Spring bear public comment is open

[johnbmyersii]

I quite like this comment

[hunter399]

Ashholes huh.
Some times I have an ash-hole .
I'm gonna comment again ,just to make that guy day even better.

[Weatherby92]

count me as an Ashhole. I'll comment now as well.

[Ghost Hunter]

   I often tell people I live next to the biggest *censored* in the country.   

[Ghost Hunter]

OK, so why did it censor me and no one else?       And I was referring to a national monument.   

[Pathfinder101]

Comment page is blowing up.  Like 6 comments popped while I was typing mine. 

[hunter399]

So when does this comment period end,so we can move on with the draws.

[Bullkllr]

Anyone know or guess what is with the icons next to each comment? I commented 2x fairly quickly and the same icon came up each time. Some kind of identifier?

[Ghost Hunter]

Anyone know or guess what is with the icons next to each comment? I commented 2x fairly quickly and the same icon came up each time. Some kind of identifier?

I'm guessing it's your individual tattoo.  They will know how many individuals commented.

[Pathfinder101]

Well, I feel like this comment page was just set up for all of us to vent and feel better.  Unless something is going on here that I can't see, the commissioners made their decision and that is that.  I have a hard time believing that my comment made any more effect on the commission than if I had stopped a homeless guy on the sidewalk and told him "I think we should re-open spring bear season." 

[hunter399]

Well, I feel like this comment page was just set up for all of us to vent and feel better.  Unless something is going on here that I can't see, the commissioners made their decision and that is that.  I have a hard time believing that my comment made any more effect on the commission than if I had stopped a homeless guy on the sidewalk and told him "I think we should re-open spring bear season." 

Ya i have to agree ,sure seems that way doesn't it.

[Stein]

Well, I feel like this comment page was just set up for all of us to vent and feel better.  Unless something is going on here that I can't see, the commissioners made their decision and that is that.  I have a hard time believing that my comment made any more effect on the commission than if I had stopped a homeless guy on the sidewalk and told him "I think we should re-open spring bear season." 

Yeah, I think at best it gives them less cover to hide behind.  They can't say they are responding to public comments, public sentiment or science.  At the end of the day, they have little fear of hunter discontent.

[Bullkllr]

Well, I feel like this comment page was just set up for all of us to vent and feel better.  Unless something is going on here that I can't see, the commissioners made their decision and that is that.  I have a hard time believing that my comment made any more effect on the commission than if I had stopped a homeless guy on the sidewalk and told him "I think we should re-open spring bear season." 

Yeah, I think at best it gives them less cover to hide behind.  They can't say they are responding to public comments, public sentiment or science.  At the end of the day, they have little fear of hunter discontent.

Do you feel this is a stronger likelihood with this particular issue, or does that apply to any public input toward wdfw/commission? Not disagreeing, just curious.

[Stein]

I think the public opinion thing is very overplayed.  From what I have seen, a decision is 90% made and then the department in general goes through the motion of gathering public opinion as a way to check of the boxes.  We have seen pretty shifty ways of doing this as well as reporting outcomes to justify positions.

For this issue, the outpouring of public opinion is much greater than normal and thus harder to ignore.  It will be interesting because from what I have seen, there are only a couple of justifiable reasons to oppose it and hopefully WDFW has tightened up their data and record keeping to address that.  Beyond that, it's all emotion.  If WDFW can tighten up the position that it does not harm the population and is sustainable, I'm not sure where they can go.

The other question is whether that matters.  Again, hunters aren't good at coming together in a big enough push to raise heck when nonsense happens.

The trend toward discounting and eventually demonizing the value of shooting animals to eat is underway in Olympia and the Department and this is a trend I'm not sure can be turned around.  To me, it seems very different from fish because tons of people eat fish (commercially and recreationally caught) and it's not viable to want to shut it down.  The same isn't true with hunting, only hunters and their friends eat deer and elk.

[Twispriver]

When there is no value placed on the substance of the comments then the public comment period is a joke.