Isn't baiting bear into cameras illegal now also?

[Buckhunter82]

I know hunting bears over bait is illegal but isnt there also a law about feeding large carnivores? Thought this law came to be somewhere around 2012. I was unaware of it but a few members here informed me. Maybe something has changed

[bearpaw]

http://nwnewsnetwork.org/post/bear-feeding-case-will-go-court-first-washington

[Buckhunter82]

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.15.790

[Buckhunter82]

I found it. Just wanted to bring it up since some say its ok to bait bear to cameras. Maybe im reading it wrong. The crazy thing is even baiting deer and unintentionally bringing in bear seems like it would violate the law.

[Bob33]

I don't believe this is being enforced except in exceptional situations where the bear poses a threat to humans, property, or other animals.

[olyguy79]

I don't believe this is being enforced except in exceptional situations where the bear poses a threat to humans, property, or other animals.

The officer has to prove "placing or locating food, food waste, or other substance in, on, or about any land or building, and the food, food waste, or other substance poses a risk to the safety of any person, livestock, or pet because it is attracting or could attract large wild carnivores to the land or building"

[predatorpro]

Everything is illegal here...

[dreamunelk]

Attracting large carnivore law only applies if there is conflict.  So if the bear chews up your camera don't call WDFW and demand they do something.  There is no conflict.  Be aware if it is private property and the CS can attribute tree damage to the baiting you may have a problem.

This time of year a half a cup of strawberry syrup will attract a bear in the area to get a few pictures.

[hunter399]

Everything is illegal here...

That isn't no lie ,I'm gonna say your right with that.Then they wonder why someone does not post there pics on here .when they turn them into a legal issue that is not there,if use your pics as a discussion on something that's illegal.
Then call you out when you don't post your pics,when you don't want your pics involved in there discussion on illegal activity.Put someone in a spot where there legal obligation is to protect yourself over post there pics here.I'm just glad that they have keep the thread up , so other people can see how it really is for themself before they post a pic on here.I work hard in my spare time to put up game cams and try to share the pics on here.keep digging in those rcw codes maybe you will find something ,someday you can say I did to justify yourselves.If any of you had your pic used as a topic for illegal activity you would delete them , and not want to repost them .

[CarbonHunter]

http://nwnewsnetwork.org/post/bear-feeding-case-will-go-court-first-washington

This was 3 years ago, did she get convicted?

I would argue that this law only applies to large carnivores. Bear are in fact omnivores as they have the ability to digest both meat and plants. Carnivores can only digest meat. Had the bill been written to say large carnivores/omnivores, then I would say it would apply to bears.

Any attorney that passed high school biology should be ably to get you off the hook if you ever got charged with baiting bears under this regulation. If it's a cougar or wolf your guilty though.