Spring Bear season proposal

[Blacktail Sniper]

That is what I had in mind, similar to the changes they made with the pilot program to use hounds to hunt cougar.

That is why I chose the spring damage permit hunts, since they are supposedly intended to mitigate damage to trees.

I quickly glanced at your post and missed your "Overview". 

I hope H-W members will send messages of support for this proposal.

Thank you!!

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

Baiting is prohibited by state law due to Initiative 655 that was passed by WA voters in 1996. Only another Initiative or legislative action can change that.

I don't see any legal way the Wildlife Commission can approve a baited spring bear hunting season for sporting purposes. The only way bear baiting permits might work, I believe there is an exemption for agents of the state to bait or use hounds, therefore this should be written as a public safety bear removal permit or timber damage bear removal permit and only issued in areas where timber damage or nuisance bear are being reported by landowners. 

I strongly support baiting and hounds, but any solution will have to comply with state law to even be considered.

So they already issue bait permits for timber land.  I believe phelps had a video where  brushchimp and his father killed a few nice bears on bait on timber land.  As much as I support the above I would have to say your first post was probably right.  Seems they already have a way around it for timber land tree damage.  Need to get a bill put together so the average joe can do it.

[Blacktail Sniper]

Links to those??

[bear hunter]

  But I think the spring permit should not affect the fall eastern tag. If you get drawn for a eastside tag and fill it. You can still buy a 2nd bear tag and hunt the fall eastside season and not limited to just westside.

[BOWHUNTER45]

After seeing what went down this spring they need to definitely get someone who can guide them to proper management .. If the timber companies want to low the population in certain areas then there is only 2 ways to do it ..One is allow hound hunting and two is to place bait stations and let the hunters bait their on station .. In one area I know where they had spring bear tags and only filled a couple they went ahead and opened a few gates so bear hunters could get in and hunt .. I know of 5 bear killed so far in August and that's about all they killed in the spring hunt something is bugging them to open up the gates they have 

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

Links to those??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3xQ1pSQ-54&list=UU1ESDfeuLYNQR1X3bLCWlZA

[billythekidrock]

Baiting is prohibited by state law due to Initiative 655 that was passed by WA voters in 1996. Only another Initiative or legislative action can change that.

I don't see any legal way the Wildlife Commission can approve a baited spring bear hunting season for sporting purposes. The only way bear baiting permits might work, I believe there is an exemption for agents of the state to bait or use hounds, therefore this should be written as a public safety bear removal permit or timber damage bear removal permit and only issued in areas where timber damage or nuisance bear are being reported by landowners. 

I strongly support baiting and hounds, but any solution will have to comply with state law to even be considered.

I am pretty sure this exemption is what allowed them to give baiting permits to Master Hunters.

[Blacktail Sniper]

Links to those??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3xQ1pSQ-54&list=UU1ESDfeuLYNQR1X3bLCWlZA

Thank you!   

[csaaphill]

Baiting is prohibited by state law due to Initiative 655 that was passed by WA voters in 1996. Only another Initiative or legislative action can change that.

I don't see any legal way the Wildlife Commission can approve a baited spring bear hunting season for sporting purposes. The only way bear baiting permits might work, I believe there is an exemption for agents of the state to bait or use hounds, therefore this should be written as a public safety bear removal permit or timber damage bear removal permit and only issued in areas where timber damage or nuisance bear are being reported by landowners. 

I strongly support baiting and hounds, but any solution will have to comply with state law to even be considered.

seems to me then we need to have something on petition then to undo that initiave, but nothign so far has ever been introduced I wonder why?
1996 to now is a pretty long time

[bigtex]

Baiting is prohibited by state law due to Initiative 655 that was passed by WA voters in 1996. Only another Initiative or legislative action can change that.

I don't see any legal way the Wildlife Commission can approve a baited spring bear hunting season for sporting purposes. The only way bear baiting permits might work, I believe there is an exemption for agents of the state to bait or use hounds, therefore this should be written as a public safety bear removal permit or timber damage bear removal permit and only issued in areas where timber damage or nuisance bear are being reported by landowners. 

Bearpaw is correct. The only entity that can open bear baiting for the "common joe" is the legislature or another initiative, WDFW can't do it on their own.

[floatinghat]

Why not increase the number of permits in these areas?  It would increase revenue for the state and remove a greater number of bears.  My guess is they have some understanding of the number of animals that need to be harvested.  Combined with historical success percentages should provide for a reasonable estimate for the number of permits?

Again, more people in the field to help local economies buying gas, food, etc.  Maybe I am all wet as I don't hunt bear but seams simple enough.

[fireweed]

After seeing what went down this spring they need to definitely get someone who can guide them to proper management .. If the timber companies want to low the population in certain areas then there is only 2 ways to do it ..One is allow hound hunting and two is to place bait stations and let the hunters bait their on station .. In one area I know where they had spring bear tags and only filled a couple they went ahead and opened a few gates so bear hunters could get in and hunt .. I know of 5 bear killed so far in August and that's about all they killed in the spring hunt something is bugging them to open up the gates they have 

Timber companies that charge fees or lock out legal bear hunters should absolutely NOT be granted special bear damage permits, or spring bear seasons designed to reduce bear damage to timber.  They should only get these special tags/seasons if they have their land open free of charge to legal bear hunters.  The state is not acting the interest of the sportsmen or wildife if they just give out damage permits to companies that don't let hunters in to do the job for free.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Why not increase the number of permits in these areas?  It would increase revenue for the state and remove a greater number of bears.  My guess is they have some understanding of the number of animals that need to be harvested.  Combined with historical success percentages should provide for a reasonable estimate for the number of permits?

Again, more people in the field to help local economies buying gas, food, etc.  Maybe I am all wet as I don't hunt bear but seams simple enough.

they did in my area but still did not kill any bear  well ..they killed a couple but near as they thought they would !

One more thing ..We all talk about helping out the economy and supporting local businesses ..BUT THEY COULD CARELESS .. The only people that are supposed to make money is the state ...Plain and simple ..take this from a business owner 

[BOWHUNTER45]

Baiting is prohibited by state law due to Initiative 655 that was passed by WA voters in 1996. Only another Initiative or legislative action can change that.

I don't see any legal way the Wildlife Commission can approve a baited spring bear hunting season for sporting purposes. The only way bear baiting permits might work, I believe there is an exemption for agents of the state to bait or use hounds, therefore this should be written as a public safety bear removal permit or timber damage bear removal permit and only issued in areas where timber damage or nuisance bear are being reported by landowners. 

I strongly support baiting and hounds, but any solution will have to comply with state law to even be considered.

I am pretty sure this exemption is what allowed them to give baiting permits to Master Hunters.

I do not think baiting applies to private timber companies  they give out hound permits 

[floatinghat]

After seeing what went down this spring they need to definitely get someone who can guide them to proper management .. If the timber companies want to low the population in certain areas then there is only 2 ways to do it ..One is allow hound hunting and two is to place bait stations and let the hunters bait their on station .. In one area I know where they had spring bear tags and only filled a couple they went ahead and opened a few gates so bear hunters could get in and hunt .. I know of 5 bear killed so far in August and that's about all they killed in the spring hunt something is bugging them to open up the gates they have 

Timber companies that charge fees or lock out legal bear hunters should absolutely NOT be granted special bear damage permits, or spring bear seasons designed to reduce bear damage to timber.  They should only get these special tags/seasons if they have their land open free of charge to legal bear hunters.  The state is not acting the interest of the sportsmen or wildife if they just give out damage permits to companies that don't let hunters in to do the job for free.

Don't know about all the areas but I think some of the permits are 8/1-12/31 so they would be open to spring bear.