[Jeff Higgins]

Washington as a whole has never had much of a population of what we consider to be "big game" animals. Oh, we have a huge variety, just not many of any one kind. Even Lewis & Clark noted in their journals the scarcity of game once they crossed the Snake River. They had to put the entire party on starvation rations for the lack of game. We enjoy a number of unique climates in this state, none of which are really all that supportive of these kinds of animals. That's what they found then, and, well, our climate has not changed.

Today, in addition to less than favorable climatic conditions, we find that poaching seems to be the predominant reason for our noted lack of game. It is said that poachers take several times the number of game animals every year that legal hunters take. There is no real way to police this. So, coupled with naturally low numbers, things don't look great here in Washington.