Damage Control Hunts

[singleshot12]

Been seein alot of rigs with hounds in the back heading to the foot hills for bear. With the over population of bear in most tree farms I really don't have a problem with it but at the same time feel it is a little unfair since hound hunting for bear is illegal for the rest of us.
I talked with one fellow who has been doing it ever since the hound ban and he says he averages 20-30 bear a year. He also says he can't keep any of the meat, the meat gets turned over to the tribes, hides get sold along with the gall bladders. I got mixed feeling about this. Any body else?

[seth30]

Yeah Im pissed to hear about a guy harvesting 20-30 bears a year.  I have enough trouble harvesting one   But if they gave me the oppurnity to do I would

[singleshot12]

He said it's nothing but hard work and only does it for the dogs.

[seth30]

WOnder if we are talking about the same guy, is his wife a vet?

[singleshot12]

Dunno 

[seth30]

I met one of those guys at a party, and he did it for DNR.  Had keys to a ton of gates, and the pics to back his storys up. 

[CementFinisher]

I know one of these guys and they work very hard, just trying to keep the sport they have been doing for generations. They don't get paid anymore, Spend allot in gas, and allot of time. The entire bear gets turned over to WDFW.

[sled]

  Bullshi@t!!!!!!   Should be limited. 

[bobcat]

I met one of those guys at a party, and he did it for DNR.  Had keys to a ton of gates, and the pics to back his storys up. 

DNR is not allowed to kill bears with depredation permits. Only private timber companies are doing it.

[CementFinisher]

Yes the private timber companys use the houndsmen to cut down on the tree damage. Realisticly there are plenty of other bears, we dont have the success rate because we are not using dogs, you just have to find good area and put in the time. just my 

[pianoman9701]

  Bullshi@t!!!!!!   Should be limited. 

Until the law is repealed, something needs to be done about the overpopulation. If you don't like it, start a campaign to repeal the stupid law.

[cem3434]

I have a buddy that used to hunt for Plum Creek about 10-15 years ago before everything got sold off.  He used to kill 30+ bears a year and get paid to do it and I think he was allowed to keep one bear per year for himself.  Once they stop paying, he hung it up because it is a lot of work,  time and money out of his pocket. 

The timber companies have the right to protect their timber, so I am not against the hunts.  With that being said, I think they should have to set up more spring bear hunts and give the rest of us more opportunities and not just have "hired guns" do it. 

WDFW could just solve the problem all together and let all of us hound hunt again, which I don't think would break anybody's heart.

[bucklucky]

In all reality, bringing hound hunting back would not stop the depredation hunting. Alot of the ground that is being hunted is all locked up so hound guys wouldnt have access to it anyway. They had hired hunters back when it was open to hounds . No matter what , depredation hunts will happen. Boot hunters hardly put a dent in the bear population .

  ANother note, while some of the neighboring areas that we killed bears in were bordered by DNR, I used to see damage by the hundreds on that DNR land. ALways asked if we could get a permit for those areas . The answer was always no, we dont give out permits for the DNR land. 

  Problem with opening up units that are being peeled to boot hunters and spring bear tags is that guys would get pissed because hound guys will still be in there, so I think it is simpler to just keep the depredation hunts in those certain areas and gaurantee the job is getting done for the timber companies. 

   

[Swatson]

I met one of those guys at a party, and he did it for DNR.  Had keys to a ton of gates, and the pics to back his storys up. 

DNR is not allowed to kill bears with depredation permits. Only private timber companies are doing it.

Bobcat, up until I believe two years ago Capitol Forrest(DNR Land) gave out spring bear tags as I drew one about 5 years ago.  They do not anymore?  Whats up with that?

[bucklucky]

I met one of those guys at a party, and he did it for DNR.  Had keys to a ton of gates, and the pics to back his storys up. 

DNR is not allowed to kill bears with depredation permits. Only private timber companies are doing it.

Bobcat, up until I believe two years ago Capitol Forrest(DNR Land) gave out spring bear tags as I drew one about 5 years ago.  They do not anymore?  Whats up with that?

Not depredation permits with hounds. Thats different then the spring bear tags they had in there.