Reporting bear baiting

[raydog]

Today was out scouting and found a barrel chained to tree with a bunch of rotten food in it. Obviously a bear baiter. It's not an emergency so I justtexted the WDFW TIP thing, tried calling but they aren't open till tomorrow. Hopefully they get back to me. Pisses me off because  found good sign just a few 100 yards away. I was real excited for the opener. I will have to go somewhere else I guess.  Have you guys ever stumbled across something like this, what did you do?Is there anything else I should do, maybe contact the local warden? They are dispatched through the state patrol I think.

[grundy53]

Today was out scouting and found a barrel chained to tree with a bunch of rotten food in it. Obviously a bear baiter. It's not an emergency so I justtexted the WDFW TIP thing, tried calling but they aren't open till tomorrow. Hopefully they get back to me. Pisses me off because  found good sign just a few 100 yards away. I was real excited for the opener. I will have to go somewhere else I guess.  Have you guys ever stumbled across something like this, what did you do?Is there anything else I should do, maybe contact the local warden? They are dispatched through the state patrol I think.

Was this on industrial timberlands?

[raydog]

DNR I believe. There was a bit of garbage laying around just looks like an illegal set up to me.

[grundy53]

I was just wondering because timber companies will use bait barrels to feed the bears in spring and early summer to keep them form killing trees. No harm reporting it either way.

[raydog]

Yep, that's the way I see it.

[raydog]

It was also in a very hidden area, wouldn't seem like a place where the timber companies would hike in to put out bear food.

[mfswallace]

Why do you think you should hunt somewhere else??

[raydog]

Just dont wanna risk it. The best sign was on the trail to the bait anyways.  I was walking the trail think"Alright! There is some awesome sign in here!" Then found the barrel and it was like " Ah Crap" guess that was the reason for the concentrated sign

[3nails]

 Sure wish this was a legal method to hunt bear. Without baiting and hounds they are out of control. One of the timber holdings by my area is so lousy with bears and cats there are virtually no deer. It's a shame because it's prime habitat.

[raydog]

Sure wish this was a legal method to hunt bear. Without baiting and hounds they are out of control. One of the timber holdings by my area is so lousy with bears and cats there are virtually no deer. It's a shame because it's prime habitat.

I wish hound hunt was legal for cats! I would have to say no to baiting just because I know the amount of garbage that would be left out there. In the area im at there aren't a lot of bears, a few, but not an abundance. The deer population is pretty good in this area. Heck, check out the buck I got on camera about 250 yards away in the thick stuff.

[3nails]

 Shooter!!

[RadSav]

While I hate guys who leave trash in the woods I have a hard time reporting bear baits.  It was not a WDFW decision to eliminate baiting.  And the bait hunting was actually doing a lot of good for the timber, deer and elk.  It was uninformed voters who really had no business getting involved in wildlife management that made that decision.  So while I personally would never take the risk and believe we are all better off if we obey the rules of the land I usually just ignore them when I see 'em.  And since the WDFW officers I've talked with seem to be completely uninterested when I've reported illegally shot elk why would they give much of a dang about a bear bait.

Now if I got OIL tag preference points for reporting them...

[bmccalister]

We found some piles of discarded fish and old meat in a few areas outside Shelton a few years ago. We called the tip line and left a message, but no one ever got back to us about it. Rumor is the person dumping the fish took a nice bear off the fish. I also called the tip line about a poached deer once and they never called me back. Keep us posted if they call you back and do something about the bait station.

[bugs n bones]

While I hate guys who leave trash in the woods I have a hard time reporting bear baits.  It was not a WDFW decision to eliminate baiting.  And the bait hunting was actually doing a lot of good for the timber, deer and elk.  It was uninformed voters who really had no business getting involved in wildlife management that made that decision.  So while I personally would never take the risk and believe we are all better off if we obey the rules of the land I usually just ignore them when I see 'em.  And since the well said!WDFW officers I've talked with seem to be completely uninterested when I've reported illegally shot elk why would they give much of a dang about a bear bait.

Now if I got OIL tag preference points for reporting them...

[trophyhunt]

Bear baiting does not bother me, it should be legal!  Anti's got that law passed not hunters.  I wouldn't call anyone.