Went back and read the OP's posts. Mostly a bunch of whining. My original response related only to the "Shoulder Season" aspect in the thread title, which I stand by. I've seen one of my favorite units losing elk dramatically - no one is quite sure exactly why - but which simultaneously had a shoulder season implemented in it. If that's not catering to landowners without adequate data (the science part), I don't know what is. Makes no sense.

I also think elk need a break. For god's sake, they get pounded all fall, deal with predators year round, then get chased by Kuiu clad warriors doing the F150 sneak in December, January, and February, just the time when they'd like to be catching their breath and surviving winter.

I'm grateful for the large landowners in the state, and understand what they're up against. But sometimes the pendulum gets swung too far in their favor.


“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery