Feel Free to copy and post this on other sites.

[Colville]

I did this same post in the other thread:

Inside, you noted that there are areas raising flags, biologically. Fine. Obviously other areas aren't as you noted that the 2 bear kill individuals primarily have their success where they "aren't concerned". That was the counter argument that removing 2nd tags wouldn't be effective.  Obviously, the issue can, like deer/elk, be managed by GMU based restrictions/changes. The fact that this isn't the approach tells one that the real driver here is politics rather than management. You've made it clear in one breath that certain areas can take the pressure and even 2nd tags and others can't, yet have relied only on the weak areas to justify a state wide restriction.

I'm not going to argue with the biologist on the numbers. But you've made no case that the whole state needs a bear management solution rather than regions in question... and that begs the question, what's at the heart of the change, politics or biology.

[Shannon]

If anyone at the Department thinks that hikers contribute more to this economy than hunters then they have there heads up there ass. They buy roots and some Aquafina before hiking and we buy ammo (that is over taxed), rifles, tags, licenses, parking passes, hotels, dinners, keep butcher shops busy, we save taxpayer dollars by removing unwanted animals ourselves, and the list goes on and on. If there is a report showing the opposite the research was funded by anti's. Also, once August hunting is gone it will take an act of God to reverse it. This state is gonna force me into being a poacher or moving to another state.

[billythekidrock]

Shannon - While I also find it hard to believe that hikers contribute more, I would not doubt that they are close to hunters.  I think it depends on who is crunching the numbers and what they are counting.

All users spend money on gas, food and lodging.
Hunters spend money on tags, licenses, guns, ammo, etc.
Hikers spend money on permits, camping equipment, etc.

Now how many hunters are hikers? Most hunters would be considered hikers but most hikers are not hunters. Are hunters hiking dollars added to the total of the hikers?

It is all based on how they spin it.