Bear Trapping

[WAPatriot]

I would like to see the state allow bear trapping. They are a legal to harvest big game animal and are often in excess of the desired caring capacity of the land often causing dangerous human bear encounters. The large cage traps the Wdfw uses are not only affective at catching bears but also in releasing bears. This could allow for harvesting select target bears such as large boars and releasing sows and cubs. What do we need to do to be able to trap bears?

[Bigshooter]

I would like to see the state allow bear trapping. They are a legal to harvest big game animal and are often in excess of the desired caring capacity of the land often causing dangerous human bear encounters. The large cage traps the Wdfw uses are not only affective at catching bears but also in releasing bears. This could allow for harvesting select target bears such as large boars and releasing sows and cubs. What do we need to do to be able to trap bears?

Be alive 100 years ago.

[WAPatriot]

The spring tree damage permits where they allow hunting over bait should be replaced by trappers.  Also no need to waste tax dollars let private NWCO s come in when some one has a problem bear in their backyard. This would allow game wardens to be in the field more and less dealing with problem bears.  I bet the state spends close to 500,000 on problem bears.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

The spring tree damage permits where they allow hunting over bait

[X-Force]

The spring tree damage permits where they allow hunting over bait

 

[WAPatriot]

Timber companies hire guns is what I have heard in past

[HighCountryHunter88]

alot of timber companies use houndsmen since its a pretty precise way to target specific areas with bear damage, these are not hired guns by any means, they are not payed and must adhere to strict guidelines made by the state. they also have to run all over kingdom come to get the hide, gal, and meat to designated places to be turned in all on their own dime

[jackelope]

Timber companies hire guns is what I have heard in past

Pretty sure they bait bears to lure them away from specified areas and they use hounds to hunt them when applicable. Don't think anyone is trapping bears anywhere aside from WDFW's nuisance bear trapping and relocating program.

[WAPatriot]

Ya I should have known they didn't get paid. Still making me think I am in wrong career tho that sounds awesome.

I know but we should be able to trap um. Look at the money the state wastes on problem bears let the NWCO s deal with them and have a recreational season.

[winslow]

I think the reason you can't trap bears is the same as why you can't bait them or hunt them at night - it's consistently effective. Basically, the state wants to collect money for tags and keep all their bears so they can keep selling tags. (Not different than any other game species, really.)

If you could sell the same thing over and over you would, right? Well, that's what's happening. They're selling the dream of a successful hunt while cleverly reducing your odds to near zero at every chance they get. Limits on technique, place, time, and tools are getting ridiculous. Trapping in general in WA is a great example of this, too.

Possibly the most egregious example, though, is wolf hunting in ID. In 2011, ID sold 43,280 wolf tags (at $11.75 each for resident, $186 for non-residents, I believe) and only 375 wolves were harvested by hunting. Not very good odds...a 0.86% chance on average. (Not even one in a thousand!)

Sure, hunter skill and time investment have a lot to do with it, but if there isn't anything to hunt or you can't hunt when and where the animals are active, it doesn't matter how good you are or how much time you spend.

Just my thoughts.

[WAPatriot]

If anything the state would generate more revenue via making it a limited draw and participates would have to buy trapping licenses. Plus the money they would save by not having to have biologists and wardens deal with problem bears.

[Humptulips]

Right now there are a very few WCOs permitted to snare bear. It is just a handful. I don't know the exact numbers. They were certified for this work quite a few years ago like in the 70s. They are gradually disappearing through attrition due to age. USDA also snares bear.

I recently was talking to people in WDFW and they are in the beginning of coming up with a new certification program to trap bear. Likely it will take a while but they might come up with something in the next year.
Right now bears taken by trapping or hound hunting or baiting must be turned in. HighCountryHunter88 eluded to this.

The Department is getting pressure from Small Forest Land Owners and Washington State Forest Protection Association. They have also made mention they would like to see permit holders be able to keep bears taken. I think they would like this opened to a wider segment of the public in order to reduce cost.

I have made some initial inquiries about opening a cougar trapping season. Both bear and cougar are a tough sell but just so you know you are not the only one talking about it.

I'll let you know if their are any developments.

[WAPatriot]

Thank you for everything you do.  I am very interested in getting the required certification to become a licensed bear trapper. What can I do to help with this process.  Let's say I know a timber land owner who has suffered from bear damage. Who would be a good person for him to write a convincing letter to?

[Humptulips]

Thank you for everything you do.  I am very interested in getting the required certification to become a licensed bear trapper. What can I do to help with this process.  Let's say I know a timber land owner who has suffered from bear damage. Who would be a good person for him to write a convincing letter to?

Right now I would say Stephine Simek. E-mail at Stephine.Simek@dfw.wa.gov

I should mention this is right now not being considered for anything but WCOs. A general trapping season would be a much harder sell and I think not in the cards for now. Maybe you could emphasize the point about keeping the bears to reduce cost to landowners in your letter.
Then I guess we would all have to become WCOs.

[TeacherMan]

Its legal in Alaska 

[wags]

Something really does need to be done about the bear situation. I have a friend who shoots dozens of bears every year for the big timber companies, he uses hounds.
They don't just target the offending bears, they bait them into the area before they start hunting then shoot everything, it really shouldn't happen that way, but no one says anything about it.
There should actually be spring seasons in these areas open to the general public. However, the timber companies don't want to open their lands to the public. I say too bad, if you don't want to let the public hunt the bears, then learn to accept them and the damage they cause.
The problem is, is that the hunting community doesn't want to upset the timber companies. It would be interesting to see an accounting of the numbers of bear taken by these guys.
This issue is one of my pet peeves.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Something really does need to be done about the bear situation. I have a friend who shoots dozens of bears every year for the big timber companies, he uses hounds.
They don't just target the offending bears, they bait them into the area before they start hunting then shoot everything, it really shouldn't happen that way, but no one says anything about it.
There should actually be spring seasons in these areas open to the general public. However, the timber companies don't want to open their lands to the public. I say too bad, if you don't want to let the public hunt the bears, then learn to accept them and the damage they cause.
The problem is, is that the hunting community doesn't want to upset the timber companies. It would be interesting to see an accounting of the numbers of bear taken by these guys.
This issue is one of my pet peeves.

What's done with the Bears after being shot by the contract exterminators?

[Humptulips]

Something really does need to be done about the bear situation. I have a friend who shoots dozens of bears every year for the big timber companies, he uses hounds.
They don't just target the offending bears, they bait them into the area before they start hunting then shoot everything, it really shouldn't happen that way, but no one says anything about it.
There should actually be spring seasons in these areas open to the general public. However, the timber companies don't want to open their lands to the public. I say too bad, if you don't want to let the public hunt the bears, then learn to accept them and the damage they cause.
The problem is, is that the hunting community doesn't want to upset the timber companies. It would be interesting to see an accounting of the numbers of bear taken by these guys.
This issue is one of my pet peeves.

What's done with the Bears after being shot by the contract exterminators?

Bottom line is the State owns them. The land owner has to deliver them to a processor and pay to have them butchered. Then gets donated to charity.
The hide is sold by the State and I believe the gallbladder goes to the State and gets destroyed.

[winslow]

Something really does need to be done about the bear situation. I have a friend who shoots dozens of bears every year for the big timber companies, he uses hounds.
They don't just target the offending bears, they bait them into the area before they start hunting then shoot everything, it really shouldn't happen that way, but no one says anything about it.
There should actually be spring seasons in these areas open to the general public. However, the timber companies don't want to open their lands to the public. I say too bad, if you don't want to let the public hunt the bears, then learn to accept them and the damage they cause.
The problem is, is that the hunting community doesn't want to upset the timber companies. It would be interesting to see an accounting of the numbers of bear taken by these guys.
This issue is one of my pet peeves.

What's done with the Bears after being shot by the contract exterminators?

Bottom line is the State owns them. The land owner has to deliver them to a processor and pay to have them butchered. Then gets donated to charity.
The hide is sold by the State and I believe the gallbladder goes to the State and gets destroyed.

That leaves only one question for me - How do I get on the list of people who get charity bear meat? 

[CementFinisher]

Something really does need to be done about the bear situation. I have a friend who shoots dozens of bears every year for the big timber companies, he uses hounds.
They don't just target the offending bears, they bait them into the area before they start hunting then shoot everything, it really shouldn't happen that way, but no one says anything about it.
There should actually be spring seasons in these areas open to the general public. However, the timber companies don't want to open their lands to the public. I say too bad, if you don't want to let the public hunt the bears, then learn to accept them and the damage they cause.
The problem is, is that the hunting community doesn't want to upset the timber companies. It would be interesting to see an accounting of the numbers of bear taken by these guys.
This issue is one of my pet peeves.

First off with high bear density areas with high damage which is how these hunts are permitted, how do you think you could target bears doing the damage? also almost every bear in western wa is peeling trees in the spring. Secondly the "bait" isn't bait you must first try and turn the bears to the feed to resolve the damage before hounding can take place. if the feed is left after that period to continue to try and deter damage the hunters cant even hunt within certain distances of said feed. And the wdfw gives a amount of bears that can be taken due to amount of damage and all caught bear must be harvested. these are highly documented and overseen hunts. the regulations are extreme.   Lastly your dream of a open spring season wouldn't solve the damage problem because boot hunter success rates is way to low to lower the population enough to decrease damage.

[CementFinisher]

Also wdfw gives distance perimeters for start of chase, kill zone, and dog recovery area, from a gps coordinate from center of damage area.

[CementFinisher]

but on public lands where these hunts cant be set up to prevent damage too publicly owned trees, I agree that a open spring season on high population high damage public lands should be put in place. a good example Elbe Hills and Tahoma State Forests

[CementFinisher]

a good example boot hunter success rates not being high enough is the hancock owned lands that don't have a bear cull other than the draw spring bear permits. I know a guy who feeds for them. They have to feed more and more every year creating more bears creating more damage. the boot hunters just don't kill enough bears.

[winslow]

Low success rates probably has nothing to do with only being able to hunt in the daytime...

[JimmyHoffa]

Something really does need to be done about the bear situation. I have a friend who shoots dozens of bears every year for the big timber companies, he uses hounds.
They don't just target the offending bears, they bait them into the area before they start hunting then shoot everything, it really shouldn't happen that way, but no one says anything about it.
There should actually be spring seasons in these areas open to the general public. However, the timber companies don't want to open their lands to the public. I say too bad, if you don't want to let the public hunt the bears, then learn to accept them and the damage they cause.
The problem is, is that the hunting community doesn't want to upset the timber companies. It would be interesting to see an accounting of the numbers of bear taken by these guys.
This issue is one of my pet peeves.

First off with high bear density areas with high damage which is how these hunts are permitted, how do you think you could target bears doing the damage? also almost every bear in western wa is peeling trees in the spring. Secondly the "bait" isn't bait you must first try and turn the bears to the feed to resolve the damage before hounding can take place. if the feed is left after that period to continue to try and deter damage the hunters cant even hunt within certain distances of said feed. And the wdfw gives a amount of bears that can be taken due to amount of damage and all caught bear must be harvested. these are highly documented and overseen hunts. the regulations are extreme.   Lastly your dream of a open spring season wouldn't solve the damage problem because boot hunter success rates is way to low to lower the population enough to decrease damage.

I remember reading a book by a professional bear hunter in Washington, and tried to tally the when/where/hows of his stories of hunting.  The vast majority of his bear kills (1,300?) were in the spring, seeing many bears daily and killing up to six a day.  Seemed like a window from mid March to early June was about as good a season you could hope for.  After June, the bear guys would go get jobs in the mills or commercial fishing until deer/elk season when they might shoot a bear by happenstance.  Then they would hound hunt cats until March when bears were stirring about again.
In my own observations, I think about 90% of the bears I have seen have been in the spring--especially in the years with good snow and cool spring/slow melts.

[Humptulips]

Something really does need to be done about the bear situation. I have a friend who shoots dozens of bears every year for the big timber companies, he uses hounds.
They don't just target the offending bears, they bait them into the area before they start hunting then shoot everything, it really shouldn't happen that way, but no one says anything about it.
There should actually be spring seasons in these areas open to the general public. However, the timber companies don't want to open their lands to the public. I say too bad, if you don't want to let the public hunt the bears, then learn to accept them and the damage they cause.
The problem is, is that the hunting community doesn't want to upset the timber companies. It would be interesting to see an accounting of the numbers of bear taken by these guys.
This issue is one of my pet peeves.

First off with high bear density areas with high damage which is how these hunts are permitted, how do you think you could target bears doing the damage? also almost every bear in western wa is peeling trees in the spring. Secondly the "bait" isn't bait you must first try and turn the bears to the feed to resolve the damage before hounding can take place. if the feed is left after that period to continue to try and deter damage the hunters cant even hunt within certain distances of said feed. And the wdfw gives a amount of bears that can be taken due to amount of damage and all caught bear must be harvested. these are highly documented and overseen hunts. the regulations are extreme.   Lastly your dream of a open spring season wouldn't solve the damage problem because boot hunter success rates is way to low to lower the population enough to decrease damage.

What you say is pretty much on the mark. What precipitated the talk about bear trappers certification is in smaller plots of land which makes hound hunting difficult if not impossible with the rules they set.
As an example across the road from me is a block of land of 180 acres. The same guy owns another block nearby of 80 acres. They are almost completely surrounded by National Forest with some private that cannot be hunted on. He has suffered bear damage rates of between 5% and 10%. Doesn't sound like much but you add that up over a few years and there is like 50%+ of his trees either dead or damaged.
He tried hounds for a number of years. I think he told me they were able to kill one bear in like 5 years. The reason is the dogs run them into the NF and they have to call off the hunt. Sometimes the bear practically beats them back to the mans land.
He asked me to snare them and of course I cannot get a permit, no certification. He did get USDA APHIS to snare bear for the last two years and they have knocked his problems way down.
The only problem I have with this is I do not believe USDA should be in competition with private business. I would prefer a WCO got that contract.
I also would prefer a Spring Bear season in the area but I do not think that would solve the mans problems. It would if we could use bait or hounds without all the restrictions imposed by I-655.

[Blacktail Sniper]

Something really does need to be done about the bear situation. I have a friend who shoots dozens of bears every year for the big timber companies, he uses hounds.
They don't just target the offending bears, they bait them into the area before they start hunting then shoot everything, it really shouldn't happen that way, but no one says anything about it.
There should actually be spring seasons in these areas open to the general public. However, the timber companies don't want to open their lands to the public. I say too bad, if you don't want to let the public hunt the bears, then learn to accept them and the damage they cause.
The problem is, is that the hunting community doesn't want to upset the timber companies. It would be interesting to see an accounting of the numbers of bear taken by these guys.
This issue is one of my pet peeves.

First off with high bear density areas with high damage which is how these hunts are permitted, how do you think you could target bears doing the damage? also almost every bear in western wa is peeling trees in the spring. Secondly the "bait" isn't bait you must first try and turn the bears to the feed to resolve the damage before hounding can take place. if the feed is left after that period to continue to try and deter damage the hunters cant even hunt within certain distances of said feed. And the wdfw gives a amount of bears that can be taken due to amount of damage and all caught bear must be harvested. these are highly documented and overseen hunts. the regulations are extreme.   Lastly your dream of a open spring season wouldn't solve the damage problem because boot hunter success rates is way to low to lower the population enough to decrease damage.

I remember reading a book by a professional bear hunter in Washington, and tried to tally the when/where/hows of his stories of hunting.  The vast majority of his bear kills (1,300?) were in the spring, seeing many bears daily and killing up to six a day.  Seemed like a window from mid March to early June was about as good a season you could hope for.  After June, the bear guys would go get jobs in the mills or commercial fishing until deer/elk season when they might shoot a bear by happenstance.  Then they would hound hunt cats until March when bears were stirring about again.
In my own observations, I think about 90% of the bears I have seen have been in the spring--especially in the years with good snow and cool spring/slow melts.

[CementFinisher]

Bill Hulet was ralph flowers mentor. Several books on both men out there. bill is and always be a houndsman bear hunting legend, and ralph flowers surpassed his mentor in lore and bear numbers. Ralph was a hound hunter but as he aged snaring became a bigger and bigger part of his trade. Niether put these numbers up by just boot hunting the spring. They worked for timber companies and the state keeping populations in check and the many other men of their time and no other hunters complained, theres a lot of bears and a lot of woods out there boys for everyone to enjoy. with the limited culls that happen today there is plenty of bear opportunity for everyone. no need to get your panties in a bunch

[Blacktail Sniper]

Bill Hulet was ralph flowers mentor. Several books on both men out there. bill is and always be a houndsman bear hunting legend, and ralph flowers surpassed his mentor in lore and bear numbers. Ralph was a hound hunter but as he aged snaring became a bigger and bigger part of his trade. Niether put these numbers up by just boot hunting the spring. They worked for timber companies and the state keeping populations in check and the many other men of their time and no other hunters complained, theres a lot of bears and a lot of woods out there boys for everyone yto enjoy. with the limited culls that happen today there is plenty of bear opportunity for everyone. no need to get your panties in a bunch

To be fair in regards to the bolded comment, those non-complaining hunters could also use the same methods as the timber company men.

Apples to Apples then, Apples to Oranges now.