Washington wildlife managers considering passel of hunting rule changes

[Bob33]

Washington wildlife managers will consider a passel of changes to hunting rules next week, including limiting whitetail hunting opportunity in Northeast Washington and allowing hunters to use dogs to track injured game animals.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife commission meeting starts Thursday and ends Saturday with opportunity for public input throughout. The commission will vote on the proposals during its April meeting. The season-setting process happens every three years, with slight adjustments made year to year as needed.

“This is the big year,” said WDFW commissioner Kim Thorburn of Spokane.

The commission is also considering allowing 1x scopes on muzzleloading weapons and allowing hunters to shoot turkeys with rimfire rifles during the fall season, among other things.

Some details:

Dogs tracking wounded game

The commission will also consider a proposal to allow hunters to use a dog to track injured game animals. If approved, the rule would allow the use of one dog, on a leash, to track an injured game animal within 72 hours of shooting it. Hunters would not be allowed to use dogs to track bears or cougars.

WDFW staff recommend the commission approve the proposal.

“A lot of hunters really like the idea, because you don’t want to lose a wounded animal,” Thorburn said.

Marie Neumiller, the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council’s executive director, said members of the Spokane-based group had concerns initially about the dog proposal. The organization, however, supports the proposal as presented.

“You’re cutting down on waste,” she said. “And you’re enabling that hunter to find that animal.”

1x scopes on muzzleloaders

Under current Washington hunting regulations, muzzleloading firearms must have open or peep sights. Some hunters, however, have petitioned the department to allow 1x scopes and red dot scopes on muzzeloading firearms.

The commission will consider allowing 1x and red dot scopes.

“One-power scopes do not magnify the target, but rather provide a clearer sight window, in much the same way eyeglasses correct someone’s vision (for example, they make the target clearer, but don’t make it bigger),” according to a WDFW rule-making publication on the topic. “Common arguments against their use are typically related to the use of scopes not adhering to the spirit of primitive weapons.”

WDFW staff is not opposed to the change because it would not “result in more animals being harvested.”

Some hunters are opposed to the proposed change because of the effect it would have on the primitive hunting season.

“Our membership generally wants to keep the traditional hunting devices as traditional as possible,” Neumiller said.

Turkeys and rimfire rifles

The commission will consider allowing hunters to shoot turkeys with rimfire rifles between Oct. 15 and Nov. 15. It’s illegal now to shoot a turkey with a rifle.

Some have petitioned WDFW to change the rule in an effort to control nuisance turkeys, Aoude said.

“As birds get smart, they’re just out of range of the shotgun,” he said. “This may give an opportunity to harvest a few more turkeys in those areas.” It would also allow hunters to hunt multiple small-game species with the same weapon.

Delayed forest grouse season

The commission will also consider shifting the start of forest grouse season. Under the proposal, the season would run from Sept. 15 to Jan. 15, which would delay the start by two weeks and add two weeks at the end. The proposed change is in response to long-term declines in the forest grouse population.

In September, brood hens are particularly vulnerable. Delaying the start of the season, biologists believe, may improve forest grouse populations by increasing the survival of brood hens.

Elk-hoof disease incentive

The agency is considering incentivizing the harvest of elk with elk-hoof disease. The proposal would establish special permit opportunities for master hunters in 500 through 600 GMU series to harvest elk displaying signs of elk hoof disease such as limping, lameness or hoof abnormalities.

“That may be a way to reduce the prevalence of the disease,” Aoude said.

The commission will consider two proposals for whitetail hunting in Game Management Units 101 (Sherman), 105 (Kellyhill), 108 (Douglas), 111 (Aladdin), 113 (Selkirk), 117 (49 Degrees North) and 121 (Huckleberry).

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission will consider a number of hunting-rule proposals from March 25-27. Commissioners will vote on the proposals during their April meeting.

To listen in and comment, visit wdfw.wa.gov/about/commission/meetings/2021.

The first option, which is supported by WDFW staff, would make no change to the current, any buck season structure in Northeast Washington. Since 2019, there has been no antlerless whitetail opportunity in Northeast Washington. That restriction happened after hunters expressed concerns about faltering whitetail populations following an outbreak of bluetongue in 2015 and severe winter conditions in 2016 and 2017.

The second proposal would change season dates in GMUs 105-121 to a nine-day late season occurring Nov. 11-19. The late season now runs Nov. 7-19.

A vocal group of hunters in Northeast Washington has pushed for antlerpoint restrictions in that region. Between 2011 and 2014, there was a four-point minimum for whitetail deer in GMUs 117 and 121, despite WDFW staff not supporting the move. WDFW returned to an all buck season in 2015.

Antlerpoint restrictions hope to build a higher-quality herd and provide higher-quality hunting opportunities by allowing hunters to bag only more mature bucks. It’s based on a type of game management that requires fairly heavy-handed human intervention, Thorburn said.

“It’s based on habitat manipulation,” she said. “It’s not dealing with natural biological stuff. It’s a lot of management, as it says.”

As part of the 2021-23 season-setting process, WDFW partnered with Washington State University and surveyed deer hunters in Washington. The survey was emailed to more than 44,000 hunters that reported hunting in GMUs with white-tailed deer. Approximately 13,000 responded.

Most respondents were unhappy with mature white-tailed buck opportunities in the state. Respondents also didn’t support implementing more restrictive regulations, according to WDFW. In particular, respondents were against a four-point restriction.

Anis Aoude, WDFW game division manager, doesn’t believe an APR would improve quality. But at the end of the day the decision to not include an antlerpoint restriction in the proposals was due to the lack of public support.

“If everyone thought that was the way to go, we would have done it,” he said.

Dale Magart, secretary of the Northeast Washington Wildlife Group, is a proponent of antlerpoint restrictions. He believes the department will have to adjust the rules in the next three years.

“If it gets bad enough (hunter opportunity), they will have to address it,” he said. “We’re hoping when they do decide to do something that’s (four-point restriction) something they decide to do.”

Margaux Maxwell reports for the Yakima Herald-Republic and the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. She can be reached at mmaxwell@yakimaherald.com.

View on yakimaherald.com

[Platensek-po]

I thought they were gunna shorten the grouse season by 2 weeks but they are just moving it back instead? That’s fine by me.

[Russ McDonald]

The public comment I was told is the 26th and you have to pre register.

Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk

[bbarnes]

More master hunter oppertunitys give me a break I would not eat one of those sick elk it's getting worse and WDFW needs to take responsibility for there lack of effort.the agency needs restructured they are clueless and won't show up to work .

[hunter399]

WDFW doesn't believe an APR will help Improve quality.
In 2014 antlered harvest of 4pt whitetail was higher or the same than the any buck 2019 harvest.
So maybe he should look at a harvest report now and again maybe he is reading harvest reports like they read graphs .

I would say your chances of shooting a mature deer almost doubles with an APR ,after a three year period. Also your success rate of harvest goes up since harvest was higher with a APR.
I'm going to post harvest totals for 2014 with an APR for three years and 2019 which is the most recent.
I have red arrow that shows the antlered harvest for the district also take a look at the number of 4 and 5 point harvested in 2014 .

[hunter399]

Here's a graph from the WSU survey.
The one thing hunters don't want is a shorter season.
Yet that the first thing WDFW recommend. It's not what they recommend now.But is what they recommended instead of an APR. They could of gave us an APR and added 7 days to every deer season in district 1.
They act like the WSU survey is gospel bible or something,but at the same time seems like they can't read there own graph.

[hunter399]

Just like the graph above says, Its more like a 50/50 on hunter who agree or disagree with some kind of APR.
There public comment in February did not include the question on if hunters agree or disagree with a shorter season.Its pretty clear what the answer to that is by the graph above. They combined district 1 with 124gmu in the questions in February survey. Which in my opinion does not give clear info on what hunters want. Trying to slide in shorter seasons for district 1 and taking antlerless away in 124 due to poor deer population in the same question.Was shady as all get out.
Basically what I support.......
No change
APR with longer seasons for three years .
Where shorter season came into this proposal ,it was not proposed by hunters I know that.
Sorry guys
Rant Over
I'll shut up now.

[cougforester]

Just like the graph above says, Its more like a 50/50 on hunter who agree or disagree with some kind of APR.
There public comment in February did not include the question on if hunters agree or disagree with a shorter season.Its pretty clear what the answer to that is by the graph above. They combined district 1 with 124gmu in the questions in February survey. Which in my opinion does not give clear info on what hunters want. Trying to slide in shorter seasons for district 1 and taking antlerless away in 124 due to poor deer population in the same question.Was shady as all get out.
Basically what I support.......
No change
APR with longer seasons for three years .
Where shorter season came into this proposal ,it was not proposed by hunters I know that.
Sorry guys
Rant Over
I'll shut up now.

No don't, seriously. I like hearing these conversations and points of view people are passionate and knowledgable about! I got so frustrated with the recent public comment period and how they grouped so many topics together, but I didn't remember how they did that on the WSU study too.

I distinctly do not remember saying I support shorter seasons though, nor there being an option to say I would support or oppose shorter seasons.

Heck I think even a 3 or minimum for late modern season would help, just like how the Palouse tag is.

[elkboy]

I was also frustrated with the "grouping of topics", especially when I agreed with two changes but strongly disagreed with the third proposed change (in the muzzleloader changes, for example).   It is a pretty fundamental error when it comes to survey methodology.  And cougforester, you're right, there were situations where the options were not exhaustive. 

[msg]

The surveys are built on confusion and deception! P66 in Ferndale started something very similar, you had to pass or could not work there. Quite a few long term employees did not pass .They did not answer what they wanted to hear!

[Special T]

Washington wildlife managers will consider a passel of changes to hunting rules next week, including limiting whitetail hunting opportunity in Northeast Washington and allowing hunters to use dogs to track injured game animals.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife commission meeting starts Thursday and ends Saturday with opportunity for public input throughout. The commission will vote on the proposals during its April meeting. The season-setting process happens every three years, with slight adjustments made year to year as needed.

“This is the big year,” said WDFW commissioner Kim Thorburn of Spokane.

The commission is also considering allowing 1x scopes on muzzleloading weapons and allowing hunters to shoot turkeys with rimfire rifles during the fall season, among other things.

Some details:

Dogs tracking wounded game

The commission will also consider a proposal to allow hunters to use a dog to track injured game animals. If approved, the rule would allow the use of one dog, on a leash, to track an injured game animal within 72 hours of shooting it. Hunters would not be allowed to use dogs to track bears or cougars.

WDFW staff recommend the commission approve the proposal.

“A lot of hunters really like the idea, because you don’t want to lose a wounded animal,” Thorburn said.

Marie Neumiller, the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council’s executive director, said members of the Spokane-based group had concerns initially about the dog proposal. The organization, however, supports the proposal as presented.

“You’re cutting down on waste,” she said. “And you’re enabling that hunter to find that animal.”

I dont want to see waste, and I dont see the harm in bloodtrailing wounded animals on a leash.

1x scopes on muzzleloaders

Under current Washington hunting regulations, muzzleloading firearms must have open or peep sights. Some hunters, however, have petitioned the department to allow 1x scopes and red dot scopes on muzzeloading firearms.

The commission will consider allowing 1x and red dot scopes.

“One-power scopes do not magnify the target, but rather provide a clearer sight window, in much the same way eyeglasses correct someone’s vision (for example, they make the target clearer, but don’t make it bigger),” according to a WDFW rule-making publication on the topic. “Common arguments against their use are typically related to the use of scopes not adhering to the spirit of primitive weapons.”

WDFW staff is not opposed to the change because it would not “result in more animals being harvested.”

Some hunters are opposed to the proposed change because of the effect it would have on the primitive hunting season.

“Our membership generally wants to keep the traditional hunting devices as traditional as possible,” Neumiller said.

Fact is that what ever you think this was done to help folks whom need reading glasses to stay in the game. The Muzzy change seems to be the most controversial but archers were able to get classifiers for their peep sites legalized. The age demographic is getting older and many whom use Muzzy or archery gear wont hunt with a rifle.

Turkeys and rimfire rifles

The commission will consider allowing hunters to shoot turkeys with rimfire rifles between Oct. 15 and Nov. 15. It’s illegal now to shoot a turkey with a rifle.

Some have petitioned WDFW to change the rule in an effort to control nuisance turkeys, Aoude said.

“As birds get smart, they’re just out of range of the shotgun,” he said. “This may give an opportunity to harvest a few more turkeys in those areas.” It would also allow hunters to hunt multiple small-game species with the same weapon.

Delayed forest grouse season

The commission will also consider shifting the start of forest grouse season. Under the proposal, the season would run from Sept. 15 to Jan. 15, which would delay the start by two weeks and add two weeks at the end. The proposed change is in response to long-term declines in the forest grouse population.

In September, brood hens are particularly vulnerable. Delaying the start of the season, biologists believe, may improve forest grouse populations by increasing the survival of brood hens.
I believe most grouse harvest is incidental. Folks hunting deer and elk do most of the harvest with some dedicated hunters targeting them but not to any real extent. I doubt pushing back 2 weeks will do more than just reduce Archers incidental harvest.

Elk-hoof disease incentive

The agency is considering incentivizing the harvest of elk with elk-hoof disease. The proposal would establish special permit opportunities for master hunters in 500 through 600 GMU series to harvest elk displaying signs of elk hoof disease such as limping, lameness or hoof abnormalities.

“That may be a way to reduce the prevalence of the disease,” Aoude said.

The commission will consider two proposals for whitetail hunting in Game Management Units 101 (Sherman), 105 (Kellyhill), 108 (Douglas), 111 (Aladdin), 113 (Selkirk), 117 (49 Degrees North) and 121 (Huckleberry).

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission will consider a number of hunting-rule proposals from March 25-27. Commissioners will vote on the proposals during their April meeting.

To listen in and comment, visit wdfw.wa.gov/about/commission/meetings/2021.

The first option, which is supported by WDFW staff, would make no change to the current, any buck season structure in Northeast Washington. Since 2019, there has been no antlerless whitetail opportunity in Northeast Washington. That restriction happened after hunters expressed concerns about faltering whitetail populations following an outbreak of bluetongue in 2015 and severe winter conditions in 2016 and 2017.

The second proposal would change season dates in GMUs 105-121 to a nine-day late season occurring Nov. 11-19. The late season now runs Nov. 7-19.

A vocal group of hunters in Northeast Washington has pushed for antlerpoint restrictions in that region. Between 2011 and 2014, there was a four-point minimum for whitetail deer in GMUs 117 and 121, despite WDFW staff not supporting the move. WDFW returned to an all buck season in 2015.

Antlerpoint restrictions hope to build a higher-quality herd and provide higher-quality hunting opportunities by allowing hunters to bag only more mature bucks. It’s based on a type of game management that requires fairly heavy-handed human intervention, Thorburn said.

“It’s based on habitat manipulation,” she said. “It’s not dealing with natural biological stuff. It’s a lot of management, as it says.”

As part of the 2021-23 season-setting process, WDFW partnered with Washington State University and surveyed deer hunters in Washington. The survey was emailed to more than 44,000 hunters that reported hunting in GMUs with white-tailed deer. Approximately 13,000 responded.

Most respondents were unhappy with mature white-tailed buck opportunities in the state. Respondents also didn’t support implementing more restrictive regulations, according to WDFW. In particular, respondents were against a four-point restriction.

Anis Aoude, WDFW game division manager, doesn’t believe an APR would improve quality. But at the end of the day the decision to not include an antlerpoint restriction in the proposals was due to the lack of public support.

“If everyone thought that was the way to go, we would have done it,” he said.

Dale Magart, secretary of the Northeast Washington Wildlife Group, is a proponent of antlerpoint restrictions. He believes the department will have to adjust the rules in the next three years.

“If it gets bad enough (hunter opportunity), they will have to address it,” he said. “We’re hoping when they do decide to do something that’s (four-point restriction) something they decide to do.”

I don't hunt this area so I dont have a dog in the fight. Whitetail have been the most studied of all 4 deer species. If you read much QDM deer herds and APRs are managed when numbers are in abundance. passing on small bucks and shooting Does instead. The NE has had a bad predator problem and If nothing is done on that front everything else is grasping at staws. I feel for those in the NE since they have been so hampered to prevent meaningful predator management. What I would like ot see is the status Quo because it creates a longer time line to address the real issue, Predators, and not give wiggle room to the Antis or the department to stall on dealing with predators.

Margaux Maxwell reports for the Yakima Herald-Republic and the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. She can be reached at mmaxwell@yakimaherald.com.

View on yakimaherald.com

[bbarnes]

They don't care about your comments there agendas already set they just have to do a public process to take comments to comply with the public meetings act .

[wolfbait]

They don't care about your comments there agendas already set they just have to do a public process to take comments to comply with the public meetings act .

 

[hunter399]

They don't care about your comments there agendas already set they just have to do a public process to take comments to comply with the public meetings act .

 

+1 Agreed
They don't give @$!# about our comments.
Harvest Reports are a joke. They say they use them for management. But I'm not really seeing it.
After all this talk of management,science,habitat,biological,Bad Winters,Blue Tounge,Harvest Reports,This person believe this,That person says that.
At the end of the day they still won't consider the elephant in the room.
PREDATOR PIT NE Washington has become.
Won't take steps to improve opportunity,lengthen seasons,
Provided opportunity for youth,disabled,65 over, through an APR season.

One thing you can bet the bank ,if they shorten the season we will never see those days back as OTC hunting.

[Special T]

They don't care about your comments there agendas already set they just have to do a public process to take comments to comply with the public meetings act .

 

+1 Agreed
They don't give @$!# about our comments.
Harvest Reports are a joke. They say they use them for management. But I'm not really seeing it.
After all this talk of management,science,habitat,biological,Bad Winters,Blue Tounge,Harvest Reports,This person believe this,That person says that.
At the end of the day they still won't consider the elephant in the room.
PREDATOR PIT NE Washington has become.
Won't take steps to improve opportunity,lengthen seasons,
Provided opportunity for youth,disabled,65 over, through an APR season.

One thing you can bet the bank ,if they shorten the season we will never see those days back as OTC hunting.

So you have been advocated for the 4 pt apr, but acknowledge that the lack of  predator management is part of the problem. Why take the APR stance? Am I correct in my assumption of where many in the NE are at? Deperate to try something/anything?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk