2017 spring bear harvest results

[hunter399]

Just wanted to throw some numbers at everybody.
781 Spring tags
139 tags filled
The next numbers I just can't believe.
487 people said they hunted there spring tag.
That leaves 294 people that draw a spring bear tag and didn't even hunt the tag one day .
Also 101 people did not report .
That may of hunted but didn't harvest it's just unknown.
So if anybody wanted to know why spring harvest numbers are so low .Cause 1/3 to 1/2 of people are not hunting there tag and or not reporting.

I urge anybody with a tag to please at least hunt one day of there hunt and to report when hunt is over.

Link to where I got info.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/management/game-harvest/2017/black-bear-spring#

[h20hunter]

I think part of it is folks assume the tag is easy to fill....it is not. I wonder how many bear tags are filled as the primary quary or are filled as a bycatch if you will. I think bears are under hunted in wa  .

[Dan-o]

It's always interesting to see how many people bought a tag and then didn't even hunt.

It would be interesting to know how many hunter days per bear.....   And then if you took the top 10% out, how many hunter days per bear.

I have some hunts pretty dialed in but not bear.

I drew a spring tag last year and never saw a bear.
I'm sure who really knew what they were doing and put in the number of days /i did would get a bear.

[Bango skank]

Hey, h20hunter, thats my second post youve deleted that didnt violate tos.  If youre just going to follow me around deleting everything i post why not make it easy on yourself and ban me?

[h20hunter]

I think lots of bear tags are purchased without ever being primary target.  Could be an interesting poll.

[bearpaw]

When we could still hound hunt a quarter to a half the cougar tags went to people who didn't hunt, in a lot of cases I think it was anti-hunters drawing tags to keep hunters from getting them!

Often times agencies use a formula to establish tag numbers based on knowing some hunters won't hunt or be successful. Remember spring tags were doubled a few years ago due to low success. I think they could open up a general spring season just like Idaho without harming the population, especially since we can't use bait or hounds.

[Skyvalhunter]

Remember your governor over turned the increase in cougar quota.

[Rob]

Always easier to catch a trout when you have your fly in the water...  Also easier to shoot a bear if you spend time in the woods...

I have been guilty of buying a multi-season tag (2 times now) and not taking advantage of it.  Too many conflicting hobbies make it hard to get in the woods.  I suspect that is part of the problem.  I put in for points for OIL tags on years that I know it will be a challenge to get out in the field.

I wonder if the "non-participation rate" is higher or lower for the 2017 spring bear than it is for tags in general?  I.E. How many people buy an over the counter elk tag and don't hunt it...

[hunter399]

Always easier to catch a trout when you have your fly in the water...  Also easier to shoot a bear if you spend time in the woods...

I have been guilty of buying a multi-season tag (2 times now) and not taking advantage of it.  Too many conflicting hobbies make it hard to get in the woods.  I suspect that is part of the problem.  I put in for points for OIL tags on years that I know it will be a challenge to get out in the field.

I wonder if the "non-participation rate" is higher or lower for the 2017 spring bear than it is for tags in general?  I.E. How many people buy an over the counter elk tag and don't hunt it...

I am guilty of buying elk tag and not hunting elk.
Sometimes I'm so tired after early deer season that I use elk in between to map search ,check game cam,and get ready for late buck

[Bango skank]

Always easier to catch a trout when you have your fly in the water...  Also easier to shoot a bear if you spend time in the woods...

I have been guilty of buying a multi-season tag (2 times now) and not taking advantage of it.  Too many conflicting hobbies make it hard to get in the woods.  I suspect that is part of the problem.  I put in for points for OIL tags on years that I know it will be a challenge to get out in the field.

I wonder if the "non-participation rate" is higher or lower for the 2017 spring bear than it is for tags in general?  I.E. How many people buy an over the counter elk tag and don't hunt it...

I am guilty of buying elk tag and not hunting elk.
Sometimes I'm so tired after early deer season that I use elk in between to map search ,check game cam,and get ready for late buck

Yeah, but if you waste your elk tag, thats your problem, nobody cares.  In fact id say most people are glad to have less elk hunters and deer hunters getting out there.  Its not like wasting a spring bear permit, we need those getting filled.  We dont need your elk tag getting filled.

[Stein]

My guess is that if the tag holder success jumped up, there would be fewer spring tags as they have a targeted harvest goal.

If they didn't want to limit the amount of bears shot, they would issue a ton of tags or even a general season and collect more money on license sales.

[BULLBLASTER]

Always easier to catch a trout when you have your fly in the water...  Also easier to shoot a bear if you spend time in the woods...

I have been guilty of buying a multi-season tag (2 times now) and not taking advantage of it.  Too many conflicting hobbies make it hard to get in the woods.  I suspect that is part of the problem.  I put in for points for OIL tags on years that I know it will be a challenge to get out in the field.

I wonder if the "non-participation rate" is higher or lower for the 2017 spring bear than it is for tags in general?  I.E. How many people buy an over the counter elk tag and don't hunt it...

I am guilty of buying elk tag and not hunting elk.
Sometimes I'm so tired after early deer season that I use elk in between to map search ,check game cam,and get ready for late buck

Yeah, but if you waste your elk tag, thats your problem, nobody cares.  In fact id say most people are glad to have less elk hunters and deer hunters getting out there.  Its not like wasting a spring bear permit, we need those getting filled.  We dont need your elk tag getting filled.

Since that same bear can’t be killed in the fall on a general tag?

[Bango skank]

Always easier to catch a trout when you have your fly in the water...  Also easier to shoot a bear if you spend time in the woods...

I have been guilty of buying a multi-season tag (2 times now) and not taking advantage of it.  Too many conflicting hobbies make it hard to get in the woods.  I suspect that is part of the problem.  I put in for points for OIL tags on years that I know it will be a challenge to get out in the field.

I wonder if the "non-participation rate" is higher or lower for the 2017 spring bear than it is for tags in general?  I.E. How many people buy an over the counter elk tag and don't hunt it...

I am guilty of buying elk tag and not hunting elk.
Sometimes I'm so tired after early deer season that I use elk in between to map search ,check game cam,and get ready for late buck

Yeah, but if you waste your elk tag, thats your problem, nobody cares.  In fact id say most people are glad to have less elk hunters and deer hunters getting out there.  Its not like wasting a spring bear permit, we need those getting filled.  We dont need your elk tag getting filled.

Since that same bear can’t be killed in the fall on a general tag?

Sure it can, but by then its already had its impact on our fawns and calfs for the year.  Plus its a lot less likely to be killed in the fall.  Much easier to fill a bear tag in may up here than it is in september

[HoofsandWings]

Each year I check the all species box when purchasing my license. That does not mean I actively hunt all 4 species, but it is handy to have should I come across one.
You can't shoot first and buy the tag later. Plus I put in for the points option for each permit I am qualified for. It is nice to have should I decide to actually choose to put in for a hunt.

[buckfvr]

You guys are giving wdfw way too much credit.......Sitting way over there, your guesses and other comments are so far off base its funny.....you have not a clue whats going on over here.  Thinking theyre doing the right thing over here or waiting for them to do it is a lost cause, we need aggressive predator control now, as in more predators removed from the mix, and that can only be cats and bears since the wolves are still safe, and have pushed the balance of nature past the tipping point.  If you guys are unwilling to listen to guys that live here in these woods,  so be it, but dont try and tell us we are wrong or stupid, because we arent.  You guys just arent here enough or at all to see for yourselves.

[BULLBLASTER]

You guys are giving wdfw way too much credit.......Sitting way over there, your guesses and other comments are so far off base its funny.....you have not a clue whats going on over here.  Thinking theyre doing the right thing over here or waiting for them to do it is a lost cause, we need aggressive predator control now, as in more predators removed from the mix, and that can only be cats and bears since the wolves are still safe, and have pushed the balance of nature past the tipping point.  If you guys are unwilling to listen to guys that live here in these woods,  so be it, but dont try and tell us we are wrong or stupid, because we arent.  You guys just arent here enough or at all to see for yourselves.

I’m not sure who in this thread has given wdfw too much credit. Or who you are referring to saying “way over there” if it’s me you are so far off base it isn’t funny. I live in Spokane and hunt the NE every year.
If it’s not me then carry on. 

[Bango skank]

You guys are giving wdfw way too much credit.......Sitting way over there, your guesses and other comments are so far off base its funny.....you have not a clue whats going on over here.  Thinking theyre doing the right thing over here or waiting for them to do it is a lost cause, we need aggressive predator control now, as in more predators removed from the mix, and that can only be cats and bears since the wolves are still safe, and have pushed the balance of nature past the tipping point.  If you guys are unwilling to listen to guys that live here in these woods,  so be it, but dont try and tell us we are wrong or stupid, because we arent.  You guys just arent here enough or at all to see for yourselves.

I’m not sure who in this thread has given wdfw too much credit. Or who you are referring to saying “way over there” if it’s me you are so far off base it isn’t funny. I live in Spokane and hunt the NE every year.
If it’s not me then carry on. 

Everybody who claims wdfw is keeping bear harvest at an appropriate level is giving wdfw too much credit

[Stein]

I think we are saying they are keeping it at some level they decided was appropriate.  I didn't defend or refute that level, just saying the tag numbers are adjusted up or down to manage to that level.  If the harvest percentages jump, I would expect the number of tags issued to drop and vice versa.  Thus, it would only impact a few bears in one year, not a bunch every year.

The place where hunters can make a difference is the general tag. 

[JakeLand]

Timing s everything
From my perspective they open the spring tag a month too early there’s too much snow and not enough green. The last week of the spring season is marginal at best on a good year on a year like this it’s going to be a tough one. The Monroe tag was decent but wait they took that tag out of the draw

[jackelope]

You guys are giving wdfw way too much credit.......Sitting way over there, your guesses and other comments are so far off base its funny.....you have not a clue whats going on over here.  Thinking theyre doing the right thing over here or waiting for them to do it is a lost cause, we need aggressive predator control now, as in more predators removed from the mix, and that can only be cats and bears since the wolves are still safe, and have pushed the balance of nature past the tipping point.  If you guys are unwilling to listen to guys that live here in these woods,  so be it, but dont try and tell us we are wrong or stupid, because we arent.  You guys just arent here enough or at all to see for yourselves.

I’m not sure who in this thread has given wdfw too much credit. Or who you are referring to saying “way over there” if it’s me you are so far off base it isn’t funny. I live in Spokane and hunt the NE every year.
If it’s not me then carry on. 

His "way over there" I was guessing was referring to us wetsiders. We barely know how to get to NE WA, nevermind hunt there.

[hunter399]

Looks like this topic going down the poop hole.
Anyway some areas are way overpopulated ,while some areas are maybe close to decent population.Part of the problem is bear numbers are just a estimated.

Estimated 20k-25k bears in Washington maybe more

Here's a like to statewide harvest total for 2017

https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/management/game-harvest/2017/black-bear-statewide

[Pac_NW]

Looks like this topic going down the poop hole.
Anyway some areas are way overpopulated ,while some areas are maybe close to decent population.Part of the problem is bear numbers are just a estimated.

Estimated 20k-25k bears in Washington maybe more

Here's a like to statewide harvest total for 2017

https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/management/game-harvest/2017/black-bear-statewide

This is spot on, the publishes biologists reports either say, yes there are bears here, but we dont count them, or no bears in the area.

Imo it's hard to establish a quota or harvest goal if they dont have reliable data.

[KFhunter]

get those poop sniffing dogs they used for wolf scat   


or how about just take our word for it, there's too many bear eating too many fawns and calves!

[Limhangerslayer]

I had the Dayton tag in 17.  I hunted 15 days on that tag, only saw two other bear hunters.  And one of then was my buddy that drew with me.  They could issue more tags for sure.  And open more units

[pianoman9701]

I'd like to see some units opened for spring bear down hear in the SW. Plenty of bears over here and plenty of public land. I believe the problem is the number of permits allowed for private landowners/timber companies skews the numbers.