Free: Contests & Raffles.
how can a timber company hire someone to bait or use hounds when there is absolutly no hunting by use of hounds or bait
I would assume timber companies are still getting depredation permits from the WDFW, which allow them to use hound hunters to kill bears. Not saying they don't, but I never thought timber companies had to pay the hound hunters to hunt bears. From what I know of hound hunters, they would be more than willing to just have the opportunity to chase bears with their dogs, and would do so without expecting any sort of payment whatsoever.
Quote from: Goshawk on December 12, 2011, 05:27:25 PMI guess my main gripe is that if a timber company is having problems with bears, they should have to open up their access for paying hunters before being allowed to have the state hire and pay for a professional trapper / hunter to kill them. That's OUR tax dollars being spent to hire someone to bear hunt on land that is closed to the public, yet enjoys a HUGE property tax break.Just don't seem right...Pretty much the same thing happens on the wheat and other farms in Eastern WA. Farmers get 10's of thousands of dollars paid to them by the State of Washington for crop damage, but they close their land to public hunting or charge thousands to hunt it. I'd be inclined to make a rule that they can have private paid for hunting or the crop damage money, but not both. If you collect for crop damages, your land must be open to the public for hunting.
I guess my main gripe is that if a timber company is having problems with bears, they should have to open up their access for paying hunters before being allowed to have the state hire and pay for a professional trapper / hunter to kill them. That's OUR tax dollars being spent to hire someone to bear hunt on land that is closed to the public, yet enjoys a HUGE property tax break.Just don't seem right...
Quote from: billythekidrock on December 14, 2011, 06:39:01 PMI don't think the WFPA has to get permission or permits. I was under the impression that they only had to report the amount of bears killed.
All bears taken by private timber companies is done so under a depredation permit issued by WDFW. It is highly regulated and monitored by WDFW in that hides, meat , galls etc. all have to be accounted for bears harvested. Permits must list I believe it is 4 hunters and some alternates, this has changed over the past few years so my numbers could be off. The permits are issued for a specific area where damage is occurring. Majority of hunters are not compensated a few companies try to do something for the guys to at least cover gas. Someone mentioned feeding and it is still done by most private companies as the primary method to deter bear damage. A more wide spread spring season would be good for removing some bears but would not be real effective in removing problem bears that are doing lots of damage. When a timber owner discovers enough damage to quality to get a permit they can generally get a permit and have a houndsman in the permit area within a few days or less to remove that problem bear or bears.
I was mostly thinking about the folks who are paid to set snares for bears, not so much the paid hound folks.Again, my point is, if a timber lands owner is having a bear problem then open the gates and let all the bear hunters in. That's what the hunting seasons are for, not snaring, baiting, loaning keys out to gated areas for "coyote and coon hunters" or hired bear hunters. I can't help but wonder what would happen if come spring bear season the drawing winners showed up at some of the pay to enter gates then refused to pay for access. If they all refused the timber company would either have to open the gates for free or put up with the damage. I think that hunters as a group have a lot more power than they realize to influence company policies and state seasons, IF we would all stick together like a guild or union. Just my .02 worth...
I tried to read all of the post people made on this subject, first off i want to say we are not paid one cent for all the work we do, we find bear damage on our own dollar, cut and clear roads on our own dollar, you must have a good clean record to even be considered, even speeding tickets can keep you off permitts...we try to hunt the problem bears,not just any bear out in the woods. everything gets turned in, and we take the meat to food lockers on our time and money. same with gulls, tooth, hides. im not going to go into detail but yes 4 people on permitts, and we even have to beef up our vehicle insurence to be out there. there is alot of work that goes into doing all this.some one brought up demoss, he started the cascade line of plott hounds, great hunter, he went over seas 3 times with his dogs to kill the asian man eating bears with sucess, after many others had attempted and failed. after his passing,his line is almost gone, but plenty of dogs carry the cascade blood.hope this clears some stuff up
Quote from: Goshawk on January 15, 2012, 09:57:20 PMI was mostly thinking about the folks who are paid to set snares for bears, not so much the paid hound folks.Again, my point is, if a timber lands owner is having a bear problem then open the gates and let all the bear hunters in. That's what the hunting seasons are for, not snaring, baiting, loaning keys out to gated areas for "coyote and coon hunters" or hired bear hunters. I can't help but wonder what would happen if come spring bear season the drawing winners showed up at some of the pay to enter gates then refused to pay for access. If they all refused the timber company would either have to open the gates for free or put up with the damage. I think that hunters as a group have a lot more power than they realize to influence company policies and state seasons, IF we would all stick together like a guild or union. Just my .02 worth...If only all trespassers were responsible, ethical, and respectful. Sadly, I suspect the damage caused by the small percentage of offenders, and harvest #s by non-professionals given an option, don't make it an attrative offer. That's just off my noggin and my .02. Doesn't mean I like it.
