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

[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.