What happened to west side bear hunting?

[JeffRaines]

As the title states, upon doing research it seems like bear hunting on the west side took a huge dive around 2010-2012. What caused this? I was thinking it might've been due to regulation changes but there doesn't seem to be much difference between now and then, save for some areas opening 15 days later now.

[JimmyHoffa]

Discover Pass and Tree Farm Permits??

[bugs n bones]

Lack of logging, access to the older higher elevation 1980s cuts is mostly gone or over grown. It takes a good 3 years in my opinion for a bear to feel comfortable in a clear cut, providing there's feed in it.  Tree farm access costs money, and a lot of times is closed to fire danger during prime time.

[JeffRaines]

Discover Pass and Tree Farm Permits??

I can sort-of understand the decline in 653 due to tree farm permits... but then Mashel is probably the best in the area due to tree farm permits, and now 653, according to harvest numbers, is way low. I guess the reason for the others like South Rainier and Packwood is due to the lack of logging, so then I take it logging is still going strong in the northwest GMUs?

[JimmyHoffa]

before logging, the early homesteaders in Washington didn't report many bear or deer.  Once some land was opened up, the bear population started to go up.  (so I read anyways)

[JeffRaines]

before logging, the early homesteaders in Washington didn't report many bear or deer.  Once some land was opened up, the bear population started to go up.  (so I read anyways)

Very interesting!

[Kittman]

Another reason, no ATV's or UTV's use allowed on any West side National Forest lands.

[HUNT-HARD]

I don't know maybe people aren't reporting. I have been hunting bears in western Washington for a lot of years and last year was the first year we didn't kill multiple bears. Last year was tough because all the berries were gone or dried up by the time the season came around.

[jackmaster]

We lost bear baiting and hound huntn!! Those two were the only effective bear huntn methods

[D-Rock425]

We lost bear baiting and hound huntn!! Those two were the only effective bear huntn methods

[JeffRaines]

We lost bear baiting and hound huntn!! Those two were the only effective bear huntn methods

Yeah, as far back as I looked in the hunting regs... I think I went as far back as 2008, they were both illegal. The numbers were still high then, too.

I don't know maybe people aren't reporting. I have been hunting bears in western Washington for a lot of years and last year was the first year we didn't kill multiple bears. Last year was tough because all the berries were gone or dried up by the time the season came around.

I know that the north cascade gmus still produce bear no doubt, but the south cascades used to be much better.

[seth30]

We lost bear baiting and hound huntn!! Those two were the only effective bear huntn methods

Yeah, as far back as I looked in the hunting regs... I think I went as far back as 2008, they were both illegal. The numbers were still high then, too.

I don't know maybe people aren't reporting. I have been hunting bears in western Washington for a lot of years and last year was the first year we didn't kill multiple bears. Last year was tough because all the berries were gone or dried up by the time the season came around.

I know that the north cascade gmus still produce bear no doubt, but the south cascades used to be much better.

Wolves!!

[rasbo]

I believe the bears are still there,I think a lot of the hunters have changed..

[D-Rock425]

Better hunters up north.

[singleshot12]

Infertility drugs in the pellets at the feed stations on tree farms is more likely.