Free: Contests & Raffles.
As described in the GMP, spring hunts are designed to address emerging management needs, such as black bear damage to trees in commercial timberlands, minimizing bear-human conflict, and/or to more evenly distribute harvest compared to fall seasons.The spring black bear permit hunts allow WDFW to geographically distribute hunters as compared to the general fall black bear season. This distribution provides additional recreational opportunity, and helps to mitigate bear timber damage, reduce bear densities in areas of high negative bear-human interactions and where ungulate neonate survival is low due to possible bear predation. The spring black bear permit season is designed to target specific areas where these opportunities and issues occur. Over the past ten years, Washington’s average annual black bear mortality was 1,771. The average fall harvest over the past five years was 1,556 and spring was 114. The previous five-year averages were 1,499 and 74, respectively. The proportional harvest of the spring season is small. The five-year average spring bear harvest is seven percent of the total bear harvest. Given the small percentage, spring bear hunting is unlikely to substantially diminish the bear resource.
Comment: Would like to see a general spring bear season.Bears can be more susceptible to harvest in the spring and that is why WDFW limits thescope of the spring bear season. Given that the bear resource is finite, opening a general spring bear season could result in a higher than desired bear harvest that would necessitate reducing harvest opportunity elsewhere. This could mean a reduced bag limit or a shorter fall season
The spring black bear permit hunts allow WDFW to geographically distribute hunters as compared to the general fall black bear season. This distribution provides additional recreational opportunity, and helps to mitigate bear timber damage, reduce bear densities in areas of high negative bear-human interactions and where ungulate neonate survival is low due to possible bear predation.
WDFW received a form letter from five hundred and four (504) people opposing spring bear hunting in general. Most of the three hundred and twenty-eight (328) people that participated in the online survey were in favor of the proposed rule changes. Those that were opposed had multiple reasons.
While at the same time the comission gets 2 anti hunters appointed and replacing One that was pretty good for hunters in comparison.Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
It only takes a couple minutes to jot an email. Let the commission know your thoughts: commission@dfw.wa.govSent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
Quote from: Special T on January 05, 2021, 07:51:56 AMWhile at the same time the comission gets 2 anti hunters appointed and replacing One that was pretty good for hunters in comparison.Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using TapatalkJust read Lorna Smith's website for her failed commissioner run. I'm thinking a photo hunt is all she would allow if it was up to her. :twocents:qq
WDFW is taking a bunch of heat over spring bear hunting, they have held the line more or less but I wouldn't expect much appetite to expand anything.
Please be aware that the spring bear rule that governs this hunt is currently being challenged through litigation. The pending litigation could result in cancellation of this hunt. If this occurs, we will notify hunters accordingly and identify next steps.
Game management by ballot box should be illegal.
im sure i'm wrong but i thought the majority of the lawsuit brought against WDFW was to basically end the "depredation" hunts that private timber companies used through DNR to get hound hunters in the spring on their lands to eradicate the bears. The spring hunts offered by WDFW through the special permit hunts was just the icing on that cake. Yes looking at the data the spring permit season offered by WDFW kills way less than 10 % of the total yearly bear harvest but i have yet to see statistics stating how many bears are killed in the spring by these "depredation" hound hunters