HB1137 & HB1124 Bills that need your support

[Humptulips]

Here's a link to HB1137 a bill to reform the trapping laws.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1137&year=2011

And here's a link to HB1124 a bill to ease the laws on hound hunting for cougar

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1124&year=2011

Folks we really need to call our legislators in support of these bills.

[rasbo]

Thanks bruce

[mulehunter]

Here's a link to HB1137 a bill to reform the trapping laws.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1137&year=2011

And here's a link to HB1124 a bill to ease the laws on hound hunting for cougar

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1124&year=2011

Folks we really need to call our legislators in support of these bills.

Thank u very very much.  How can I do that. Write letter or anything. I am willing help.

Thank u.

Mulehunter

[Austrian Hunter]

Write a letter to you house representative and tell him that he should support the sponsors. 

[Kain]

Find your legislator here.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx


Thanks for posting these Bruce.

[mulehunter]

Ok. My wife and I will write this weekend. And I will ask more ppl. Its our only chance.

Its a great start.

Mulehunter.

[luvtohnt]

I just sent an email, from my district one representative already sponsored the 1124 bill. I did notice that one of them is up for hearing Monday morning, so you all better hurry.

Brandon

[Kain]

Emails sent

Since the use of dogs and baiting for bears was restricted the populations of these predator species has increase dramatically.  We need to make sure there as many tools to help control problem animals as possible.  I would also like to see "pursuit only" opportunities increased so that we can keep hound owners in this state.  Right now there is very little opportunity to hunt and train hunting hounds.  This is a major problem when we need a hound hunter and cant find one local.  Valuable population information can be collected by these catch and release hunts and an additional benefit is that our large predators maintain a healthy fear of humans and dogs.

Please review this bill and consider adding a pursuit only season for our predator species in this state.  I look forward to hearing your opinion on this.

Thank you for your time

Naithan Kain

[mulehunter]

I just sent an email, from my district one representative already sponsored the 1124 bill. I did notice that one of them is up for hearing Monday morning, so you all better hurry.

Brandon

Thanks. I will spread out.

Mulehunter.

[Humptulips]

Besides contacting your legislator, which is very important, ask your friends to do the same.
Also a bill introduced this year will carryover into next year so think about this as something to do later on in the year also. You can ask for an appointment to meet your legislator, get to know them a little and express your concerns. Make a long term commitment to change the law.

[jager]

....Sent letters regarding hound hunting.

So in a nut shell what is the trapping bill asking for? Is it eliminating the regulations for the types of traps that cannot be used ie,. steel jaw without padding etc and repealing the law against selling the furs? 
Just trying to clarify.

[mulehunter]

Mabye bring this copy of trailcamera with 8 cougars in one place from other thread  and show it to the legisator and ask them. Is those picture normal to u Q.  It could be in ur back yard one day.  Think about it. We will love to help. Hounds are other good reason to help.


Mulehunter.   

[Special T]

Done

[Humptulips]

....Sent letters regarding hound hunting.

So in a nut shell what is the trapping bill asking for? Is it eliminating the regulations for the types of traps that cannot be used ie,. steel jaw without padding etc and repealing the law against selling the furs? 
Just trying to clarify.

What we are trying to do with the trapping law change is related to Best Management Practices (BMPs). The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies has been doing testing on traps to scientifically determine the most humane and effective trap for each different species of furbearer. This was all mandated by a memorandom of understanding the US signed with the European Union. Anyway, The BMPs are out now and the law change would mandate their use. Trappers that are trained would be able to use these scientifically proven humane and effective traps without a special permit for each location. There is also a provision for the F&W Commission to aprove traps for use for animals not covered. This is in there to legalize mole and gopher traps.
In edition it allows the sale of furs from all legally caught furbearers which is not the case now.
Also added in some provisions for setbacks from some areas to prevent catching pets.

[jager]

Thanks for the clarification...Letters have been sent.

[mulehunter]

 
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Bill Information > HB 1124 - 2011-12

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HB 1124 - 2011-12    (What is this?)

Establishing seasons for hunting cougars with the aid of dogs.

Go to documents...

 
History of Bill
as of Saturday, January 15, 2011 9:44 AM

 
  Sponsors: Representatives Blake, Kretz, Chandler, Taylor, Armstrong, Hinkle, Shea, McCune, Condotta
 
  2011 REGULAR SESSION
    Jan 12  First reading, referred to Agriculture & Natural Resources. (View Original Bill)
    Jan 18  Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources at 10:00 AM. (Subject to change) (Committee Materials)

Go to history...

 
Available Documents
 
Bill Documents Bill Digests Bill Reports
Original Bill
   Bill Digest
   House Bill Analysis 2011


I hope More people Email to them before Monday.   Link it open and link Find Your Legislator  and fill out in their Email Site not from your own Email.

Thank you for your time.


Mulehunter 
   
   

[mulehunter]

what i think. It will probably come down to a money deal. I made mention of the economic impact of each biologlist, hunter, gamedept on working with all problem bears. And According to USFW Survey in 2006 each hunter in WA spends $2,080 a year.  Most of my families and friends has sent.  Because they wanted to hunt elk deer and that way cougars are under control.  What I like idea to open whole county on east side for draw permit cougar. It has to be all county NOT FIVE COUNTY. And on west side open to public because its very limited roads. Also open hunt for only one month per year for dogger on west side. Make it good flexiable for all houndmen and boothunter.  I hope we all can shake hand to all eachother and be thankful for what we can hunt.

Mulehunter

[CementFinisher]

If you chose to email there is an option to email the leter to all your local reps, so you dont have to send multiple e mails.

[bearpaw]

Email messages sent.

Hope more messages are sent today....

This legislation is important to get some degree of trapping and hound hunting back in this state.

[Elkaholic daWg]

 Done!

[bearpaw]

Here's a link to HB1137 a bill to reform the trapping laws.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1137&year=2011

And here's a link to HB1124 a bill to ease the laws on hound hunting for cougar

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1124&year=2011

Folks we really need to call our legislators in support of these bills.



It's real easy to click on the links humptulips provided, enter your location, and then click to email your legislators. It only took me a couple minutes to send a short message of support.

[Kain]

He has a "D" by his name but sounds promising.

Pridemore, Sen. Craig to me
show details 3:00 PM (8 minutes ago)
Yeah, I’ve tried for years to get a mole trapping bill through.  It’s a difficult issue.
 
1137 is over in the House.  If it makes it over here to the Senate, I’ll do what I can.
 
Craig
 

[Little Dave]

It might help to review the WDFW fiscal notes on this too.  The department was asked to estimate costs/savings of passing this bill.

The agency reported that it would cost about $5000 in 2010 because "new" meetings would need to be held prior to setting these kind of seasons.   The fiscal note says nothing about the fiscal benefits of a potential increase in hunter reports to offset some of the expensive personnel and equipment costs involved with the state monitoring the population.  Nothing is said about potential revenue from an increased interest in cougar permits, or reduction in damage payments.

Jason Callahan is named as the WDFW representative who prepared the fiscal note.
The document indicates his phone number is 360-902-2525.

https://fortress.wa.gov/binaryDisplay.aspx?package=27164

UPDATE: (Jan 18)
I got a call from the agency.  They fixed the fiscal note prior to the committee meeting (which is starting now).

[Little Dave]

You can have your letter off to Olympia in two minutes or less.

The three people you need to write to are your state legislators, two representatives and one state senator.  There are 49 districts, so if you don't know whom to contact.  Do this:

1.  Start the timer to prove it can be done in two minutes or less.

2.  Prepare a short and sweet letter like these two paragraphs:

I am writing to ask you to support HB 1137 regarding regulated trapping and HB 1124 regarding cougar hunting with hounds.  Both bills restore needed management tools and cost savings to the agency that will manage our game populations. 

3. Follow this link to find your district:

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx

4. Type in your address or click on the map where you live.  Links to your state senator and two representatives will appear.  Follow one of those links and then find the link for Email. 

5. On the Email page fill out the contact information, in the response section check the option that reads "Check here if you wish to send a copy of this message to your other legislators", choose a subject for your message like "Please support HB 1124", add your message and then choose send message.

6. Check your time.  ... 1:48 this time.

[WAcoyotehunter]

Here is a reply from a rep in district 7.

Dear Bart,

Thanks so much for contacting me regarding your support for HB 1124.  I am absolutely supportive of this bill and your ability to pursue cougars with the aid of dogs!  The Humane Society folks do not like this bill, but you and I know that our rural communities will continue to have trouble with cougars unless hound hunters are able to more frequently pursue them with dogs.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your comments.

Shelly Short,
State Representative
7th District

[Machias]

He has a "D" by his name but sounds promising.

Pridemore, Sen. Craig to me
show details 3:00 PM (8 minutes ago)
Yeah, I’ve tried for years to get a mole trapping bill through.  It’s a difficult issue.
 
1137 is over in the House.  If it makes it over here to the Senate, I’ll do what I can.
 
Craig
 

It's NOT a difficult issue if he just looks at the facts and not the BS lies the animal rights morons spread.  Also I am against any MOLE TRAPPING bill as it only alleviates one small problem and does not address the real issues.  You guys probably always wonder why I get fired up about mole trapping.  It's because those little furry *censored*s might just be the reason trapping is brought back to this state.  If we allow mole trapping then the average WA voter no longer has a wildlife problem and all the complaining goes away and therefore our chances of getting I-713 overturned goes away.   

[WAcoyotehunter]

I got this reply from Rep Brian Blake...a west sider!! 

I strongly support it. Brian Blake

Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 8:25 AM
To: Takko, Rep. Dean; Blake, Rep. Brian
Subject: please support HB 1124

 

Dear Representatives Takko and Blake-

 

I am writing to encourage you to support HB 1124 to allow pursuit of cougars with dogs.  I am a responsible sportsman and a professional wildlife biologist in Pend Oreille County.  I also own a train hounds to pursue cougars.  Currently, the WDFW calls on us to help track, harass, or even destroy cats that have caused public safety concerns or harassed or killed livestock and pets.  Hound hunters have been happy to help in these circumstances and have been a useful tool for the WDFW to use.  There have been several serious cougar problems here in Pend Oreille County, including an attack on a young boy last summer.  Sadly, hound hunters are quitting due to lack of legal seasons, and the WDFW is going to struggle finding well trained dogs to assist with their needs.  To remain effective as a management tool, we need a season to train and maintain our dogs.  Please support the bill to allow the Fish and Wildlife Commission to allow cougar hunting and pursuit with hounds. 

 

Thank you,

Bart George

[WAcoyotehunter]

when do they vote?  how much public participation was there?

I worried about that when the DFW opened the pilot season to anyone in the state, regardless of hound ownership...it makes it look like a trophy hunt rather than a management decision...

 

[Elkaholic daWg]

 Received  today



Thank you for emailing Rep. Kristiansen expressing your support for HB 1124 and 1137.

 

As you may know Rep. Kristiansen is a  co-sponsor on HB 1137.  Rep. Kristiansen supports both these bills in their current form.

 

Should either bill get scheduled for a hearing are you interested in testifying on it?

 

To track bill information please go to the following website;

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/ .

 

 

Again, thank you for emailing Rep. Kristiansen.

 

Sincerely,

[Special T]

me too ELK

[whacker1]

when do they vote?  how much public participation was there?

I worried about that when the DFW opened the pilot season to anyone in the state, regardless of hound ownership...it makes it look like a trophy hunt rather than a management decision...

 

First Hearing was this morning.

I doubt they took a vote today, If it is moving forward, it will likely get a second hearing and a committee vote in February sometime.  If it passes the house, it will move to the Senate for their take on the subject.  It goes through the same process, first hearing, testimony, etc before vote.

[mulehunter]

If u haven't heard anything. U can listen to what they talking this morning.

Link

http://www.tvw.org/search/siteSearch.cfm?EvntType=C&keywords=House%20Agriculture&date=2011&bhcp=1


Mulehunter

[mulehunter]

Two things.  Cougar went thur supermall auburn and no one knows.   . But gps collar on cat show data.  Very close call.

Other thing. Interesting what they talkig about wolves and cougar. 

Thank you donny for his support.

Mulehunter

[Humptulips]

I thought it went very well. Hard to make any conclusions on how the  committee members will vote. Well, a few you can tell. Hans Dunshee might as well work for HSUS. I think it was about 12 to 1 in support of the bill and the HSUS gal didn't make a very good showing.

[Humptulips]

Hey folks, trappers really need your help now. We need people to contact their legislators and ask for them to support HB1137 We need you and your friends, family and business contacts. In short we need as many calls or e-mails as possible asking for the passage of this bill. Maybe your representative is someone you know to already support this. We still need you to ask them to support the bill. It's a numbers game. The more voters that they hear from the more likely the bill will advance.

[bearpaw]

I think HB1124 regarding hound hunting will be heard again tommorrow. I hope some of you will send another message requesting passage. I have already recieved positive comments from 2 legislators from my letter below. Here are the WDFW and Natural Resources Committee's olympia email addresses so you can easily send one message to all:

Remember: Intelligent polite messages get read...  

Brian.Blake@leg.wa.gov
derek.stanford@leg.wa.gov
bruce.chandler@leg.wa.gov
jt.wilcox@leg.wa.gov
vincent.buys@leg.wa.gov
hans.dunshee@leg.wa.gov
bill.hinkle@leg.wa.gov
joel.kretz@leg.wa.gov
kristine.lytton@leg.wa.gov
ed.orcutt@leg.wa.gov
eric.pettigrew@leg.wa.gov
christine.rolfes@leg.wa.gov
kevin.vandewege@leg.wa.gov
lauren.burnes@leg.wa.gov


commission@dfw.wa.gov
philip.anderson@dfw.wa.gov
david.ware@dfw.wa.gov
donny.martorello@dfw.wa.gov


Video of House Natural Resources Committee Hearing on HB 1124:  
http://www.tvw.org/media/mediaplayer.cfm?evid=2011010140&TYPE=V&CFID=2182434&CFTOKEN=57993784&bhcp=1


Dear Legislators,
My name is Dale Denney, I own Bearpaw Outfitters. After receiving phone calls regarding the mention of my name in the House Natural Resources Committee hearing regarding HB 1124 on January 18, and as a professional hound hunter, I felt compelled to offer some thoughts for your consideration.

In recent years only hound hunters could participate in Washington hound hunts, occasionally my family or friends who own hounds drew tags and we helped them on their hunts. This year language allowed any licensed hunter to apply for a hound season cougar tag. We assisted 3 lucky non-hound owners in taking cats with hounds and one of those hunts was done as a free hunt that we offered to the hunting community. We also assisted another elderly hound hunter with his hound permit hunt.

For the last 14 years in Washington we have helped more boot hunters take cougar than hunters with hound permits. While I have been happy to help numerous boot hunters take a cougar, the only problem with boot hunting cougar is that it does nothing to help maintain trained hounds to be available for response to WDFW cougar attack complaints. In order for WDFW to have hounds available and capable of catching problem cougar, the dogs to be used must be hunted regularly to be effective, and it has been proven that some measure of cougar population control must be exercised either before cougar attacks occur or after cougar attacks happen.

It has been mentioned that hound hunters may not target specific problem animals, but WDFW statistics show that since hound hunting has been allowed again by the Legislature, cougar attacks have definitely declined. Legislators effectively decreased the attacks on livestock, pets, and humans. People who live or recreate where cougars may attack are very glad that the frequency of cougar attacks has been reduced, but these people need HB 1124 enacted so that rural neighborhoods continue to be safe.

From a monetary and budgetary standpoint, it seems far more sensible and cost effective for the WDFW to allow hunters to hunt who also support the WDFW via license sales, than to pay hound hunters to catch problem cats as agents of the state. Whether a hound hunter is assisting another hunter in taking a cat, or if the hound hunter has a tag of his own, or if that hound hunter is working for the WDFW to catch a problem cougar, the fact is that dogs are needed to hunt cougar. In the past when WDFW officers have requested our services for cougar attack complaints, we have responded as quickly as possible on nearly every occasion. It has been to the state’s advantage that we had dogs which were experienced in catching cougar. Please understand, I have only been able to keep trained dogs by acting as a cougar hunting guide in Idaho and Utah, and by helping the occasional person lucky enough to draw a Washington Cougar Hound permit.

From a hound owner’s standpoint, it's expensive to own hounds. I recover some of that expense by taking other hunters hunting in the states where I am licensed to provide guided hunts. Some other hound owners have good paying jobs in order to afford to own their hounds. But no matter how a person affords to own hounds, it is still imperative that those dogs get hunted or they will not be effective at catching cougar when needed by WDFW to respond to cougar attack complaints.

Just for the record, it was my hunting partner who responded and it was his hounds that caught the cougar that attacked young Jacob Walsh near Orient, Washington. Had it not been for being able to sport hunt cougars prior to the passing of I-655 in 1996, we would not have had dogs capable of catching the cougar that attacked and tried to kill young Jacob Walsh. I have also responded to numerous other WDFW cougar complaints involving attacks on livestock, pets, and another attack on a human in Stevens and Ferry counties. So with that in mind, it is my sincere hope that this legislature will pass legislation allowing hound hunters the ability to keep maintaining trained dogs.

Pursuit Seasons and Cougar Behavior Modification
Another important item that should be considered, it’s not necessary for hound hunters to kill every cougar caught in order to keep their dogs trained. It is just as effective to pursue and tree a cougar, pet your dogs, and then to leave the cougar in the tree physically unharmed. By doing this, the hounds get the experience of tracking and treeing cougar and every cougar left alive in the tree has a good reason to modify their behavior. From what I have seen, a cougar will often head for more remote areas to escape the unfriendly experience it just had with man and dogs. This will help maintain a fear of man and dogs in general and arguably could result in fewer cougar attacks without the need of killing as many cougar.

I highly recommend that this committee add an amendment to the legislation authorizing the WDFW to investigate the trial use of pursuit seasons for cougar behavior modification and dog training. Please remember, an open Pursuit Season would allow hound hunters to maintain trained dogs that WDFW can rely on for emergencies when cougars attack livestock, pets, or humans, and there is high likelihood a pursuit season will benefit the overall cougar population and Washington citizens by reinforcing the fear of man and dog in the wild cougar population.

As our governing body, hound owners and the citizens of Washington are depending on you, our legislators, to find a balance. A solution that allows trained hounds to be available for cougar population management and emergencies involving cougar attacks, and hopefully you arrive at a solution that manages the cougar population before cougar attacks occur rather than after cougar attacks have happened.

If you would like me to appear at a future hearing I will be more than happy to appear. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Best Regards,
Dale Denney

[WAcoyotehunter]

that's a really well written letter and a great response to the discussion at last weeks meeting.  Thanks Dale!

[bearpaw]

HB1124 regarding hound hunting will be heard again very soon.

I hope some of you will send another message requesting passage today. I attached email addresses in my previous post in this thread for the WDFW and the Natural Resources Committee members so you can easily send one message to all.

This is a critical time for moving this forward, thanks very much for any help you can provide.
Dale

[bearpaw]

Recieved another positive response from another legislator on the hound hunting bill.

"I support the use of hounds to hunt cougars – hope we can move the bill to make it permanent and statewide….."


It would be good to hear from a few more legislators to know the hound bill will make it out of committee. So keep the letters flowing, use the email list I posted in this thread, it only takes a few minutes to put together a short message of support and send it off to the committee.

[Elkaholic daWg]

 this morning from a friend... Since this is a revenue enhancer I would think it should pass


1387 HB, titled AN ACT Relating to increasing revenue to the state wildlife account, has been scheduled for a public hearing by the House Committee on General Government Appropriations.

Date and Time: 01/27/2011 1:30PM (Subject to change by the Legislature.)
Location: John L. O'Brien Building, House Hearing Rm C, Olympia, WA

The Office of Financial Management has identified this bill as requiring a ten-year projection of increased cost to the taxpayers or affected feepayers.

Ten-year projection:

The ten-year projection is not yet complete. It will be sent as soon as it is available.


Bill sponsors and contact information:

Representative Brian Blake, Prime Sponsor
Democrat
Aberdeen
(360) 786-7870
Brian.Blake@leg.wa.gov

Representative Bruce Chandler
Republican
Zillah
(360) 786-7960
Bruce.Chandler@leg.wa.gov

[wa.hunter]

Sure wish I had know this HB1387 was up today I would have been there. I can not say I agree with these increases they are asking for. The Governor takes money away from the dept. so now we just implement some new fee's to offset the deficit.

[bearpaw]

I don't like the idea of paying more either, but the one good point, this puts a greater dependency of revenue for the WDFW back onto hunters and fishers. THAT IS GOOD

[Elkaholic daWg]

  Looks like 11337 has been introduced to the full house, since these alerts don't get sent unless that happens.


 

From: OFM mi Tax and Fee Proposals [mailto:OFMmiTaxandFeeProposals@OFM.WA.GOV]
Sent: Monday, February 07, 2011 3:25 PM
To: TAX-AND-FEE-PROPOSALS@LISTSERV.WA.GOV
Subject: House Introduction Notice for 1387 HB

 

You are receiving this email as a subscriber to the Initiative 960 email list.

HB 1387, titled AN ACT Relating to increasing revenue to the state wildlife account, has been introduced in the House of Representatives. The Office of Financial Management has identified this bill as requiring a ten-year projection of increased cost to the taxpayers or affected feepayers.

Ten-year projection:

Fiscal
Year
   

 
   

Commercial Administrative Fee
   

   Recreational Fishing Licenses
   

  Recreational Hunting Licenses
   

   Temporary Surcharge
   

   Transaction Fee
   

    Total

 

2012
   

 
   

$   535,000
   

$  3,755,955
   

$  1,606,058
   

$ 638,294
   

$   526,388
   

$ 7,061,695

2013
   

 
   

535,000
   

4,522,178
   

1,931,942
   

 
   

634,202
   

$ 7,623,322

2014
   

 
   

535,000
   

4,522,178
   

1,931,942
   

 
   

634,202
   

$ 7,623,322

2015
   

 
   

535,000
   

4,522,178
   

1,931,942
   

 
   

634,202
   

$ 7,623,322

2016
   

 
   

535,000
   

4,522,178
   

1,931,942
   

 
   

634,202
   

$ 7,623,322

2017
   

 
   

535,000
   

4,522,178
   

1,931,942
   

 
   

634,202
   

$ 7,623,322

2018
   

 
   

535,000
   

4,522,178
   

1,931,942
   

 
   

634,202
   

$ 7,623,322

2019
   

 
   

535,000
   

4,522,178
   

1,931,942
   

 
   

634,202
   

$ 7,623,322

2020
   

 
   

535,000
   

4,522,178
   

1,931,942
   

 
   

634,202
   

$ 7,623,322

2021
   

 
   

535,000
   

4,522,178
   

1,931,942
   

 
   

634,202
   

$ 7,623,322

 

Total:
   

 
   

$ 5,350,000
   

$ 44,455,557
   

$ 18,993,536
   

$ 638,294
   

$ 6,234,206
   

$ 75,671,593