Alpinebullwinkle

I see record book bulls and deer every year from long distances. Just seeing them always gets my adrenaline flowing even though I may not be making a stalk with gun or bow. I guess I "just don't get it" that is not exciting to you also, if you are a hunter or wildlife viewer

Many moons ago we wouldn't find out draw results on elk until late July or early August. That really was awful and took a lot of the fun away from summer trips that we now enjoy. Anticipation and advance preparation has always been 50% of the fun of drawing an elk tag for me. We didn't have that privilege in the 1970's and early 1980's. After much complaining, AGFD finally listened, and I now really appreciate the newer system......even though it has its flaws each year!

I just bought two hand grenades in anticipation of a successful draw. Most of us "geezers" have the DT's (delirious tremors) so our accuracy isn't quite like what it was in former years!!

MB....so they haven't already sent your tag to you in the mail???

Thanks for communicating and posting this response Jim.

I helped cook steaks for the Commissioners and AGFD officials last weekend and had a chance to discuss this topic. They all looked at me funny when I made the statement that it was time this week to possibly start hitting the credit cards? Then one of them admitted that, as usual, they are encountering problems once again with the draw. No telling on the timing going forward. They did admit they have hired internal IT resources to create their own draw software, hopefully enhance the current system, and handle internally for future years. They are hoping this will be an improvement rather than depending on outsourced resources that change from year to year.

Understood Desert Rat. All I'm saying is these special designations (just like the wolf reintroduction program) "sound right" to the general public and are supported by them without full knowledge of the consequences........ which can be surprisingly devastating and unrepairable in our lifetime. Once established, politics unfortunately gets in the way of any future renewal or enhancement process. The environmental regulations created in the 1970's under the Jimmy Carter regime were well intended and needed, but unfortunately had some significant flaws, one being that common sense was not part of the equation or process. 35 years later we still have not improved the process, even though those outdated environmental laws have severely hurt our country in many ways. Bottom line......beware of any future special land designations......... which will likely have unintended consequences.

"Wilderness designation by forest and blm gets reviewed on an cyclical basis". Is there any time in history a wilderness or primitive area status has been changed? If so, I'm not aware of it. These designations are almost as detrimental as the unreasonable environmental regulations that Jimmy Carter created in the 1970's. Once they happen, there is no going back or bringing common sense into the equation!

Not good for hunting or hardly anything else. We have learned from all the other wilderness or primitive designations that these special designations prevent AGFD, USFS and BLM from properly managing the assets of the area. The elimination of roads is also discriminatory to the elderly, children and handicapped that also like to enjoy the wildlife with normal and legal access!

947 yards..........and it only took me 16 shots!! More seriously though.....great comments on both sides of the debate. My only personal vent is that now that 50% of unit #27 has been nuked from the Wallow Fire, the sight clearance has worked more in favor of the hunter and less in favor of the animals, particularly the bull elk in the late hunt. Since the fire, we are finding a greater % of unclaimed dead bulls in the unit after the late hunt, which has not helped the steep decline in herd numbers that has been occurring for about the last 15 years.

An Arizona bull??

The turkey haven't yet come back to pre-Wallow Fire levels. They probably were the most affected of the game animals as they were nesting when the fire broke out. Mule deer seem to be on the comeback. Hopefully what we are seeing is better offspring and survival rather than just seeing more mulies since half the timber was nuked and sight is better. Coues deer seem to not have been affected below the rim but pushed out of some of their former spots above the rim due to less cover as a consequence of the fire. The elk herd continues its massive decline for many reasons (predation, hunting pressure, fire impact) and is now about 50% of the peak level roughly 1999. The elk took a pretty good beating from the Wallow Fire as that first summer of hiking I stumbled over at least 20 different burned carcasses from the fire. Late gun hunt success rate on the bulls has gone up significantly and a greater number of unclaimed bull carcasses found since the fire presumably due to hunters taking advantage of better cross canyon shooting opportunities due to better sight in the nuked woods.

Used to be coues deer and mulies all thru BW. Mulie population declined significantly from about 1990 (mostly due to the predator explosion I suspect). Since the Bear Wallow Fire the coues deer population has become really sparse in BW. The area was nuked by the fire and the coues don't seem to like the burns like the elk do. Not enough cover for those little wise rascals. Greatest coues populations I believe now are below the rim (in the areas that have not burned).

I viewed the biggest mule deer last year while getting ready for an elk hunt that I had ever seen. At first I thought he was a 5 point rag horn bull. Plan to go after him this year with my bow in August but sure would rather try to get him when he is hard horned. Estimate he is +230.

The US Forest Service told me last year they responded to someone's call on this issue but I did not hear the outcome

Those look like pretty good retirement funds to me muley!!

The top does appear to be like a coues but the bottom looks more like a muley. My vote is muley.

The other day when I applied for this year's elk draw the computer automatically showed last year's license number for me. The computer would not allow me to update to my 2015 license number. This also happened to my son on his separate application. I called AGFD today and informed of the computer application problem. A nice lady in a hoarse voice told me they were aware of the computer problem and when repaired the computer would automatically update personal information with the renewed license numbers. She said there would be no further follow up necessary. Just wanted to let everyone else know that might have had the same problem and save them some time calling AGFD.

Just followed up again with a gal at AGFD on the license glitch for the computer draw applications. She reassured me that there is no problem and the computer will "automatically" populate (replace) the old license numbers with the new license numbers. She acknowledged this was a big issue they have received a huge volume of calls about but there was no further follow up necessary as long as the 2015 license has been purchased prior to the closing date for this years draw.

We purchased our updated licenses on line and AGFD said they therefore would be automatically updated/populated in our elk applications when the glitch was repaired. Have to take their guidance at face value unless shown otherwise.

Awesome....great job Dad!!!

Be part of the solution.....instead of part of the problem. Report the error to them nicely so they are aware that they have some improvement to make going forward.

If it was me even in September I would take two spare tires, plenty of extra gas, and chains. When it rains as already stated that reservation mud is slicker than dog $hit. Very easy to cut a tire or get stuck.

Let the air out of them.....immediately.....if not sooner!!

What a shrewd way to get free advertising on the latest model of Duluth Underwear!!! No pinch......no sweat......and no stink! Well I might have to challenge the no pinch part.