Steelheader's can't catch a break! My god ! Pile it on!
https://nwsportsmanmag.com/state-budget-cuts-will-affect-washington-fishing-hatchery-production/

WDFW has the option and flexibility to move money around many of its programs and functions. It is the deliberate choice of Susewind to close a steelhead hatchery and not fund monitoring of the Skagit steelhead fishery. Instead, WDFW is letting us know that they consider it more important to produce hatchery salmon to be caught in Canada (and Alaska to some extent) and in commercial fisheries (treaty and non-treaty) in Washington State.

At this point, WDFW is no longer much use to me. Defund WDFW.

Salmo,, now you are talking... We should not be paying any attention to WDFW or the state for that matter,, we should do what we want... Run our own hatcheries,, fish where and when we want...

We don't really have to obey state laws if we don't want to,, if enough of us ignore it there is nothing they can do,, eventually they will be out of business,, once people stop paying taxes..

The really neat thing is WDFW tayjrt easy to defund. Don't buy licenses, don't buy the various vanity license plates, hunt and fish elsewhere so they get DJ/PR. Don't even have to convince your local legislator; it's in our hands.

All righty then Rich, Salmo, and Carcass, you guys go first, and we’ll see how this goes. History shows itz always tuff on the first wave of righteous rebellion...

You're right. I bought a fishing license each of the last two years and did one day last and nothing so far this. In WA. In the future I will probably buy a one day for the days I decide to go. The Old Fart FW license, which is what I get, is damn cheap, though.

I have bought hunting licenses the last few years and made little use of them. What I probably will do is not buy a license, if I do, until a trip is actually scheduled. With family issues and illnesses and such planning is tough. Plus, I have found some out of state hunts for a variety of species , especially exotics, that are more interesting.

But you're right, time to put up or shut up.

Its so damn expensive to do anything anymore,, with license, gas, gear and food and that stuff it makes it hard,, especially with all the regulation,, putting everybody in the same place at the same time,, then no hatchery fish hardly anymore in the places I liked to fish... My passion was river/creek fishing,, I like to just catch and release,, keep a few hatchery fish to smoke...

Hunting I do it, to spend time with my brother,, I mean I like it but not like Steelhead fishing... This year I had terrible luck,, Elk hunting I ended up killing a cow in a bull only area,, totally by accident she was behind a bull and I did not see her,, killed her dead as [Bleeeeep!],, scratched the bull barely...

And then deer hunting this year,, hunted my ass off,, I hunt around my house ,, saw chitloads of deer but only a couple 2 points... Several neighbors are feeding/baiting deer and shooting the big ones... Anyways I took a shot at a 2 point on the run and ended up taking a chunk out of his ass,, tracked him a long ways before the bleeding stopped,, he never slowed down... I had never lost a deer,, never even had to shoot more than once before and never accidently shot a cow before... Was hunting black powder for elk and rifle for deer.

I self reported/turned myself in,, The WDFW officer was really nice,, I boned out the elk and packed it to his truck, he donated it to the food bank in Forks,, ended up with a warning and a forfeit elk tag out of the deal... That was a lot of work for nothing but a clean kill,, she pretty much fell over dead instantly...

I took a long shot at the bull,, a 5 point,, thought he was alone,, no other elk within 15 yards,, he was broadside at 172 yards,, shot from a rest after I stalked in,, shooting downhill,, the cow was quartered away about 5 yards directly behind him,, scratched his neck and nailed her in the left rear rib cage bullet suck in the hide in her right shoulder... It was a freak ass thing,,, If I waited a little longer I might have seen her but I could not get any closer without getting busted,, he was bugling going crazy as my brother was calling from about 500 yards behind me..

My preferences for fishing are much like yours, Rich. Streams for trout and I really don't care about size. What they are, ideally wild and native, about covers it. It's all C&R. I also really like fishing for sunfish from the bank with flies. Again, pretty fish.

My hunting iOS pretty much deer, turkey, and waterfowl. Pretty much after meat, especially with the birds. One or two is fine regardless of limit. Deer is also a meat hunt but if enough are around (I hunt archery) I'll pass does for most of the time. But, after some point if it is in range and legal it gets shot at.

Friend of mine was an avid duck hunter who took up bowhunting when I did. First year he it one in the ass. We found it the next day but were there after a bear. It really busted him up to lose a deer even though he recognized and accepted the loss of an occasional duck.