Walla Walla #2

[springer]

Anyone get a spike tag for this unit? I got a leftover tag when they went on sale in July.

 

[Wanted]

I have to say I disagree with all the spike tags they offer for NE Oregon and for anywhere else for that matter, but that's just me. Elk numbers are crashing over there and it doesn't help that what the cougars don't kill, some hunters will kill off the recruitment bulls. See in case you don't know, spikes stay with the herds for their first couple of years and are easy targets because after all, a herd of elk is easier to find than a large bull. Can you imagine what would happen if hunters even killed off 25% of the 660 spike only tags? Luckily the harvest stats suggest only 11% are killed. Just my $.02

 

[springer]

I know the #'s are bad on both sides of the State line. The main reason I picked up a tag was to do a little scouting with rifle in hand. I will draw the branched bull tag for this unit in one or two more years.
Enough spikes must be surviving because the number of branched bulls you see over there is pretty good.

 

[Wanted]

The branch bull hunting is good now, but wait a few years until the Big bulls get shot or die off, then you'll see a decline. It's the same with the Starkey Unit right now. We hunt it and you'll see branch bulls throughout the hunt, but very, very few spikes. I hear you on the scouting tool, let me know how it turns out.

 

[springer]

I was able to kill a spike on the fourth day. It was a nasty pack out to the top. I saw 3 branched bulls including one with the spike I killed. Can't wait to draw the branched tag in a couple of more years.