Accused bear poacher breaks silence, points finger at WDFW

[fish vacuum]

"In 2017, WDFW charged Dills as part of a group responsible for poaching more than a hundred animals, including elk, deer, bobcat and bear. Wildlife police claim he used dogs to hunt, a practice banned by voters in the 1990s. He didn't pay for proper permits, either. Officers discovered dozens of deer and elk carcasses left to rot, and later found their heads taken for trophies."
And his defense is that timber companies use hounds for bears. Going on tv with this defense just proves how stupid he is.

[hunter399]

I will make a few points here.
What ever record or infomation these animals groups have gotten , they must feel it's enough info that wdfw has broken there own laws .
Links from the artical.
https://www.scribd.com/document/377219325/Center-for-Biological-Diversity-letter

https://www.scribd.com/document/377222105/Humane-Society-Letter

Now on another fact that if I'm a tree farmer , there is gonna be loss of trees every year for a number of reason.Its called the cost of doing business.If you don't like it get out of the tree business.

As far my example of cop on cell ,tickets you for being on phone.I think most cop try not to break laws that they enforce even though they can if need, be above the law.
The same should be said about wdfw that can be above the bait and hound laws but only should do if needed.

Now with that said ,when is it needed,public safety,livestock kills,tree damage.But one thing that is a fact is the majority of the state of Washington voted this law in,so abuse of this law paints a bad light on Hunter/houndsman ,wdfw.

Now with all that I have said,I hope these animal rights people due sue wdfw over this .
Cause you will see spring permits double or triple , maybe 4 times more permits in some areas.Which is the great for boot hunters.
More hunting opportunity for the average Hunter.

[Tbar]

Please don't bring center for biological diversity into the conversation and expect credibility. 

[hunter399]

Please don't bring center for biological diversity into the conversation and expect credibility.

Don't really need credibility
Some facts,and truth hurts sometimes.

[Tbar]

You are sounding more like a troll.  You lack truth and are advocating for an anti group that wants to end hunting opportunities, period. 

[Blacktail Sniper]

I will make a few points here.
What ever record or infomation these animals groups have gotten , they must feel it's enough info that wdfw has broken there own laws .
Links from the artical.
https://www.scribd.com/document/377219325/Center-for-Biological-Diversity-letter

https://www.scribd.com/document/377222105/Humane-Society-Letter

Now on another fact that if I'm a tree farmer , there is gonna be loss of trees every year for a number of reason.Its called the cost of doing business.If you don't like it get out of the tree business.

As far my example of cop on cell ,tickets you for being on phone.I think most cop try not to break laws that they enforce even though they can if need, be above the law.
The same should be said about wdfw that can be above the bait and hound laws but only should do if needed.

Now with that said ,when is it needed,public safety,livestock kills,tree damage.But one thing that is a fact is the majority of the state of Washington voted this law in,so abuse of this law paints a bad light on Hunter/houndsman ,wdfw.

Now with all that I have said,I hope these animal rights people due sue wdfw over this .
Cause you will see spring permits double or triple , maybe 4 times more permits in some areas.Which is the great for boot hunters.
More hunting opportunity for the average Hunter.

WDFW does not make the laws, the legisature or in this particular case, a voter inititative did.  What they are being accused of are not abiding by or an overly broad interputation or just neglience concerning what they can or should be doing, totally seperate issues.

As to the cell phone analogy, it is clearly written into the RCW (the law) that they are exempt from the restrictions, so there is no "breaking of the law or being above the law" in that case.  That is literally what being exempt means.

The real question is in what manner were the permits being issued, were they following proper protocol in determing if a kill permit was warranted, and in some cases deny a kill permit because it didn't meet the rquirements or were they just handing them out because the timber company said please??

With all this negative media attention regarding the spring/summer timberland depredation hunts, this may be the best time ever to push to do away with the spring permit hunts and get a statewide general spring season. 

That would put alot more hunters out in the spring, hunters will go to areas that hold bear, and more hunters should increase the harvest rate, thus limiting or reducing the need to issue timber companies as many kill permits to remove problem bears since a larger number may already have been taken by the average Joe hunter, at least in theory. 

But I think it does have some merit.

Lots of hunters, I am sure would be happy to head out after a spring bear, but can't because they weren't lucky enough to draw a permit.

[hunter399]

You are sounding more like a troll.  You lack truth and are advocating for an anti group that wants to end hunting opportunities, period.

I guess I am a troll then.
The way I feel is I don't like the law on baiting and hound hunting , But like many have said, it's here to stay and not going away.
So then the hunting opportunity should go to regular boot hunters period.
OTC spring bear season sounds better every time I think about it.
I guess if wanting more opportunities for the average Joe Hunter makes me a troll so be it.

[Alan K]

The reason you come across like a troll is because your siding with the opposition that would gladly end all forms of hunting if they could.

What's wrong with defending the only effective means for protecting ones property from damage and also pushing for an OTC spring boot hunt? They don't have to be mutually exclusive. Populations were healthy enough to sustain boot hunts, baiting, and hounds before.  There is no reason they couldn't sustain an OTC spring boot hunt while also targeting damage causing bears with depredation hunts.

[hunter399]

The reason you come across like a troll is because your siding with the opposition that would gladly end all forms of hunting if they could.

What's wrong with defending the only effective means for protecting ones property from damage and also pushing for an OTC spring boot hunt? They don't have to be mutually exclusive. Populations were healthy enough to sustain boot hunts, baiting, and hounds before.  There is no reason they couldn't sustain an OTC spring boot hunt while also targeting damage causing bears with depredation hunts.

I do agree population is good enough for all users,but shouldn't the OTC tags come first legal harvest,or more spring permits come first,then when harvest goals are not meet , or property damage problems let hound hunters have some permits.The legal fair chase Hunter should get his chance first.
I've said what I have to say here , let your opportunity for spring bear be given to all the hound hunts.I'm gonna troll some other topics good nite.

[Bigshooter]

I have said for many years to get rid of this program and go to an over the counter spring season in western wa.  Hunters will never kill as many bears that have been killed through this program.

[hunter399]

Spring bear OTC-with springbear quota to raise harvest.Hound Hunter permits based on last year harvests not meet with damage problems.That would be fair that hound hunters can permits where regular Hunter didn't get it done.

[Alan K]

Spring bear hunts and depredation hunts are apples and oranges.

Spring bear boot hunts don't target damaging bears. Sure an overall reduction of population would luck into some damage causers, but it is not an adequate replacement that would fix a landowners specific problem.

Think of it similarly to the wolf situation. If a certain wolf pack grew fond of easy cattle kills, a blanket open season for the region or GMU would not necessarily take care of that specific pack. Cattle owner still has a pack preying on his herd.

The depredation hunts aim for specific damage causing bears, in specific locations, on a case by case basis.

Folks, looking at the issue as though there is some hidden bear quota that is being filled by depredation take is wrong. And the amount taken at the end of the year is irrelevant because of it. And the fact that there is such rampant damage out there today does speak to how much the bear population has exploded since I-655.  Prior to that, while I'm sure there were still areas with sporadic damage it's nothing compared to now.

[lokidog]

Spring bear hunts and depredation hunts are apples and oranges.

Spring bear boot hunts don't target damaging bears. Sure an overall reduction of population would luck into some damage causers, but it is not an adequate replacement that would fix a landowners specific problem.

Think of it similarly to the wolf situation. If a certain wolf pack grew fond of easy cattle kills, a blanket open season for the region or GMU would not necessarily take care of that specific pack. Cattle owner still has a pack preying on his herd.

The depredation hunts aim for specific damage causing bears, in specific locations, on a case by case basis.

Folks, looking at the issue as though there is some hidden bear quota that is being filled by depredation take is wrong. And the amount taken at the end of the year is irrelevant because of it. And the fact that there is such rampant damage out there today does speak to how much the bear population has exploded since I-655.  Prior to that, while I'm sure there were still areas with sporadic damage it's nothing compared to now.

Spring bear boots would certainly target the damage causing bears IF there were more of them or OTC, IF timber companies allowed free access and IF they posted areas where there were problem bears, period!

[syoungs]

Yep. If they did away with the good ol boys club, and let people on to hunt, and the wdfw had some otc opportunity available, the issue would resolve itself.

[Alan K]

Lokidog, look at the Kapowsin spring bear hunt. It does all of those things you mention (minus free access, which is irrelevant when discussing the efficacy of a boot hunt). 150 spring bear permits, more than any other spring bear hunt on the west side by a wide margin, damage area maps are provided by landowners last I saw, yet there is a harvest of only 4 to 8 annually. Those bears could be taken anywhere in the spring bear area too, and it's not a stretch to assume most are taken in clearcuts as opposed to the 12 year old stands that are being damaged where visibility is about 3 feet.

Contrast that with a forester discovering fresh peeling in that same 12 year old stand, documenting the damage, applying for and receiving a permit within days, houndsman shows up, strikes bear almost always in that same stand with that quick of a turnaround, dogs root the bear out of the thick stuff and the problem is solved.

The targeting abilities of hounds on depredation permits compared to spring bear boot hunts just doesn't compare, I'm sorry, it just doesn't.

Again, I'm all for expanded spring bear opportunities. Frankly the population could sustain a year around OTC bear hunt here on the west side with how thick things are. Spring/fall, it doesn't matter. Success will always be low with the vegetation and where these animals spend their time. Over the long term if the overall population were brought down damage would as well since a percentage of the take would surely be damagers, but until that day comes property owners cannot be left out to dry.