Future of Spring Bear in this State

[Ridgerunner]

Curious as to how many more years do you guys think we will have spring bear hunting in this state? 

[bearpaw]

IMO: If it survives the next couple commission meetings it will probably be around for several more years!

[Tbar]

I think there is an organized push to end it. That push will be around long after the next few commission meetings. So unless something changes in terms of advocacy my guess would be 3 years to finish out this management cycle.

[D-Rock425]

Glad I spent my 8 points a couple years ago.

[bearpaw]

I think there is an organized push to end it. That push will be around long after the next few commission meetings. So unless something changes in terms of advocacy my guess would be 3 years to finish out this management cycle.

  Agreed, every 3 years it will be at the greatest risk!

[Tbar]

I think there is an organized push to end it. That push will be around long after the next few commission meetings. So unless something changes in terms of advocacy my guess would be 3 years to finish out this management cycle.

  Agreed, every 3 years it will be at the greatest risk!

Right now and I mean as we speak, there are out of state forces building their propaganda machine for an all out ban on spring bear. They are not focused on WACs or data.

[RB]

How soon will we know this years season dates and when we can apply?

[bullfever]

No question there are groups pushing to end the spring bear permit season here.

At a minimum, let's do our part and speak up at these meetings when they open it for public comment. I know I will be trying to participate more. It may or may not help, but I believe it can. The overwhelming majority of public comments are from these groups discussing their feelings about bears, not much (if any) science or conversation is discussed.

Their go-to's are that bears are sentient, we the people are encroaching on their habitat, killing females with cubs, the list goes on with their feelings.

After all, they are just warm, cuddly creatures, you know. They couldn't be an apex predator that needs managing in order for healthy prey populations to exist, along with a slew of other benefits.

[Skyvalhunter]

Just curious what their rationale is for ending spring bear? Are they saying that sows with cubs are being killed during this time? what do they think is their justification?

[trophyhunt]

How soon will we know this years season dates and when we can apply?

You can apply now, I did this past weekend.

[Stein]

Just curious what their rationale is for ending spring bear? Are they saying that sows with cubs are being killed during this time? what do they think is their justification?

I think it's anti-hunters pulling a thread they think will work.  The overall theme is bear hunting is trophy only, spring is shooting them when they are at their weakest and most vulnerable and leave cubs motherless.

It's all messaging and what they can sell.

[Skyvalhunter]

So its a ploy to pull at the publics heart strings. A sow can be shot in the fall too if the hunter doesn't pay attention. Just like a thought another way like when they got rid of hound hunting of bears, or baiting. One hunt at a time.

[Stein]

There are anti-hunting groups, but I don't think there are anti-bear hunting groups or anti-spring hunting groups.  There are organizations with names like that, but they are always shells for larger organizations that set them up for a specific campaign.  I haven't seen a situation where any of the groups in discussion have gotten what they asked for and went home (hunting with dogs is an example).  I also haven't seen them support this hunting but not that like we sometimes do amongst ourselves on this site.

[callturner]

I think the state opened the seasons for bear up to what it is today because they cannot control the population after boning the hound hunters. State wide 2 tags, spring seasons whatever. The hound guys opened up the spring seasons across the state when they got kicked to the curb. With more and more problems the season gets promoted. They let stupid laws get voted in and then try to figure out how to fix the problem they created. Lions and wolfs are in the mix too.

[gutsnthegrass]

I don't understand how the thought of ending spring bear permits can even be entertained with the over abundance of bears in this state.  I am not a biologist, but boots on the ground intel tells me that there are way more bears than what they believe are out there.  In my own opinion, there should be a general spring bear hunt here like in other states.  Just my 

[ridgefire]

I wish it was over the counter for spring bear. I swear there are more bears than deer where I deer hunt on the west side.

[dilleytech]

I wish it was over the counter for spring bear. I swear there are more bears than deer where I deer hunt on the west side.

I feel the same way in southern wa. Certainly more bear then mature bucks.

[konradcountry]

I wish it was over the counter for spring bear. I swear there are more bears than deer where I deer hunt on the west side.

I was tracking a big one last year on west side public and didn't see a single doe.

Then probably a dozen guys showed up for modern. Yea good luck with that.