Spring Bear Closed

[carandc]

If youre dying to go hunting, cougar is still open in most units.  Tomorrow is the last day to fill your 2019 tag.  Starting wednesday youll need a 2020 tag.  Bear may be suspended, but you can go hunt cats right now, and dont even need to travel to the ne corner to do so.  Better than sitting in your house getting nagged by the wife, right?  Go kill some cats!

Can you point me to where you found that info? I thought I could use my '19 tag since the regs say, "A 2019 cougar license/tag is required to hunt cougar in April 2020."

I'm looking to go out calling again into April and don't want to get in trouble and also don't want to waste my '20 tag if I don't have to.

Thanks - I appreciate all of your postings on cougar stuff.

[Bango skank]

If youre dying to go hunting, cougar is still open in most units.  Tomorrow is the last day to fill your 2019 tag.  Starting wednesday youll need a 2020 tag.  Bear may be suspended, but you can go hunt cats right now, and dont even need to travel to the ne corner to do so.  Better than sitting in your house getting nagged by the wife, right?  Go kill some cats!

Can you point me to where you found that info? I thought I could use my '19 tag since the regs say, "A 2019 cougar license/tag is required to hunt cougar in April 2020."

I'm looking to go out calling again into April and don't want to get in trouble and also don't want to waste my '20 tag if I don't have to.

Thanks - I appreciate all of your postings on cougar stuff.

That was a misprint.  They even corrected it in the downloadable regs.  April 1st begins a new license year, and a 2020 cougar tag is required.

Here is the correction

[cougforester]

Maybe WDFW should have a little online course (like Bear ID or something) that covers social distancing and coronavirus mitigation/responsibilities.  It could cover stopping for gas, bathroom, how/where to get groceries.........  If you don't get a 100%, you don't get your tag or fishing license until you do.   

Don't give them ideas. 6 dollars to apply for a gas station endorsement, 17 bucks for gas and groceries, 22.50 for gas, groceries and public campgrounds. Can't you see it?

[Bango skank]

Subject: Spring bear hunt

 My email to WDFW

DFW,

I'm writting to get clarification on the spring bear hunt. I would like to hunt this spring but at the same time I don't want to lose my points for a very short hunting season. Will permit holders be notified before the season opens, to have a chance to request their points back before losing them. Aka will we be notified 2 or 3 days before a planned season opener?

Reply.....

Thank you for contacting the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

 

No, If you do not let us know you would like point restoration before April 1st, you would no longer be eligible unless the season does not open at all.

 

Sincerely,

 

Wildlife Program Customer Service

360-902-2515

Wow, so you get like one whole day of notice?  Whst a pile of crap.

[Skillet]

 

That is a pretty firm Rodgering.

It should be that they allow you to make the decision to redeem points any time up to the point they re-open the season.  What if you take the chance and they open it for one weekend in June?

This reeks of poor management. 

[Bango skank]

Yeah, they need to get their act together.  Hey, know what could have solved the problem about this whole getting points back mess?  OTC SPRING BEAR!  And if they just had otc spring bear in every unit, like they should, people wouldnt have to cross the whole damn state to come up here.  The hunting pressure could be spread out across the state, wouldnt even have to cancel the season.

[cem3434]

Yeah, they need to get their act together.  Hey, know what could have solved the problem about this whole getting points back mess?  OTC SPRING BEAR!

Couldnt agree more, but how would the get more money out of us? Think of all the money WDFW would be losing in spring bear apps.

[Bango skank]

Yeah, they need to get their act together.  Hey, know what could have solved the problem about this whole getting points back mess?  OTC SPRING BEAR!

Couldnt agree more, but how would the get more money out of us? Think of all the money WDFW would be losing in spring bear apps.

I gave them a specific idea on that which i believe would work, and if it didnt they could always go back after s trial period of otc.
  Otc spring bear, but a "spring bear" license is only valid in the spring.  Dont fill it by the end of the spring season?  Its worthless, have to buy fall tags to hunt fall.  I think theyd end up making more money that way.

[cem3434]

Pretty solid plan and I think you're right on it generating more income for them.

[drhunter04]

I have attach a screen shot of the Reply from my post earlier, that was a copy and paste of the email.

[millerwheeler]

Yeah, they need to get their act together.  Hey, know what could have solved the problem about this whole getting points back mess?  OTC SPRING BEAR!  And if they just had otc spring bear in every unit, like they should, people wouldnt have to cross the whole damn state to come up here.  The hunting pressure could be spread out across the state, wouldnt even have to cancel the season.

That really wouldn't solve the problem most people recreate away from home? Most people don't hunt  in the gmu they live in correct? I'm just saying  even if it was otc  I'm sure they still would have cancelled it . Look at youth turkey,  and u can bet turkey season is next . I'm pissed about it took 8 years for me to draw but when people recreate and travel they do breathe life into small.towns and the economy. This whole China virus crap sucks .

[HUNT JR]

It sucks that this happened, but I am gonna hold out. I truly believe that seasons will be opened by May and, as others have said, bears aren't really out until then anyway. Even if I only get a week or two, I will give it my best shot.

[HoytHunter24]

Well I think I am going to play stupid on this. The email they officially sent out specifically states we can get our points back at any time. If they refuse, they have no leg to stand on and I am sure it will be a *censored* show. I am willing to bet far less than half the people who drew tags are on this forum and know about the contradictory statements from the WDFW.

I just want to go bear hunting

[baker5150]

Fishing, I kind of understood do to the shear numbers of people statewide and limited access on the west side of the state (it was explained very well on another thread).  Spring Bear is very limited....like less than 700 participants spread literally all over the state.  There are more than 700 people daily driving all over the state just because.  Instead of closing it they should have put out a public memo to stay safe when hunting and reccomended packing all needed food, wearing gloves at the gass stations and being responsible.  Just doesn't make much sense when it is such a small part of the population and they would be social distancing in the woods where they are less likely to infect others or become infected.   

I thought it was only some NE units?  Somehow they figured 90% of the hunters going to those units were from the westside units loaded with coronavirus.
I guess they don't have any residents from the NE hunting the westside units, having to drive through Seattle or Tacoma, and then bring it back later?

They know where the tag holders live, they have all their personal info.  So they know where the tag holders are traveling from.

[baker5150]

I have attach a screen shot of the Reply from my post earlier, that was a copy and paste of the email.

It could be that the person replying to your email is confusing "Refund" with "Point restoration"

The email says "Refund before season opens"
Point restoration says "anytime"

We have seen contradicting statements by WDFW employees and enforcement in the past, in almost every subject, I wouldn't be surprised if this was another case.