washington shed hunters...

littlefoot · Oct 31, 2007

got an e-mail from the dept. of fish and wildlife yesterday...

Ungulate · Nov 1, 2007

The BLM did that on a lot of winter range in Wyoming... Better to have it closed to motorized vehicles than to have it closed to all access. Elk seem to recognize vehicles as more of a threat than deer do anyhow. Ever notice how deer just sit and watch as you drive by... where as elk bolt at the first sign of movement...
I hope this doesnt put a damper on your shed hunting and I hope it increases the strength of your herd. Atleast they are not closing the area to shed "collecting" like they did in Northern Utah. That Law did not keep people out of the hills it just increased their time in the hills building caches of antlers. This spring the the elk in Cache county wintered higher because of the "non collecting" observers and when May 1st came around none of the elk bone was where the elk left it, but instead it had been cached...
It required a lot of self restraint not to pick up sheds and when I came around when it was legal at first light on the opener.... there was nothing...

fullcurl74 · Nov 3, 2007

Am I the only one laughing about a place named Whiskey ##### Wildlife Area? Sorry, could just be my lower-than-average maturity level & sense of humor.

Seriously though, I don't know anything about the situation in this part of the country, but if what the article says is true about motor vehicle problems on the winter range, than hooray to them for closing it.

With the exception of the occasional bonus "road bone", antlers should be picked up by people on foot or horseback, and off trail motorized vehicles need to be stopped for the benefit of the wildlife.

Just my $.02

1010Jake · Nov 6, 2007

I think I pissed a little bit from laughing so hard when I read the Whiskey ##### portion of the Wildlife Management area.

eburgtrapper · Nov 8, 2007

I am kinda glad about the closure Gentry. That herd up there has always been hassled and pushed around. a easy winter might help a little, and keep the indians out. I hear they killed another dozen and a half up at the clockum game reserve. Hopefully they won't move up our way!!!!