Are tribal hunters overharvesting the deer and elk resources?
No. Tribal hunters harvest about 8 percent of the harvestable population of deer and elk. According to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife statistics for 1997, non-Indian hunters took approximately 28,062 deer; treaty tribal hunters harvested about 2,440. In that same period, non-Indian hunters took about 4,920 elk; treaty tribal hunters harvested about 427. Most elk herds in Washington are healthy. Loss of habitat poses a far bigger threat to the health of elk herds in the state than the small number of tribal hunters.
