Final days to speak your mind to the WDFW Commission about spring bear

[saylean]

They (WDFW Commission) are being presented with the legal petitions this Friday. No public commment will be allowed during the meeting. So, NOW is the time to speak in favor of spring bear and the petitions. You can go directly to the WDFW Commission site online to make a comment or head over to www.howlforwildlife.org and they make it very simple and easy to take action. It takes 30 seconds to do. So if you want your voice to be added to the group in favor of spring bear, I'd suggest heading over and doing it before its too late.

Cheers!
Douglas Boze

[trophyhunt]

Thanks for the heads up!  So the big question is, are they going to revote on this matter?

[pickardjw]

Officially they are just reviewing the petitions. If they decide to re-vote they will probably make that decision Friday. Whether they actually re-vote in that session or later is anyone's guess.

Personally, not getting my hopes up that they re-vote. If they do it seems like it will hinge on Commissioner Anderson's vote since Koontz is gone. Anderson will be in Costa Rica on a mission trip since this is not a regularly scheduled meeting. He was a yes vote, so if he can't vote we may end up with a 3-3 tie.

I think our public input and comments have been helpful but I doubt it will change any of the "No" vote Commissioner's minds.

[hunter399]

WDFW is making a pretty good effort to try and bring it back.
The director was talking at one those open house /town hall
Things they do.
From the jist of of it, they are trying to complete a hard count of bear through DNA hair snare trap thing. To have a little more complete data on what our bear population really is. Not just some estimate, Now I can't really tell ya that it will turn out to be a "good thing" or not.
With the way everybody is so crazy about the science since covid started. Me personally don't give two 💩 about the science. Our seasons should stay about the same as normal along as sustainable is there. Spring bear has never been a season with enough harvest to effect sustainable,but fall harvest may be with two tags,I don't really know.

Bear hair snare project has probably been on going for who knows how many years. Bear hibernation and so on probably takes awhile. WDFW dropped the ball on that one,but the hope is they pick it up a run a touch down next year.

One other thing that really bugs me with the Commission is these executive meeting they have,after the public meeting.
Where they voice there real opinions,take recommendations from the WDFW and all that. Seems to me that every meeting should be able to at minimum be viewed by the public,No closed door meetings,No skeletons in the closet,dropped right on the table.

Sorry I ramble on too much!!!!

[harveymarv]

The 3 petitions the commission is considering have been posted online under the agenda for Friday:

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-01/spring_bear_petitions_-_all.pdf

If you haven’t, take a look at em and email the commission letting them know where your support is.

There’s been a great uproar from hunters to get the season reinstated, either by revote or rule amendment. If Anderson could vote or just one no vote could be turned (carpenter or baker? ha)…

[Harbor_hunter]

Done!  Very easy to let your voice be heard.

[huntnnw]

WDFW is making a pretty good effort to try and bring it back.
The director was talking at one those open house /town hall
Things they do.
From the jist of of it, they are trying to complete a hard count of bear through DNA hair snare trap thing. To have a little more complete data on what our bear population really is. Not just some estimate, Now I can't really tell ya that it will turn out to be a "good thing" or not.
With the way everybody is so crazy about the science since covid started. Me personally don't give two 💩 about the science. Our seasons should stay about the same as normal along as sustainable is there. Spring bear has never been a season with enough harvest to effect sustainable,but fall harvest may be with two tags,I don't really know.

Bear hair snare project has probably been on going for who knows how many years. Bear hibernation and so on probably takes awhile. WDFW dropped the ball on that one,but the hope is they pick it up a run a touch down next year.

One other thing that really bugs me with the Commission is these executive meeting they have,after the public meeting.
Where they voice there real opinions,take recommendations from the WDFW and all that. Seems to me that every meeting should be able to at minimum be viewed by the public,No closed door meetings,No skeletons in the closet,dropped right on the table.

Sorry I ramble on too much!!!!

you could also open spring bear statewide to OTC and still not manage the bear population in WA when baiting and hounds have been banned. There is far to much habitat in this state that harbors bears that you simply cannot effectively hunt them enough or make any sizeable impact to their population without the use of hounds and bait. Its nearly impossible to hunt them in thick country where you cant glass and make stalks or shoot from vantage points. Its pure luck to actually get a shot wandering around in thick country. Right out my door is a prime example of country that is nearly impossible to see bears and successfully hunt them and there is a ton of bears. 1 trail cam this year had 13 different bears on it. I saw 1 bear in 4 months hiking it with 300 miles hiked and 40 plus trips.

[hunter399]

WDFW is making a pretty good effort to try and bring it back.
The director was talking at one those open house /town hall
Things they do.
From the jist of of it, they are trying to complete a hard count of bear through DNA hair snare trap thing. To have a little more complete data on what our bear population really is. Not just some estimate, Now I can't really tell ya that it will turn out to be a "good thing" or not.
With the way everybody is so crazy about the science since covid started. Me personally don't give two 💩 about the science. Our seasons should stay about the same as normal along as sustainable is there. Spring bear has never been a season with enough harvest to effect sustainable,but fall harvest may be with two tags,I don't really know.

Bear hair snare project has probably been on going for who knows how many years. Bear hibernation and so on probably takes awhile. WDFW dropped the ball on that one,but the hope is they pick it up a run a touch down next year.

One other thing that really bugs me with the Commission is these executive meeting they have,after the public meeting.
Where they voice there real opinions,take recommendations from the WDFW and all that. Seems to me that every meeting should be able to at minimum be viewed by the public,No closed door meetings,No skeletons in the closet,dropped right on the table.

Sorry I ramble on too much!!!!

you could also open spring bear statewide to OTC and still not manage the bear population in WA when baiting and hounds have been banned. There is far to much habitat in this state that harbors bears that you simply cannot effectively hunt them enough or make any sizeable impact to their population without the use of hounds and bait. Its nearly impossible to hunt them in thick country where you cant glass and make stalks or shoot from vantage points. Its pure luck to actually get a shot wandering around in thick country. Right out my door is a prime example of country that is nearly impossible to see bears and successfully hunt them and there is a ton of bears. 1 trail cam this year had 13 different bears on it. I saw 1 bear in 4 months hiking it with 300 miles hiked and 40 plus trips.

I agree that thick stuff makes it hard.
Washington is a very diverse state as habitat goes.
My experience is similar to deer really,I can setup a cam in a clear cut and maybe a handful of bears on that cam for the year,total 180 ,setup a cam in the thick stuff and have a half a dozen or more in a year. They are very smart,I consider them as smart as a dog. I'm sure our predator/prey project won't have any results for bear at all.

Not to derail here.
Hopefully the Commission will consider a revote,so I can go buy my licences,tags,and permit.

[GASoline71]

you could also open spring bear statewide to OTC and still not manage the bear population in WA when baiting and hounds have been banned. There is far to much habitat in this state that harbors bears that you simply cannot effectively hunt them enough or make any sizeable impact to their population without the use of hounds and bait. Its nearly impossible to hunt them in thick country where you cant glass and make stalks or shoot from vantage points. Its pure luck to actually get a shot wandering around in thick country. Right out my door is a prime example of country that is nearly impossible to see bears and successfully hunt them and there is a ton of bears. 1 trail cam this year had 13 different bears on it. I saw 1 bear in 4 months hiking it with 300 miles hiked and 40 plus trips.

I detailed the OTC tags for Spring Bear in my long and detailed messages I have sent.  There is no reason the bear numbers don't support an OTC Spring season.

Gary

[hunter399]

you could also open spring bear statewide to OTC and still not manage the bear population in WA when baiting and hounds have been banned. There is far to much habitat in this state that harbors bears that you simply cannot effectively hunt them enough or make any sizeable impact to their population without the use of hounds and bait. Its nearly impossible to hunt them in thick country where you cant glass and make stalks or shoot from vantage points. Its pure luck to actually get a shot wandering around in thick country. Right out my door is a prime example of country that is nearly impossible to see bears and successfully hunt them and there is a ton of bears. 1 trail cam this year had 13 different bears on it. I saw 1 bear in 4 months hiking it with 300 miles hiked and 40 plus trips.

I detailed the OTC tags for Spring Bear in my long and detailed messages I have sent.  There is no reason the bear numbers don't support an OTC Spring season.

Gary

I'm also one of those that support an OTC season.
Honestly I believe with a few minor changes to regulations,we could have OTC,no problem and fall season ,no problem,and bring in even more revenue to the state,then our current permit system for spring bear. More opportunities for hunters,and easily keep sustainable bear population in Washington.
Pisses me off the most,WDFW looks at Idaho harvest,science,seasons ,ECT,compares NE Washington to Idaho and we are not even close to that in a lot of ways.
Spring bear is a prime example.