WDFW Commission March Proposals

[Curly]

Dear Wildlife Enthusiast:
 

Draft regulations for 2011-12 game seasons and permits and the bald eagle protection rule are available for your review at http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/development.html. These proposals will be presented to the Fish and Wildlife Commission at their March 4-5, 2011 meeting in Spokane.  The Commission will consider adopting or amending these regulations at their April 8-9, 2011 meeting in Olympia.

If you would like the Department and Commission to consider your written comments regarding these recommendations, please submit them by February 9, 2011. 

Thank you for your interest in the management of wildlife in this state.  If you have any questions, please contact us at (360) 902-2515.


Sincerely,

 
Wildlife Program Customer Service

[bobcat]

Reading through that, right off the bat I see some good news:

WAC 232-28-286 2010, 2011, and 2012 Spring black bear seasons and regulations
Purpose of the proposal and its anticipated effects, including any changes in existing rules:
To expand the benefit of the spring seasons in northeastern Washington, the Department is recommending
increasing permit levels and season length. The anticipated effect is a slight increase in total harvest and
reduced bear nuisance activity.
For westside spring bear hunts, the Department is recommending increasing the season length in the Kapowsin
Tree Farm unit from April 15-May 15 to April 15-June 15 based on discussions with the landowners. There is a
slight anticipated increase to the number of hunter days.
Reasons supporting proposal:
The objectives for spring bear hunting seasons are to reduce timber damage by bears (western Washington),
reduce nuisance bear activity (northeastern Washington), and to divert harvest away from adult females and
toward adult males (southeastern Washington).

[bobcat]

Sounds like the 4 pt minimum is still on the table for whitetail in units 117 and 121:

WAC 232-28-351 2009-2011 Deer general seasons and definitions
Purpose of the proposal and its anticipated effects, including any changes in existing rules:
This is the third year of the 2009-11 hunting season “rule-package” and as such, few changes are recommended.
Changes during “off-years” are mainly to address crop and property damage problems; changes in population
levels due to environmental conditions or disease outbreaks; and to balance harvest levels with established
population objectives.
The major issue and purpose for recommending changes to the deer general season rules are to address the
white-tailed deer declines in northeast Washington caused by the harsh winters of 2008 and 2009. The
Commission is being asked to consider:
 Reducing the archery antlerless opportunity during the late season in northeast Washington to address
the decline and hasten population expansion;
 Retaining a four day youth, senior, and hunters with disability antlerless white-tail season in northeast
Washington to maintain some limited antlerless opportunity for these hunters; and
 Re-considering a four point white-tailed deer antler restriction for GMUs 117 and 121. The Steven’s
County Commissioners and the Steven’s County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee formally petitioned
the Fish and Wildlife Commission to adopt a four point antler restriction for GMUs 117 & 121. It is their
belief that an antler point restriction would hasten population expansion and improve the general health of
the deer population.
Reasons supporting proposal:
The proposal provides general season hunting opportunity for deer consistent with population and harvest
objectives while addressing property damage concerns.

[bobcat]

I see they still have errors in there, carried forward from last year's reguations, one being that they show GMU 636 being open for "any buck" during the early archery season (it should be 2 pt minimum).

I will be sending my comments; my main question will be why the late muzzleloader deer season begins ON Thanksgiving, rather than the day before Thanksgiving, like the late elk muzzleloader, and the late deer AND elk archery seasons. It just doesn't make sense- it was always the day before Thanksgiving lilke the others, until these last three years when they changed it for no apparent reason.

[Kain]

WOW a whole month added onto some spring bear permits.

[bobcat]

WOW a whole month added onto some spring bear permits.

Yep, and that's really got me thinking about applying for a NE permit now. I've got 6 points to burn. Might actually have a chance of drawing. They're adding two weeks to the beginning and 2 weeks to the end.

[Sumpnneedskillin]

Most of the Blues anterless Elk special tags took big hits.  Those of you who liked the Peola muzzy hunt, it's gonna get way tougher to pull that one.  Archery and Firearm numbers bounced around some.  Mostly up though.  They added a bunch of senior hunter Blues Elk permits.  Looks like the deer numbers stayed about the same.

[Bigshooter]

Wow big increase on the Toutle and Margaret bull tags.

[Rainstorm Hunter]

Wow big increase on the Toutle and Margaret bull tags.

A big increase in the cow tags as well

[bobcat]

Maybe once they get the Toutle/Margaret elk numbers knocked down a bit, they will change those units over to a general season. Otherwise, why not just leave the excess elk for the wolves.

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

The whole st helens herd as a whole... Look at those proposed permit numbers.
Trying to wipe out the whole herd???

 

[bobcat]

Looks that way- every permit in the St Helens area has been doubled or even quadrupled!   

[Curly]

They (WDFW) are trying to balance their budget $6.50 at a time.

[bobcat]

I don't know that the increase in antlerless elk permits will increase the number of applications purchased.  

Don't remember where I heard it, but someone told me that it has to do with Weyerhaeuser and the lack of new logging there will be on their land in the area, and the subsequent lack of elk feed.

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

Or the wolf lovers want to blame the decline in the elk herd on the hunters instead of the wolves.

I believe if they keep those levels of cow permits there will not be much of a st helens herd left.

The worst permits in the whole proposal are the january 1-16th permits. Not hard to knock down a herd when they are the most vulnerable. A few permits are ok but the amount they are proposing is ludacris.

[Skyvalhunter]

Well maybe you should send an e-mail to the WDFW. Not saying it will cure all but atleast your voice is heard.

[bobcat]

 

Don't forget to  get your written comments in by February 9.

[bobcat]

Bringing this to the top....

Tomorrow is the deadline for written comments on hunting regulation proposals for this year.

[bobcat]

 

One more time.....

[jbeaumont21]

"Increase bull permits in the Blue Mountains consistent with population objectives"
I thought that there weren't any elk in the blues? Looks like I am gonna have to put my points in the blues next year.