Multiple Starts For Elk Season Seem Proper

For years, Washington elk hunters have begun their season with a staggered start.

This year, for example, modern rifle hunters who had general elk tags, which are good only for spike bulls in most areas, got the first shot at the region’s elk on Oct. 30.

Hunters who took the chance of applying for special antlerless elk or branch-antlered bull permits weren’t allowed to begin hunting until Nov. 2.

The concept of this staggered start was debated years ago. The proposal was approved to help spread out hunting pressure. It also weeded out of the drawings many casual hunters who might apply for permits if there were no penalty involved.

Most hunters agree it’s safer and more pleasurable to hunt when the woods aren’t jammed with other hunters.

The general tag holders are very limited, considering they can shoot only spike bulls. These hunters deserve the handicap of getting out a few days before those who applied for permits.

Nothing has changed in the 1990s to undermine the basis for the staggered start. Yet, for some so-far unexplained reason, Fish and Wildlife officials in Olympia have proposed piling all the modern rifle hunters in the field again on a single opening day.

The Fish and Wildlife Commission will vote on the proposal this weekend in Bellingham.

Sharpen up: There’s only one thing worse than going ice fishing without an ice auger: going ice fishing with a dull ice auger.

A $3 investment in a sharpening stone could turn a futile job of cutting a hole in the ice into a cinch.

“It doesn’t take much to sharpen an ice auger, but it makes a big difference in the way they cut,” said Larry Bryant of Waterhole Sports in Spokane.

“You could use any medium-grain sharpening stone,” he said. “But the Mora sharpener is just the right grain, and it comes with instructions. You only want to sharpen the sharp side and you want to rotate the stone one way across the blade.”

Divide and conquer: The only hunters who qualified for the fall turkey hunt in southeastern Washington were those who passed the state’s master hunter certification program.

But even some of the masters struggled with tactics for getting close to a tom in late November.

In spring, gobblers can be fooled because of their aggressiveness to find mates. During fall, however, they’re concerned about eating enough to survive the cold.

A fall tactic that works as well as any begins with a charge. You sneak as close as possible, then sprint toward the birds with hopes of causing a free-for-all panic.

This doesn’t work well if you have a long open approach, because the birds will simply trot off in a flock.

You need to frighten the daylights out of them so they scatter in every direction.

Then take a stand and be patient. Start with a “kee-kee” call and try to attract one of the lonesome birds back to you.

Better luck next fall.

Tiz the season: With snow clogging backcountry roads, a few slobs are blackening the image of sportsmen by road hunting, Fish and Wildlife Department officials say.

Game tends to be more visible along lowland roads in harsh winter conditions.

Hunters who shoot from vehicles or off roads are just as visible.

If you can get a description and the license number of creeps engaging in this lazy and illegal activity, report them.

In Washington, call (800)477-6224.

In Idaho, call (800) 632-5999.

Easy prey: Washington voters banned hound hunting for bears and cougars in November. But the most rampant menace to wildlife isn’t a Blue Ticks or a Walker.

It’s the family dog that far too many people allow to run loose in the wild during winter.

The conditions we had last week were deadly to deer. The crust on top of the snow was substantial enough to support a dog.

But a deer would break through and flounder.

Given a chase in those conditions - and there’s nothing a well-fed family dog loves to do more than chase a deer - even a healthy buck or doe can easily be worn down to be killed outright or die later of exhaustion.

Another initiative?: Speaking of the initiative that banned hound hunting … can anyone tell me why animal-rights zealots aren’t concentrating their well-funded war chests on the most lethal and unsporting of all hunting methods?

If they were really concerned about legislating fair chase in hunting, they would propose a ban on letting house cats run loose.

Cats are allowed to kill millions of birds a year, just for the heck of it. Now that’s cruel.

, DataTimes MEMO: You can contact Rich Landers by voice mail at 459-5577, extension 5508.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review