2016 NE Spring Bear Permits being doubled

[bobcat]

Great news, all the NE GMU spring bear permits are being doubled. Also two new permit areas on the west side of the state. Should make drawing odds better. The only loss looks like the Lincoln unit, looks like no more spring bear permits for that area.

[-Trap_addicT-]

Is there a way to see online how many applications have been entered in each GMU?

[Jonathan_S]

Sweet, next step is to have Spring Wolf Permits   

Thanks for posting

[bobcat]

Is there a way to see online how many applications have been entered in each GMU?

Yes, right here:  http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/permits/results/

[bear hunter]

I wonder if they will ever let use shoot 2 eastside bears? I would think if I was drawn for spring bear and shoot one. That I could then hunt the fall season for a general bear. Spring bear should be a damage hunt and not count as general tags. Just my   

[-Trap_addicT-]

Thanks! I hope to get drawn again this year..odds are looking pretty good.

[bobcat]

Just remember, the increase in spring bear permits is proposed for the 2016 season, not 2015.

[huntnnw]

Another way for them to drum up money there is no reason why we shouldn't have a statewide spring season Otc

[bobcat]

I don't see how increasing the number of spring bear permits would bring in any more money.   

[huntnnw]

The whole hunt in general..its a joke

[-Trap_addicT-]

I'm sure glad we have the spring bear season. I'm also glad it's not a regular season. Fall bear is such a headache around my area, because everybody and their dog is out and about. Only me and 39 people in the spring! Woot woot!

[steeleywhopper]

Another way for them to drum up money there is no reason why we shouldn't have a statewide spring season Otc

I agree

[fair-chase]

Another way for them to drum up money there is no reason why we shouldn't have a statewide spring season Otc

OTC for both spring and fall? I could get on board with spring being OTC if fall was eliminated or changed to permit. But to have both would be a slaughter.

[AKBowman]

Yeah right! Not on the west side at least. There are so many damn bears and soooooo much escape cover hunting, no matter the amount of pressure, without dogs or baiting will never have an impact on the bear population. Should be open for spring and fall and allow 3 bears, 1 spring and 2 fall IMO.

[huntnnw]

  I rarely see guys targeting bears in the fall..wdfw has said that most of the bear harvest is done by deer and elk hunters.

WAY more bears need to be taken in NE WA its absurd....I rarely see a bear hunter in Sept where I hunt

[BULLBLASTER]

  i dont think many people that dont already hunt bears would do it anyways...

[quadrafire]

Anyone know why Selkirk or GMU 113 does not have  spring bear season?

[-Trap_addicT-]

Hey huntnnw, just curious as to what aspect do you think way more bears need to be taken out of NE? I agree that there are a lot of bears, but do you think the large population is having impact on other species? I know it's been said that they are fawn killers and they primarily feed on young deer in the spring. In the 2 main areas I hunt, I have seen the bear population go up in the past decade, but the deer population has been stable if not improved. Just curious..

[BULLBLASTER]

Hey huntnnw, just curious as to what aspect do you think way more bears need to be taken out of NE? I agree that there are a lot of bears, but do you think the large population is having impact on other species? I know it's been said that they are fawn killers and they primarily feed on young deer in the spring. In the 2 main areas I hunt, I have seen the bear population go up in the past decade, but the deer population has been stable if not improved. Just curious..

I have been with huntnnw into areas that are prime deer and elk habitat and seen nothing but bears. no der or elk sign at all, even into ag fields. I would say that in areas they are definitely impacting deer and elk populations

[huntnnw]

the area is in the tank and took a huge turn for the worse when baiting and hound hunting stopped. I remember seeing tons of muleys and whitetails everywhere now its a feat to see a deer. We can glass massive areas where u can see for miles for 5-7 hrs a day and be lucky to see a deer and thats in Sept when u should be seeing them! We on avg see 5 bears a day! and near 20+ on a 4-5 day hunt. All our cams up north between buddies is loaded with bears! A outfitter up in 101 has 90 different bears on his cams. My other buddys avg 10 different bears per cam!! sorry but that is way to many. Last year our spring hunt we didnt even have to put any effort into our hunt and saw 7 bears in mere hours of doing nothing. Went back 2 weeks later camping with family and saw 6 more in the roads in mid day! I wont go into details as its not my bizz and I dont know this local legend, but he has 45-60 different bears at his house and pics to prove it. He is another treadwell I guess 

[-Trap_addicT-]

Wow. Those numbers are tough to comprehend. Unless the guy that has photos of 45 different bears "at his house" lives on 10,000+ acres and the pictures are spread out over several months that doesn't sound realistic. As for the outfitter that has photos of 90 plus different bears, I envy his ability to judge bears and decipher enough unique characteristics to tell them all apart. Trail camera pictures make bear identification complicated..especially if you haven't seen the bears in person as well. Were all 90 bears in 101? I hunt (what I consider) concentrated bear area on 3,000 acres of private land that butts up against the Colville Indian Reservation and in any given month have had pictures of no more than 11 different bears...that's next to an apple/peach orchard mind you. I agree that we have a high number of bears and wouldn't argue that there is room for hound hunting and baiting. I don't think bears have been nearly as devastating to mule deer or whitetail as cats have been though. I think bears have adapted and learned to hunt farm fields for fawns, but in higher elevations bears don't rely on fawns for food...they're obviously not going to pass them up. Bears get blamed for a lot and the high population is not not helping there case. Vegetation is a huge part of bears diet and for good reason. Along with killing fawns, vegetation/berries are easy food. What do you think it will take to get the population down? Turning the spring season into a regular season? Hounds..baiting? That might lower the number or bears, but it will take more than that to get the deer numbers back to...seeing tons of Muleys and Whitetail everywhere!

[bearpaw]

I think the spring tags result in 15% to 23% success, so in the areas with 100 tags we will likley see 15 to 23 bear taken, not a significant impact on the bear population, hopefully some of the older males are taken, I think those are the bear they say are hardest on fawns and calves.

But in reality cougars are our biggest problem, they eat all sizes of deer every week all year long and the NE is totally saturated with big cats. I would say next is coyote predation on fawns. But all these predators are at high population levels so combined it's very hard for deer numbers to rebound.

[X-Force]

It will be interesting to see how many more cougar will be taken with the spring bear and cougar season overlap during April.

[fair-chase]

It will be interesting to see how many more cougar will be taken with the spring bear and cougar season overlap during April.

Cougar is already closed due to the quota being met in most of NE units. We need these quota numbers adjusted upward as well as a second cougar tag option. I would urge everyone to comment on the season proposals before it's too late.
 

[bearpaw]

It will be interesting to see how many more cougar will be taken with the spring bear and cougar season overlap during April.

Cougar is already closed due to the quota being met in most of NE units. We need these quota numbers adjusted upward as well as a second cougar tag option. I would urge everyone to comment on the season proposals before it's too late.

 

[HoofsandWings]

Conspiracy theory 1. Black bears are competing with grizzlies for food and need to be thinned.
Conspiracy theory 2. Black bears are killing wolf pups and need to be thinned.

[curlewkiller]

Ok, so I went to the site to buy licenses and went through the process but did not see where I put in for spring tag.  I swear I am missing something upstairs or I am blind....

[trophyhunt]

Ok, so I went to the site to buy licenses and went through the process but did not see where I put in for spring tag.  I swear I am missing something upstairs or I am blind....

Did you purchase your spring bear permit app?

[curlewkiller]

Ok, so I went to the site to buy licenses and went through the process but did not see where I put in for spring tag.  I swear I am missing something upstairs or I am blind....

Did you purchase your spring bear permit app?

Yes I did and it worked great thanks for posting this....

I purchase my license then my special permits....

[bobcat]

Ok, so I went to the site to buy licenses and went through the process but did not see where I put in for spring tag.  I swear I am missing something upstairs or I am blind....

Did you purchase your spring bear permit app?

Yes I did and it worked great thanks for posting this....

I purchase my license then my special permits....

Well... actually what you purchase is the application. If we could purchase permits there would be no need for a drawing!   

So, if you purchased your spring bear application, don't forget to submit it. You do that here:  https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wdfw/special_permits.html

[curlewkiller]

Ok, so I went to the site to buy licenses and went through the process but did not see where I put in for spring tag.  I swear I am missing something upstairs or I am blind....

Did you purchase your spring bear permit app?

Yes I did and it worked great thanks for posting this....

I purchase my license then my special permits....

Well... actually what you purchase is the application. If we could purchase permits there would be no need for a drawing!   

So, if you purchased your spring bear application, don't forget to submit it. You do that here:  https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wdfw/special_permits.html

Thanks I am doing that right now.  What is the advantage of doing the group thing?  I will be in a group if we get the tags....

[bobcat]

Ok, so I went to the site to buy licenses and went through the process but did not see where I put in for spring tag.  I swear I am missing something upstairs or I am blind....

Did you purchase your spring bear permit app?

Yes I did and it worked great thanks for posting this....

I purchase my license then my special permits....

Well... actually what you purchase is the application. If we could purchase permits there would be no need for a drawing!   

So, if you purchased your spring bear application, don't forget to submit it. You do that here:  https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wdfw/special_permits.html

Thanks I am doing that right now.  What is the advantage of doing the group thing?  I will be in a group if we get the tags....

The only advantage is that if drawn, your whole group will be able to hunt. Sometimes it's better to apply individually, if you want to increase your odds of at least one of your group drawing a permit.

[Limhangerslayer]

Anyone know why Selkirk or GMU 113 does not have  spring bear season?

  Not positive but I'm pretty sure it's because of the grizzly population in that unit.

[HoofsandWings]

Ok, so I went to the site to buy licenses and went through the process but did not see where I put in for spring tag.  I swear I am missing something upstairs or I am blind....

Did you purchase your spring bear permit app?

Yes I did and it worked great thanks for posting this....

I purchase my license then my special permits....

Well... actually what you purchase is the application. If we could purchase permits there would be no need for a drawing!   

So, if you purchased your spring bear application, don't forget to submit it. You do that here:  https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wdfw/special_permits.html

you have to look to the left of the screen. It is one of those sentences that you click on. When the 2015 regs come out, they highlight that line and use a larger font.