Apparently legal, but sounds more like culling instead of hunting....

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010618885_apwaelkhunt.html?syndication=rss

Not really my idea of a challenging hunt, unless you're Tiger in a Vegas bar

that is considered elk killing with a bow. elk hunting involoves tracking, stalking, or at least a lucky happening upon. surrounding them is not hunting. That has happened around here, and it gives us a bad name. it doesn't help that things like that make it into the seattle times.

Damage hunt, plain and simple.

Better than using a number of high powered rifles to cull the herd in an area with a lot of houses. The F'n WDFW sets up the hunts and then has a rep (enforcement officer) speak against it. That is the f'd up part of the hunt.

I'm not so sure I like the angle the reporter was taking. What the hell is a "high powered bow"? Clearly the language is aimed at the sympathy for the elk and the cry baby populus of his readers. Yes, bowhunting is gory to watch as the cause of death is pure bleeding and hemoraging not unlike a gun shot where the animal dies from bleeding and shock. The hunters clearly had permission to be on the farmers land and they did what any hunter would do and that is GET CLOSE TO THE ANIMALS SO YOU CAN SHOOT THEM. It may not fall into the definition of the one-on-one bowhunting that happens in the mountains but like Dogfish said its a damage hunt wher the object is to reduce the damage caused by the elk.

From my perspective as a hunter, there are a number of surprising concerns in the article--

To start, the way the hunt was "managed" by both the land owner and WDFW. Granted, the primary goal of hunting is to harvest an animal with the associated bloody outcome. However, the article cited running and panicked animals in a fenced pasture surrounded by hunters. This likely resulted in arrows flung at running animals. How many of the participants routinely practice on moving targets? Given the "high-powered bows," what about pass-through secondary hits on animals behind primary targets? Is an elk analogous to a paper target and not worth the effort to respectfully harvest it with a skilfully placed projectile? Were the arrows reported to be in some of the elk in their vitals, or some place that is not lethal? What about the "collateral damage" of the panicked elk injured jumping the fence with its entrails exposed? How many close calls were there of a broadhead narrowly missing a human in the cross-fire?

I've driven by this particular stretch of road and seen these elk and their various observers along the fence line. Rather than the resultant gang bang, what if the landowner allowed a maximum of one or two hunters on the property per day to pattern and set up for a shot on calm animals until the required cull was complete? Perhaps handicapped hunters using modern arms would have been more beneficial to all parties and humane to the elk, minimizing public scrutiny of shooting fish in a barrel?

As cited by others above, the language/slant of the article was not favorable toward all involved. Further, WDFW's comments on the record were disparaging to their own actions. Given the 20/20 hindsight of the matter, one has to wonder if there was any forethought in managing both the subject cull and the local valley herd.

All of the above does not appear to cast a favorable light on either WDFW or the hunting community. Just because it is legal to do so, doesn't necessarily mean it is a good thing to do, given the reported outcome....

I was once told that WDFW would never use Archery hunting for management. Does anyone know if modern firearm was an option and the hunters chose archery.

For a quick kill and massive transfer of energy at short range never underestimate a 12ga slug. Sounds bad but when an animal drops in its tracks in shock it is more humane.

I also believe a called in pissed off Bull elk with a Bow is the ultimate in hunting.
Just wish I could say I have done it.

If ya want to feel better about it one of those arrows may of saved the life of an unsuspecting human in a car.


Just sayin

You all saw the issues with the legal ML hunt up in Brinnon last fall. Lots of folks just don't like seeing animals killed, even humanely.

That said, there seem to lots of storing coming out of WA in my close to 40 years here that if you mix a herd of elk and hunters (and it has been Modern, ML, and Archery) that you get an ugly scene.

But, how are we going to manage these situations? Profesional hunters? I've seen that, too, on some deer and elk situations.

Although not specifically cited above, your point was not lost. It was just overshadowed by the other events and statements as reported. Perhaps WDFW and WSP could have stated it for the record as succinctly as you did.

Just sayin'....

Partially agree Andy however, this was not a residential area with many houses around. To me, the hunt is completely about respecting the animal. First, by putting in the time to locate and stalk and last but not least, killing the animal quickly, cleanly and without suffering. A high powered rifle would have been the ticket in this case at this location.

those dumbasses should be put in prison with "bubba" and his big "love arrow" all in a scared group prison style

REALLY the reporters name is Dick Clever?


It would figure if this DICK couldn't draw a bow it must be High-Powered.


Officer Allen may of been saying : This is not Hunting. We have to kill six of these elk today. While shaking his head knowing it wasn't going to be pretty and now I have some tree huggin tard reporter fallowing me around while I have to be here to watch this.

Anyone find it a bit odd the reporter was with officer Allen while it was happening.



Let me rephrase what this CLEVER DICK is trying to say here.
ALL HUNTERS SUCK!!! Last year it was made obvious that the ML hunters are all irresponsible, trespassing, shooting from the road PsOS so we can never trust them again and now we know that all archery hunters are bloodthirsty opportunist that just want to kill at all cost and have no respect for the beautiful animals. if I can make them look bad enough they wont even let the drunken slob modern firearm guys in here next year.

BULLSH!T

Maybe Just Maybe these were ethical hunters that payed for a Elk tag and a special draw permit and like 95% of the archery elk hunters in this state were not fortunate enough to get an ethical shot at an elk this past year. Did anyone notice in this article where it says archery hunters knowingly limit themselves to only archery elk hunts knowing that it is the least productive way to hunt yet the most sporting. Maybe these guys like to eat elk and know that they can also put in for damage control hunts that are put together when there is a special need to remove a particular group of animals that are a problem. Maybe they were told by the game dept to be in that field at that time the day before the hunt. I would not be a bit surprised if they were not asked to try to take the lead cow while watching the herd the day before with both the owner of the field and a rep from WDFW. A common process for a damage hunt. Maybe these guys weren't there to hunt Elk they were there to kill elk for the game Dept. Maybe I am full of crap or maybe the reporter new where this was going to happen the day before so he could be next to the game warden even before the first arrow flew.

I got a feeling this article was half written the night before it happened and this DICK was frothing at the mouth to write an anti hunting article as soon as he found out it was GOING to happen.

I fear someday soon enough weak minded people will be suckered in by writing like this that my grand kids will never know what it means to harvest an animal and meat just comes in wrapped up plastic packages.

I am not sayin Lukesfishin is weak minded

I'm just SAYIN

Don't fret. Next week the Times will have a feel good story on a heroic Native American hunter strugging to feed his poor family! They'll have a close up picture as a tear drips off his chin as he mourns the passing of his 12th elk of the year.

As one of the many hunters out there that endeavor to cleanly and quickly invite game animals home for the winter, I just get tired of the crap that passes for "journalism" in the public venue....

Punching an elk cleanly through both lungs with any suitable projectile (Barnes TTSX, .50 maxi-ball, Muzzy-tipped Carbon Express, etc.) and the resultant respectfully performed duty to clean, quarter or bone out, pack out, process and use same is not sensational, except perhaps, to the guy doing the work. It occurs countless times each season, with the usual statistical number of "Ah [censored]!" events that happen to good hunters as well. The coyotes and ravens are the usual beneficiaries of such matters. All of this is not written up by "journalists" that likely don't know the difference between a "high-powered bow" and a Mathews Genesis kid bow.

There is a journalistic responsibility here as well when Dick Clever becomes a defacto spokesman for the archery and hunting community at large in a public forum. From my perspective, such responsibility is one that should not be taken lightly, and executed in the same accurate manner as when I seek to harvest an animal. Anything less is a dishonor to all parties, the elk included....

achewter, thanks for not saying that about me,

but ya this guy prolly does hate all hunters period

i'm just not the type to "shoot fish in a barrell" like i said on the other topic about this, isnt it the "hunt" that is the fun part??

For you the "hunt" is the fun part, for others the fun part might be in the cutting and wrapping of the meat, or maybe making summer sausage, or maybe eating biscuits and elk sausage gravy is the most fun part (that does sound like a lot of fun right now). Maybe that easy form of hunting for them (damage shoot) is just a means to an end.

That is the beauty of hunting. It was first devised as a way to get food and we managed to make it a fun pursuit. There are a lot of us maybe not me or you, who believe that the fun factor is actually not as important as the meat factor. As long as you are legal, I don't care what your opinions on the "sport" are.

My opinion is that hunting is a lot of fun, and if I have any luck, a poor unsuspecting animal is going to suffer a violent and painful death because of me. I like fair chase, and being free from fences, and no-trespassing signs etc., and so I hunt in locations that allow that, but I don't ever deny the fact that I really, really want to kill something.

Killed many an elk in damage hunts. 7 to be exact. They eat just fine, and all but 2 came out whole. Part of those damage hunts is securing access to private land, months in advance, knowing where the elk will be, etc. Lots of work goes into some of these hunts years in advance and alll year long.

Is it the same as hiking 20 miles in a day, then spending 2 days packing out the animal? No. Does it fill a freezer? Yes. Is there work and preplanning involved? Most times, yes.

Damage hunts serve a purpose. If they don't suit you, don't put in for them.

What part of this is a "hunt"?

http://didia.smugmug.com/Pacific-Northwest/n-cascades/elk/10769726_xXySN#750685374_vLnWQ

I don't see ANY hunting going on. I do see "hunters" looking really bad though and getting alot of bad press while "hunting" (if thats what you want to call it). Nothing like giving the anti's more ammo. Just my $.02 worth.

they should have at least made sure the bow hunters could actualy shoot a bow, what a disgrace.

The hunt is where the elk are. The damage occurs where the elk are. Hence a damage hunt. You can tell it is a damage hunt because it is a specific elk area, not an entire GMU. There is no glory in a hunt like that, and the object of the hunt is to get the elk to move out of the area and cull their numbers. In that respect, the hunt appeared to be successful.

That hunt was exactly what the WDFW intended. A cull hunt of elk that caused damage.

My first two elk had broadheads in them, but I don't have a bad opinion of archers. Adding bows into the mix is a mistake, in my opinion, but you would have likely had wounded animals any time you have 5 or 6 hunters approaching a herd with any weapon. Wounded animals are an unfortunate part of hunting regardless of where you hunt and which weapon you use.

I took a cow with a 10 yard neck shot with my ML one year as a herd of 150 elk ran by me in a field. Drove the truck up to it, winched it into a trailer, and was done. The next year the yardage was maybe 25 yards, same result. Meat in the freezer.

Don't fall into the trap the media is sending. Cull hunts are necessary at times and I'd rather see the meat eaten than tossed into a landfill.

i`m not but there is still hunting ethic`s involved even in a hunt like this, there is no excuse for an elk to be walking around with 2 arrows stuck in it hind end, these moron so called hunters should quit hunting.