archery. Come on'. If they don't kill enough now wait till all they have to hunt for is spikes and a few lucky any bulls.
If anyone's ever hunted those exact areas we're talking about during rifle season it's like a city in the woods. It's a joke. You want to talk about pushing elk all over the country side! Once again, you can't tell me that archery hunters do more "damage" to the herds than rifle hunters. I'm not talking in terms of just killing but also in pressure. I hunted Sept. 15-20 last year in the Clockum and saw a total of 5 guys. And I covered a lot of area in that week. How many elk do you think we chased out of the area all the way off the mountain and on to private property? Probably none!
If anyone's ever hunted those exact areas we're talking about during rifle season it's like a city in the woods. It's a joke. You want to talk about pushing elk all over the country side! Once again, you can't tell me that archery hunters do more "damage" to the herds than rifle hunters. I'm not talking in terms of just killing but also in pressure. I hunted Sept. 15-20 last year in the Clockum and saw a total of 5 guys. And I covered a lot of area in that week. How many elk do you think we chased out of the area all the way off the mountain and on to private property? Probably none!
Muleyslr, I just looked at the numbers slider posted...I don't believe those are the number of cow permits, but the total number of special permits, including bull permits. I could be wrong though. I don't have time to go and add all the numbers up.
Ironhead, that is a good question and I don't know the answer. I bet you could call the WDFW and find somebody there who would be glad to give you an explanation. My only guess is that being that rifle hunters must make up at least 90% of the number of elk hunters, they are simply trying to make the most people happy, in order to get the least number of complaints. Because no matter what they do, somebody will complain.
Here's a link that will get you to the contact info. on their web site: http://wdfw.wa.gov/contact.htm
Ironhead, that is a good question and I don't know the answer. I bet you could call the WDFW and find somebody there who would be glad to give you an explanation. My only guess is that being that rifle hunters must make up at least 90% of the number of elk hunters, they are simply trying to make the most people happy, in order to get the least number of complaints. Because no matter what they do, somebody will complain.
Here's a link that will get you to the contact info. on their web site: http://wdfw.wa.gov/contact.htm
I drew a Peshastin any elk rifle permit last year and talked to a lot of land owners in the area. I don't think the WDFW is to worried about stress on the elk in this area. People are chasing and hunting these elk Starting Aug 16th through Jan 28. This is a damage control hunt but land owners are closing their land down because they feel sorry for the elk. Plus most of the cow permits are for times when there are not a lot of elk in the area. So I don't think the archery season stresses the elk out.
