The season has not been closed. The early general season in October has not changed at all. The late season has changed from a nine-day general season to a 14-day special permit season. In place of the general late season hunt in GMUs 127-142, WDFW now offers hunt number 1016, the Palouse special permit hunt. Applicants drawn for permits will be able to hunt for white-tailed bucks, with at least three antler points on one side, anywhere they have legal access within GMUs 127, 130, 133, 136, 139 or 142, November 6 -19, 2006. There are 625 permits offered in the Palouse hunt, the largest number of permits of any deer or elk permit hunt in the state of Washington.

How will this change help?

The change is designed to increase the number of older white-tailed bucks in GMUs with open habitats. The Central District (Lincoln, Spokane and Whitman counties) is comprised of two white-tailed deer habitats -- open and timbered. Across the Central District, older bucks in open habitats, where they are more visible, have a much lower survival rate through the hunting season. Their susceptibility to harvest increases dramatically during the late season compared to the early season. A few of these units, 127 and 130 in particular, have both kinds of habitat and older buck survival is better in the timbered portions where there is more hiding cover. The management change across all these GMUs, however, will boost the overall health of the white-tailed deer population throughout the district.

WDFW’s goal is a stable age class distribution of white-tailed deer throughout the Central District. The benefit to hunters will be an increase in the number of older bucks in the population.

How can there be a buck survival problem when I see older bucks every season?

Deer habitat is not uniform across the District. Pockets of higher quality habitat exist adjacent to lower quality habitats, and some areas are hunted intensively while others have little hunting pressure. Data collected across GMUs show a decline in the age of bucks in the population. In some places bucks may be older and have higher survival rates, but the overall population is experiencing a decrease in average age.

A hunter who has the advantage of hunting a large acreage with high quality habitat and low pressure probably sees a greater number of older bucks than hunters in other areas. However, those areas are not representative of a GMU or the District. If there are unique areas within a GMU that require special management emphasis, WDFW will establish “Deer Areas” with tailored seasons. These, however, are only created for the overall benefit of species management, not to serve individual hunters.

Why reduce the season when we have a problem with too many deer?

It is possible to have high overall numbers of deer, yet have low older buck survival. Breeding continues by younger, immature bucks, although over time that is not ideal for a healthy deer population.

Hunters focus the majority of their effort on harvesting bucks. Antlerless deer tag holders often have low success rates, not because hunters cannot find antlerless animals, but because too many will pass up does for bucks. WDFW provides these antlerless deer or doe hunting opportunities to focus harvest on the reproductive part of an excessive population. Second deer tags and special deer damage control permits and hunts are other ways to address problems of too many deer.

If the goal is simply to reduce the total number of animals, the most effective method is to harvest the reproductive portion of the population. But the goal of this change is to increase the survival of older bucks to improve the distribution of age and sex classes across the deer population for its long term health.

How can a three-antler-point minimum reduce the harvest of older bucks?

Although it sounds contradictory, a three-antler-point minimum restriction is one way to limit overall buck harvest. Older bucks with three antler points or more are the most difficult to harvest because usually they are more wary and experienced in avoiding hunters. When hunters are restricted to harvesting only that age class, far fewer are actually removed from the population. It allows those younger bucks with two antler points or less to survive and grow into that older age class. WDFW biologists believe this change will increase the number of bucks surviving to an older age.

Are there other ways to achieve the same goal?

Yes. WDFW considered closing the late season altogether, reducing the number of late season hunting days, eliminating weekend days in the late season, and providing a special permit season. Of the hunters who responded to WDFW surveys, 58 percent wanted to see a reduction by either special permit or closing the season. While closing the season would have helped achieve the management objective, it would have eliminated all recreational opportunity. WDFW biologists recommended maintaining hunting opportunity through the most liberal special permit hunt in the state to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, which passed the change in April, 2006.

Will we get the late season back in the future?

The general (no permits required) late season could return with limited days or other restrictions, but it’s too soon to say what will happen. The new Palouse hunt is part of the three-year hunting season package, covering 2006 through 2008, and it will be in place through that period. WDFW biologists will be evaluating the response of the deer population to this change over the next three years and will make recommendations for the next three-year package in 2009. Habitat, weather, productivity and mortality all play a part in deer population changes. The only factor that WDFW managers can control is that portion of population mortality from hunting. If older buck ratios improve, any number of changes could be recommended: more permits, fewer GMUs restricted to the permit hunt, or even a limited general late season. WDFW’s management goal is to maintain, and if possible, maximize hunting opportunities while ensuring the long term health of the deer population.

What are my chances to draw one of these new Palouse hunt permits?

The number of hunters that apply for the Palouse special drawing permit will determine each hunter’s chance of success. For example, the Huckleberry-A antlerless hunt offers 600 permits, and last year 2,083 hunters who applied had a drawing success rate of 29 percent. The Blue Mountains Foothills-A buck hunt offered 100 permits, and last year 2,148 hunters who applied had a success rate of about five percent. With 625 permits being offered, the Palouse special drawing permit hunt is the largest in the state. Unless an unusually high number of hunters apply, it should provide fairly good odds for being drawn.

Can I be drawn for a late season buck hunt and also a second deer tag?

No. At this time WDFW’s system does not allow a hunter to be drawn for two special deer permits in one season. However, your accumulated drawing points will not be used if you apply for and receive a second deer permit.