Was wondering if anybody was familar with the bald mountain area, area 346 for deer hunting. I'm thinking about putting in for some special permits for that area, any buck permit. Any info would be appreciated.

Save your points for somewhere else. There ain't no friggin deer,or elk for that matter over there. Just a couple of radio collared wolves the state transplanted last year.

So do you have any unit Idea's HBP. If there's no deer I don't want to go there.

Put in for umtanum or desert. There are some big bucks in those units.

The big bucks are hard to come by in the areas that you mention you might try something near spokane or up in the okanogan country.

The Umtanum unit is open for the general deer season this year.

Thought of another thing...what permit are you talking about for unit 346? It is open for deer in the general season anyway, 3 point minimum like all of eastern Wa. I don't know of any special permits for 346. Maybe you are thinking of the any bull permit for elk?

Yeah right. No way will they open that unit up for the general season. Even if they did you wouldn't know until May. Don't try blowing smoke up our @$$. Nice try though.

Hey Glowball,
Have you looked at the proposed deer seasons? I downloaded the file last night cause I thought he was nuts,but GMU 342 looks to be open for Mulies with a 3pt. minimum. It looks to have only three closed units in E.Wa. this year. You may owe Mr. Ape an apology.

If they open that unit up for the general season I will do just that. I'm fairly confident it won't happen though. That would be something if they did. Everyone in the state would be in there.

You are right they are proposing that in this years season. I don't understand why though. Looks like you wouldn't even get a chance to hunt that unit with a bow if they get there way. Like it says that is a proposal, we won't know what they will do for sure until May when the regs come out.
Geez I might be rifle hunting deer next year.

Can you confirm that the state has put wolves with collars. Please lead me to a link where it states this.

Thank You

I don't know of a link to give you,but we got the info from a guy we met while deer hunting this year. They were hunting elk in the early ML season,and we camped next to them. We saw the wolves three days in a row,all three times they were fitted with the big tracking collars. We told the guys that were elk hunting,and one had just retired from the group responsible for getting the program going. I couldn't believe my eyes when one of the wolves ran across the road not 20yds in front of us. I stopped the truck and looked real closely with my bino's,and sure enough it was all wolf. I'll have to look around the web and try to find some info.

I was there with HBP and I also seen the wolves on two differnt trips out of camp in the morning. So I know they are there.

Glowballs, so now who is blowing smoke up who's ass? You are right though, that is only the proposed seasons, but you can bet if that's what is proposed then that is what is going to happen. The only way it wouldn't is if they got a lot of complaints from the public, and you know that won't happen. Personally, I think it should remain a permit-only unit. If they think it can take more pressure, then double the number of permits. But don't open it up for everybody. That's one unit I will avoid this year...it'll be a zoo. I expect most of the mulies will be wiped out, just like they were before. As far as wolves go, they've been around for a long time. My brother and I saw three wolves north of Leavenworth about 15 years ago.

The thing is I can't stand smoke. Guess I better quit. Seriously I don't think that the general hunt will be all that good. Most of the quality deer don't show up until November(or whenever the snow sends them down) I'm not saying there aren't a handful of locals that hang out all year, but I believe a majority follow the does down in winter.
Guess we'll see what happens.

So was that guy that you mentioned that just retired from the group that was the responsible for getting this program going.

Was that the State of Washington? Would like more info.

Here is an article for ya, sounds like maybe you should report what you saw. Sounds like the guy that just retired from this organization that introduced the wolves you saw was doing this out of compliance.
You should report your story to the authorities.

The other article is a confirmation of a wolf in washington.
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Wolf return sought in state
Matthew Daly
The Associated Press
October 31, 2002


WASHINGTON - Two conservation groups are calling on the federal government to restore gray wolves to Washington state, saying it's time to "hear the call of the wild again" on the Olympic Peninsula, in the Cascade Mountains and in the Blue Mountains of southeastern Washington.
Defenders of Wildlife and the Northwest Ecosystem Alliance said Wednesday that they have sent a petition to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, requesting that the agency restore and protect gray wolves under the Endangered Species Act.


"Gray wolves have an important role to play in the ecological health and character of the Pacific Northwest, and the federal government should start getting serious about restoring the species here," said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife. "It's time to hear the call of the wild again in these beautiful forests."


The petition urges the service to establish a category known as a distinct population segment for gray wolves in Washington state.


"The wolf and the Pacific Northwest co-evolved. It is as much a thread in the fabric of our ecosystems as the salmon and the grizzly. We must seek to recover wolves wherever suitable habitat exists for the sake of the species and these ecosystems," said Joe Scott, conservation director of the Northwest Ecosystem Alliance.


Joan Jewett, a spokeswoman for the Fish and Wildlife Service in Portland, said Wednesday that she had not seen the petition, but that the agency would review it upon receipt.


"Any sort of petition like this requires a formal review process, and that takes some time," she said.


The gray wolf is listed as endangered in all lower 48 states except Minnesota, where it is listed as threatened. The species has been successfully reintroduced in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. The Mexican wolf has been reintroduced in the southwestern United States near the Mexican border.


Two years ago, Defenders of Wildlife petitioned federal officials to restore the gray wolf to the Southern Rockies, and petitioned in April 2001 for restoration in California. Those petitions are pending.


Officials at the Fish and Wildlife Service believe the gray wolf has met the necessary three-year population targets that will allow the agency to consider a petition to change its classification from endangered to threatened as soon as next year. Such an action would remove many protections now in place.


About 260 gray wolves are believed to be living in Idaho, while Wyoming has about 218 wolves and Montana 85.

=======================
WOLF CONFIRMED IN WASHINGTON STATE
Environment News Service
February 11, 2002


BOISE, Idaho - An endangered gray wolf has crossed into Washington state from Idaho, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) says.
USFWS wolf biologist Tom Meier says a black wolf tagged Y206 was located during a routine monitoring flight on February 6, 10 miles west of Priest Lake inside the Washington state border. The wolf is the first to appear in the state in 70 years.

"We followed her signal out to the Priest Lake area in Idaho and then just kept following it west into Washington," Meier said.

The conservation group Defenders of Wildlife has pledged to use The Bailey Wildlife Foundation Wolf Compensation Trust to repay ranchers for wolf depredations of livestock if they occur in Washington.

"This is great news for wolves and wildlife supporters, and a positive development for the entire Northwest," said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife. "Wolves deserve the chance to reestablish themselves in areas of prime historic habitat, and Defenders stands ready to help smooth the way for this important species with its compensation and proactive programs."

Y206 is the alpha female of the Gravelly pack and biologists believe she may be seeking a mate in the new area where they suspect, but have not documented, the presence of other recolonizing wolves. Her radio collar is new and expected to last four years, giving biologists a long time to monitor her activity.

She was scavenging the carcass of a dead moose when she was seen from the air.

"Hopefully, she will find a suitable partner and reestablish the first pack of wolves in Washington state since they were eradicated over 70 years ago," Suzanne Laverty, northwest representative for Defenders of Wildlife. "We've been hoping for this day to come soon. There is plentiful habitat in this part of Washington state and very few livestock to cause any real conflicts. It's perfect for wolves."

On December 19, this alpha female, her six pups and one yearling son were relocated to the Yaak River drainage in Northwestern Montana after being in captivity since June 2001. The pack was held to allow the pups to reach an age where they could survive on their own after the death of the pack's alpha male.

Now at 80 percent of their adult size, the 10 month old pups appear to be faring well in their new territory, though biologists are still monitoring them. One pup has traveled to British Columbia, about 15 miles beyond the U.S.-Canadian border.

The Bailey Wildlife Foundation Wolf Compensation Trust has helped promote acceptance of reintroduced wolves or those returning to their historic range. Through this fund, Defenders of Wildlife has paid over $208,000 since 1987 to ranchers to reimburse them for wolf caused livestock losses, in order to help create an atmosphere of greater tolerance with local residents where wolves have been re-established.

DB,
I can't remember the guys name,For some reason I think it was Ralph? He lives out in the boonies above Spokane,and is into the rendevous and that sort of thing. The guys were sleeping in tee-pee's and dressed as mountain men. He had worked for the state for 20 plus years. He was upset about the general deer opener,fearing that the wolves would be shot by guys thinking they were coyotes.

That's about all I can remember. My dad was interested in buying a tee-pee from him,and he may still have his name written down.

I'm all for the re-introduction of wolves to Wa. My dad and I saw a wolf on a fishing trip to B.C. a couple years back,and we both thought it would be our first and last sighting of a wolf in the wild. I was stoked when we saw it,we saw an animal most people will NEVER have a chance to see,outside of a zoo. Now to have seen more of them in our state is awesome. I'm probably in the minority,as to my feelings about wolves,most people don't want them back. They were here long before we were and deserve be back.