I did. I'm all for making the private land general and making the public much more restricted public access. Similar to area 6. It won't solve the overall herd number problem but it will increase harvest and place more pressure on private imo.I recently got a survey in my email from game and fish about my opinion on turning area 7 for elk into a general area did anyone else get this survey and I'm curious what your thoughts are. I am opposed to it
That is an interesting angle not a bad ideaI did. I'm all for making the private land general and making the public much more restricted public access. Similar to area 6. It won't solve the overall herd number problem but it will increase harvest and place more pressure on private imo.
Agreed but like daveD mentioned if they made it general on private land only that could benefit limited quota hunters on public. The over all trophy quality I could see diminishing though with basically unlimited private land huntingI'm opposed to it. Hunted it twice and was a great hunt. Benefits the big ranches with outfitters the most.
Most likely on places like the wagonhound that would be the case but there are allot of smaller landowners that I think will take allot of huntersThe private will still manage for quality they will just have to put less time and money into securing clients. Because LE hunters outside can't really hunt it enough they will still push all the elk on private.
I agree with you to a point. I guided in area 7 for several years. We never had problems getting clients but we did have problems getting clients to draw the tag. On many years we were way under the number of hunters that we could have hunted. On the worst years we had maybe 50% of capacity. That resulted in elk really taking refuge on the property we controlled. I personally believe this will have minimal impact on the largest of ranches but it would have a big, positive, impact on the medium to small properties by keeping elk moving, thus giving more public land hunters opportunities.The private will still manage for quality they will just have to put less time and money into securing clients. Because LE hunters outside can't really hunt it enough they will still push all the elk on private.
True, but landowners that harbor elk don't do it because they like looking at them.More cow hunters on private land will spook cows and bulls onto public.
I would oppose all of those...and with gusto.What if they added a type 9 tag. Then a type 1 tag that ran oct 1-oct 15th. Then a general any elk tag oct 15-nov 15th. Then general cow the rest of year.
I understand why outfitters want it general.... can G&F trade a certain number of bull tags for late season unlimited access for cows on that ranch? Or easements or walk in areas that open for cows. Would wagonhound ever become 100% walk in for cows starting Nov 15th if they were given 75 bull tags to give clients?
Just trying to toss ideas out there.
Dude knock off the transferable tag B.S., you really disappoint me!What if they added a type 9 tag. Then a type 1 tag that ran oct 1-oct 15th. Then a general any elk tag oct 15-nov 15th. Then general cow the rest of year.
I understand why outfitters want it general.... can G&F trade a certain number of bull tags for late season unlimited access for cows on that ranch? Or easements or walk in areas that open for cows. Would wagonhound ever become 100% walk in for cows starting Nov 15th if they were given 75 bull tags to give clients?
Just trying to toss ideas out there.
Dude knock off the transferable tag B.S., you really disappoint me!
Right, type 9 tags kill what kind of elk? That would really help lower numbers... ?I don't necessarily agree with any of my above ideas except I think a type 9 tag could have decent draw odds? Those are just ideas that popped in my head that could kill more elk....isn't that G&F want? In reality the main question is what would it take to get access better? That is the real question.
Agreed. I would expect better scoring elk for 16K.I would think there is also a fairly limited supply of folks that want to spend 16k to shoot an elk
How do you get better access to help kill more elk? That's the real question.Right, type 9 tags kill what kind of elk? That would really help lower numbers... ?
You don't.How do you get better access to help kill more elk? That's the real question.
You don't??? As in its not possible to get more access in 7?You don't.
More tags isn't going to do anything but push elk onto inaccessible private sooner in the season.How do you get better access to help kill more elk? That's the real question.
If they added a type 9 tag would the type 1 tag odds increase? This won't kill more elk but could increase odds of getting a tag. ?
Aerial gunning.You don't??? As in its not possible to get more access in 7?
or
E
What's the magical answer for G&F to get more elk killed in 7?
Getting smart hunters that have a clue how to get cow elk killed access.You don't??? As in its not possible to get more access in 7?
or
E
What's the magical answer for G&F to get more elk killed in 7?
On the survey they asked how to increase hunters satisfaction in unit 7... one aspect of hunter satisfaction is getting the tag more then 25% of the time. Adding a type 9 could for certain hunters increase the level of satisfaction. They are using the general hunt aspect to get people excited about hunting it every year (again lots of reasons mentioned above why it won't work) and that i didn't like. The survey and info they provided make it sound general is the best thing in the world. I will try to open it again and screen shot the questions and info.More tags isn't going to do anything but push elk onto inaccessible private sooner in the season.
Plus, type 9 archery hunters suck at killing cows, all they shoot are bulls...killing bulls doesn't solve the problem of too many elk.
The goal is to decrease elk numbers, not get more people hunting bulls.
I think most of us got the survey.On the survey they asked how to increase hunters satisfaction in unit 7... one aspect of hunter satisfaction is getting the tag more then 25% of the time. Adding a type 9 could for certain hunters increase the level of satisfaction. They are using the general hunt aspect to get people excited about hunting it every year (again lots of reasons mentioned above why it won't work) and that i didn't like. The survey and info they provided make it sound general is the best thing in the world. I will try to open it again and screen shot the questions and info.
So we agree that access is the issue; how does splitting up the area change that?Also area 7 should be split into 2 different areas in my opinion. They are trying to manage way too large of an area.
No, not in my opinionSo how many antlerless elk are getting harvested out of those 1200 Type 4 and 2250 Type 6 tags? 3450 total tags. And seasons are open thru Dec. 31st. What is a general tag seaon going to do that these tag holders cannot already provide? Would increasing the amount of these tags to 5000 have any more effect on antlerless harvest?
More tags will help, not more hunters.No, not in my opinion
Yea effective hunters with more tags will kill more elk but how many tags does a guy really need.More tags will help, not more hunters.
More tags will help, not more hunters.
Have they ever offered a bonus cow tag in any areas? I have seen it done with deer in over populated areas. If every type 1 had a bonus cow tag, I'm guessing quite a few of those would get filled. It may also result in a few less bulls being shot as a guy with an elk in the freezer is typically a little more picky with the bull tag.Yea effective hunters with more tags will kill more elk but how many tags does a guy really need.
If a guy really wanted to he could get 2 cow tags and a bull tag/any elk alreadyHave they ever offered a bonus cow tag in any areas? I have seen it done with deer in over populated areas. If every type 1 had a bonus cow tag, I'm guessing quite a few of those would get filled. It may also result in a few less bulls being shot as a guy with an elk in the freezer is typically a little more picky with the bull tag.
For residents this would work but many guys I know prefer to apply for area 7 type 1 and additional cow tags closer to home because on most years they won't draw the 7 tag. For non-residents, it isn't an automatic draw anymore and it is quite a bit more money.If a guy really wanted to he could get 2 cow tags and a bull tag/any elk already
But they have to apply, why not attach a another cow tag to every tag they issue?If a guy really wanted to he could get 2 cow tags and a bull tag/any elk already
Because then they don't make any money off the cow tag. That would be their concern i would assumeBut they have to apply, why not attach a another cow tag to every tag they issue?
Dumb...when you find elk you need to get them killed right then. In particular in that unit, elk are here today, gone tomorrow...Better yet, issue another cow tag to those that kill a cow or bull with their first tag!
From the options I'm hearing floated, it would be wayyyyy more cost effective to give away a second cow tag to get some more elk killed there.Because then they don't make any money off the cow tag. That would be their concern i would assume
Because then they don't make any money off the cow tag. That would be their concern i would assume
If they're good at it, then let them have 2 tags right from the start, why make them go buy another tag?The hunters that kill cows and bulls are usually pretty good at it compared to those that just drive around spooking elk! I say, give those that check a harvest animal in an extra cow tag if they want!
Not much because your ideas and comments are mostly of the dumb variety.Pretty simple facts, the same few guys shoot critters each and every year that they get tags and many of the others spin their wheels driving up and down roads in gators and trucks. It's pretty obvious that if tags were sold right from the start that you wouldn't weed out those that spend most of their time spooking elk rather than packing them out!
Have you ever agreed with anything I have ever said Buzz?
Those same guys will be spooking elk no matter what you do. May as well let the others harvest 2 instead of one when they get the chance before that happens.Pretty simple facts, the same few guys shoot critters each and every year that they get tags and many of the others spin their wheels driving up and down roads in gators and trucks. It's pretty obvious that if tags were sold right from the start that you wouldn't weed out those that spend most of their time spooking elk rather than packing them out!
Have you ever agreed with anything I have ever said Buzz?
Yeah, if only someone would have thought of that and if a program somehow existed....Another thought is some sort of feed the needy program that benefits those in need with fresh wild game meat. Maybe a program like that would open the door to private landowners that otherwise is locked.
?Right on Buzz, now you are talking! Expand Hunters for Hunger, Hunting for Hero’s, and other similar programs to gain access to locked up private land to harvest cow elk. Seems like a winner for everyone!
I wonder if Wagonhound, Q Ranch, and other large ranches would go for that type of program? How could they turn it down? I’m sure some of them already do this but it would be great if done on an even larger scale.
We focus on trophy elk, mule deer, antelope and moose hunts and take B&C bucks most years.