August 14 opening date new this year for many GMU's

[bobcat]

This is another thing the WDFW snuck by us, with virtually no public input. I'm guessing the majority of the hunters don't even know about it yet. I'm going to list all the GMU's that went from an August 1st opening day to an August 14 opening day this year. It doesn't look like much in the proposed regulations (which have been approved) because they have the seasons listed by "Black Bear Management Units" which then have the GMU's listed by number.

The first is the South Cascades. Here are the GMU's in that unit:

466 Stampede
485 Green River
503 Randle
505 Mossyrock
510 Stormking
513 South Rainier
516 Packwood
520 Winston
524 Margaret
550 Coweeman
554 Yale
556 Toutle
560 Lewis River
564 Battleground
568 Washougal
572 Siouxon
574 Wind River
653 White River
654 Mashel


Then there is the Okanogan:

203 Pasayten
209 Wannacut
215 Sinlahekin
218 Chewuch
224 Pearrygin
231 Gardner
233 Pogue
239 Chiliwist
242 Alta
243 Manson

And the Northeastern B:

124 Mount Spokane
127 Mica Peak
130 Cheney


That's a total of 32 GMU's that lost the first 2 weeks of the season, and for no good reason, I suspect.

[X-Force]

where is that in print? 

[boneaddict]

Is that some compromise between the 9/1 proposed opener versus the Aug 1

[rasbo]

that dont irk me...way to hot and the woods seem to get shut down..But thats just me..Still wish they would go to a draw for baiting..

[Bob33]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/2010/wsr_10-04-125.pdf

WAC 232-28-288 2010-2011 Fall black bear hunting seasons and regulations
Purpose of the proposal and its anticipated effects, including any changes in existing rules:
The rule establishes the 2010 and 2011 fall black bear seasons. Proposed seasons are status quo compared to 2009 seasons, except the recommendation to open the season on Aug 14 rather than Aug 1 in three Black Bear Management Units (i.e., South Cascades BBMU, Okanogan BBMU, and Northeastern B BBMU). The purpose is to provide recreational harvest opportunities for black bear, while maintaining long-term sustainable populations in each BBMU (except Puget Sound and Columbia Basin BBMUs). The anticipated effects of the rule are continued recreational harvest opportunties similar to 2009 levels, with slight reduced season length in 3 of 9 BBMUs, and long-term sustainable bear populations.
Reasons supporting proposal:
Population indicators for black bears support status quo hunting seasons in each BBMU, except South
Cascades, Okanogan, and Northeastern B. In those BBMUs, indicators suggest that hunting seasons
should be more conservative.

[lewy]

what b.s. They dont even have a decent reason for the change....

[bobcat]

Is that some compromise between the 9/1 proposed opener versus the Aug 1

Yes, I think that's what it is, and the only reason for it is to keep hunters away from hikers.

[bobcat]

Bag Limit: Two (2) black bear per annual hunting season, only one
of which may be taken in Eastern Washington.

Why is each hunter allowed 2 bears, if this is true:

Population indicators for black bears support status quo hunting seasons in each BBMU, except South
Cascades, Okanogan, and Northeastern B. In those BBMUs, indicators suggest that hunting seasons
should be more conservative.

[bearmanric]

just a way to keep us away from the Hikers. igree with Rasbo to Hot last year.i wanted to hunt high at packwood. Daughter is getting married the 10th of august. my poor little amanda.   so i'll leave the 13th. Rick

[billythekidrock]

I agree that it is to keep hunters away from the hikers.

Too hot is not a good enough reason to shut it down.

They state that this is due to high sow mortality, but last year when I did a records request for a certain file that I know exists.....guess what..they say it doesn't. That file contains the age, sex and area that each bear is killed. F&W did send a powerpoint presentation that shows their interpretation of the "collected data", but it does not contain the supporting data.

If there really is an issue then I agree to a shorter season, but not in August. Cut it from the end of the season.

[Kain]

I dont see a reason in the 2008 harvest report either.  It doesnt say what age the bears are but it does tell how many females and what units they came from.  South Cascades looks right in line with other units.  A bunch of BS if you ask me. 

 http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/harvest/2008/bear_general.html


South Cascades
 http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/harvest/2008/reports/bear_bmu.php?PMU=BMU4

[Lincoln4]

Perfect...

[Alpine Mojo]

Once again, they raised the price of licenses and tags, and they shortened the seasons...

Welcome to Washington State.   

[saylean]

To me, if there was genuine concern about the population of bears, they wouldnt need to shorten the season by two weeks, but rather cut it down to one permit per hunter per year. Am I right?


Of course, I am not a government worker.

I would much rather have 1 permit per year than a shorter season.

[steen]

Do you really want a bear rug that is half naked?  Even Sept. is a little early for a nice coat.  I guess if you get two blackbears you wouldn't do a mount of all of them.  We have a Sept. bear on the wall and decided if we do it again we will go permit for spring bear or shoot only in Oct.

[WDFW-SUX]

I agree that it is to keep hunters away from the hikers.

Too hot is not a good enough reason to shut it down.

They state that this is due to high sow mortality, but last year when I did a records request for a certain file that I know exists.....guess what..they say it doesn't. That file contains the age, sex and area that each bear is killed. F&W did send a powerpoint presentation that shows their interpretation of the "collected data", but it does not contain the supporting data.

If there really is an issue then I agree to a shorter season, but not in August. Cut it from the end of the season.

Thats total crap.  There is no way that they dont have the underlying data.  That sounds like the same excuse that the global warming folks gave "just trust us"....F them.

The WDFW is so broken its not even funny.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Not sure taking away the 2nd tag is going to do a lot of good.  If infact they are saying to many sows are being shot.  How many people do you think really fill there second tag?

I think cutting out the first 2 weeks of August will result in fewer bears taken than if they were to remove the second tag all together.

Not that I agree with F&W doing either.  Considering they havn't shown proof that there is a high sow mortality rate.

[bobcat]

But really, how many bears are actually killed the first two weeks of August?

[billythekidrock]

But really, how many bears are actually killed the first two weeks of August?

Exactly. That is why they need to eliminate the season from the end. They gave us additional weeks at the end of the season, they can take away from the end of season. This would reduce the incidental harvest for sure.

[MtnMuley]

Could somebody please explain their reasoning on having GMU 204 opening on Sept 1 starting last year or the year before............

[billythekidrock]

I don't have time to check right now, but I suspect that it was one of the units that used to start on Sept 1st that got moved up and now moved back.

[MtnMuley]

But really, how many bears are actually killed the first two weeks of August?

Every bear I've killed or been a part of,  have been killed in the first 2 weeks of August.  I have never heard of anybody killing a bear in the last 2 weeks of the season in my parts.

[MtnMuley]

I don't have time to check right now, but I suspect that it was one of the units that used to start on Sept 1st that got moved up and now moved back.

All NCW GMUs used to start on Sept 1 that I am aware of, right?

[bobcat]

But really, how many bears are actually killed the first two weeks of August?

Every bear I've killed or been a part of,  have been killed in the first 2 weeks of August.  I have never heard of anybody killing a bear in the last 2 weeks of the season in my parts.

OK, so I guess they were right in taking away the first two weeks.