How screwed up is Washington?

[Polishrifleman]

This is hot off the DFW presses.

NEWS RELEASE
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091

February 02, 2006
Contact: Dave Ware, (360) 902-2509



Multiple-season hunting permit
applications available


OLYMPIA – Deer and elk hunters have an opportunity to participate in a new multiple-season hunt this year.

Hunters can enter a drawing for a limited number of special permits that would allow them to participate in archery, muzzleloader and modern-firearm general hunting seasons for deer or elk in 2006. Those selected must follow all rules in effect for each season.

Hunters can apply only once for each species, and are limited to harvesting one deer or elk.

In April, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will randomly draw names for 1,500 multiple-season deer permits, and 500 multiple-season elk permits.

“This is a great opportunity for hunters to extend their hunting season this fall,” said Dave Ware, game manager for WDFW.

Hunters can purchase a multiple-season permit application at an authorized license dealer or by calling (866) 246-9453. The permit application is $5.48, and the deadline to apply is April 5. A hunting license is not required to apply.

Washington state residents selected for the special permits must purchase a $164.25 multiple-season tag, along with a regular hunting license, to participate in the special hunt.

For more information, visit WDFW’s website or call (360) 902-2464.

There is a little more to it but I am still confused. We can go out and buy other gear we may or may not have (in my case a bow and muzzleloader to start), run around in the woods for another month or so (depending on season length) and we can still only harvest 1 animal of each species. The numbers equate to another $325,000 for the state if everyone drawn buys plus all the $5 application fees, and potentially more or less hunters during your season depending on success.

The reason I ask is that I have a good hunting friend that lives in Nebraska and their ability to hunt etc.. seem a lot more free than Wa.

Does your state offer up things like this? Do you have the opportunity to already hunt the different seasons if you want for no extra cost or without a raffle draw? If you purchase each season for deer and elk available to you without a draw or raffle how many animals could you potentially harvest?

 

[Vern Humphrey]

It makes a lot of sense to me.

I like the idea of more hunting time -- it's time in the woods, not animals killed, that's important to me. After all, how many elk can you put in your freezer?

If I can hunt multiple seasons it increases my chances of getting a deer or elk, and it also means if there's an emergency that prevents me from going this week, I can also go some other week.

 

[nwgunslinger]

Yea, more and more regulations. We're turning into another California. There are fewer hunters than ever and more regulations than ever. It doesn't make sense to me. With fewer and fewer hunters you should need less regulation but I guess that's not how socialism works. :banghead:

 

[priv8ter]

Hmmm...

One of the guys I work with had a little newspaper put out by the DPW from December that was talking about this idea.

The original article made it sound like ANYONE could buy this multiple-season tag, and that it would only be 'a couple' of dollars more expensive than a normal tag. Based on that information, a lot of us in my office were very excited by this multiple-season tag. But...

Based on this new article though...I don't mind the drawing idea, unless it also prevents me from applying for other special hunts...in which case that's a bummer. And I know for a fact that most guys(90% Sailors) will find the $164 price tag...intimidating.

I think it would be neat to hunt both muzzleloader and modern seasons, but that price is a bit to steep for my blood especially for deer.

Oh well...hopefully the increased revenue will be put to good use.

greg

 

[BIGR]

Washington? Seems like a real nice palce to live but I think it could be a home base to alot of the anti-hunter type people that would like to ban hunting. Am I correct???

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Washington? Seems like a real nice palce to live but I think it could be a home base to alot of the anti-hunter type people that would like to ban hunting. Am I correct???

the standard uniform in Seattle is sandels, love beads and tie-died t-shirts.

 

[Old Dog]

Seems like a real nice palce to live but I think it could be a home base to alot of the anti-hunter type people that would like to ban hunting. Am I correct???

Nope, not at all. Outside of King County (Seattle, Mercer Island, et al), parts of Pierce County (Tacoma) and maybe the little liberal outposts in places such as Bainbridge Island, Port Townsend etc, this is a state with a predominantly rural mentality -- especially East of the Cascades.

This is an excellent state for the outdoorsman. Hunting is not great (in terms of the quantities of game) but the whole outdoors scene here is fantastically beautiful, so being out in the woods, on the rivers or in the mountains here is just superb quality time (I didn't get a deer this season, either).

 

[nwgunslinger]

The problem is that King County and the surrounding metro area pretty much controls the state. There is significant anti-hunting sentiment in the state government which is completely controlled by Democrats.

As I said in my earlier post. Fewer and fewer hunters , more and more regulation. There are people who lobby quite regularly for a complete ban on hunting and people who have never hunted writing the regulations that we must live by.

It's not a good place for hunters right now. Currently, hunting is permitted on all state lands unless posted otherwise. It's very likely that by the end of the current legislative session, that will be reversed. Hunting will be prohibited on all state lands except where specifically permitted and signs posted. It's all the Californians who moved here. We are fast becoming the peoples republic of WA, just like the peoples republic of CA. A communist state where the rights of the individual are sacrificed for the good of the many and land is not "owned" but "stewarted".

 

[Old Dog]

I dunno ... I've been up here since '94; there are a few solid groups with some pretty dang good lobbyists on our side who are pretty effective.

The problem is not so much the hunting regulations themselves -- it's the land use regulations. The amount of public land that's available for hunters is shrinking (and right now, the off-roaders are the hunters' best ally in this fight) but also the drastically shrinking amount of private land where owners allow hunters ...

 

[Polishrifleman]

Back to the Original Questions

Thanks for the thoughts etc... on the new opportunity the wonderful state is providing us with. But I wanted to address the string of questions I put at the bottom.

Does your state offer up things like this?

Do you have the opportunity to already hunt the different seasons if you want for no extra cost or without a raffle draw?

If you purchase each season for deer and elk available to you without a draw or raffle how many animals could you potentially harvest?