Commenting on new rules effecting trapping

[Humptulips]

There are a couple new proposals from the Agency that are open for comment.
One is a proposal to allow trapping of rabbits and hares and the other is a closure of Marten trapping on the Olympic Peninsula.
Comments are supposed to submitted here https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations/season-setting
Look in small game at the very end for the rabbit/hare proposal.
however I have been unable to comment on the rabbit/hare proposal because the comment section seems to cut off right in the middle of the proposal. The Marten closure seems not there at all.
I have complained and been told it is fine. Could someone else let me know if it works for you.
I submitted comments directly to the Section Manager but if the comment section isn't working for others I need to make it known to WDFW.
I saw no problem with passage of the rabbit/hare proposal but registered mild opposition to the marten closure based on the Department losing data from trappers on occurrence of marten.
On the whole though I do not think either  will effect trappers much.

[Jonathan_S]

I see both sections for rabbit/hates and marten closure

[Humptulips]

If you don't mind answering what browser are you using? I'm using Microsoft Edge.

[Jonathan_S]

Google Chrome

[Loup Loup]

I predicted this Marten closure would be the result after they released Fisher, essentially an invasive specie, into the mix. The Fisher is the new Spotted owl.

[JakeLand]

I predicted this Marten closure would be the result after they released Fisher, essentially an invasive specie, into the mix. The Fisher is the new Spotted owl.

i think I was saying thee exact thing wherever Fisher were released

[predatorpro]

Its amazing marten that you need to get a hair sample from to get a dna sample of to determine what type of marten it is has been seen and confirmed with visual confirmation that it is for sure a pacific marten....or is this more one of those things when a mule deer walks across into a west side unit and becomes a blacktail?

[Humptulips]

I don't believe fisher reintroduction has anything to do with it. There has been pressure to protect Pacific Marten predating the fisher reintroduction. It picked up speed when OR did it. WDFW doesn't want to be left out.

[predatorpro]

I don't believe fisher reintroduction has anything to do with it. There has been pressure to protect Pacific Marten predating the fisher reintroduction. It picked up speed when OR did it. WDFW doesn't want to be left out.

Has trapping in washington been reducing the pacific martens population in washington? What group is pushing this?

[JakeLand]

I don't believe fisher reintroduction has anything to do with it. There has been pressure to protect Pacific Marten predating the fisher reintroduction. It picked up speed when OR did it. WDFW doesn't want to be left out.

Has trapping in washington been reducing the pacific martens population in washington? What group is pushing this?

marten numbers are not hurting at all

[Angry Perch]

Humptulips, did you figure it out? When I get to the bottom, it stops here. Unless your mouse/ cursor is in the text box, it won't scroll down.

[Loup Loup]

If WDFW did indeed feel Marten were in trouble on the peninsula, why in the world would you release an invasive specie, Fisher, that competes with the Marten for prey not to mention kills and eats Marten. All trappers in BC and Alberta say the Fisher has a negative affect on their Marten populations. To quate an Idaho Conservation officer, where Fisher were introduced in the 60s and are now numerous. Yet they cannot get a trapping season on them." These Fisher are a menace".
So put Fisher on the ground. Close Marten season either because the Fisher population is pushing the Martens out. Or if you were a wildlife manager who was against the consumptive use of wildlife, you would have a case that you need to close Marten trapping because invasive, introduced, threatened, Fisher could be taken incidentally and killed. Like has happened.
No different then how WDFW outlawed the night hunting of Bobcat in much of NCW because they look like a Lynx.
I predicted the outlawing of trapping on a specie by specie stratagy. I predicted this several years ago. I predicted the first specie they would start with would be Marten.
I wish I were wrong.
I have never looked for Marten on the peninsula. Evidentially neither has the WDFW until after they released Fisher there. But in all the places Ive trapped Marten in WA the only predator that Ive seen more numerous are Coyotes.

[Humptulips]

I don't believe fisher reintroduction has anything to do with it. There has been pressure to protect Pacific Marten predating the fisher reintroduction. It picked up speed when OR did it. WDFW doesn't want to be left out.

Has trapping in washington been reducing the pacific martens population in washington? What group is pushing this?

I believe the main push for this is coming from within the Department. I do not know of any marten being trapped on the Peninsula since the late 70s. Every trapper that I know of that trapped them trapped them in the lowland scrub cedar areas. What we used to call non-merch as in the timber was not merchantable. That has all been logged. They also inhabit high elevations but that is all in the Park. Why they don't show up else where is anybody's guess but it is a cinch trappers are having zero effect on them.
I don't think it matters much to s but I opposed it because the trappers report of catch would be the best way for the Department to find where they are at. Without trappers the department will get no information on them. As far as information goes a report of no catch in an area might be as significant as a catch but they will never know if this passes.

[Humptulips]

Humptulips, did you figure it out? When I get to the bottom, it stops here. Unless your mouse/ cursor is in the text box, it won't scroll down.

That didn't work for me but I did make it scroll down by clicking on the line to the right of the text. Not the far right line but the closest line to the right.

[Loup Loup]

Concerning the Trapper Report of Catch:
On the old form there has not been a box asking for your Marten catch for many seasons. On the new form the trapper enters the species taken in the box. They don't ask if you trapped for an animal yet did not catch one.
Now the State Harvest statistics:
WDFW has a column for every furbearer with the exception of Fox, Bobcat, and Marten. Bobcat are listed on their CITIES page. In addition to the furbearers they list they have columns for Coyote, Nutria, and Skunk. Which are not even classified as furbearers.
So evidently WDFW is more concerned with tracking and reporting the harvest of an unclassified varmint, the Skunk, then they are a valuable furbearer harvested in all mountainous regions of this state, the Marten.
By the way, I predict the Red Fox to be the next specie on WDFW list to out law the trapping of.
I always say a zero on a report is still data. But when the question/issue is never brought up, a researcher can enter a zero and interpret/argue it any way they want.
The harvest statistics are on WDFW site, have a look.