Report: Game Management Advisory Council

[bearpaw]

Here's a report I recieved regarding the GMAC meeting in Ellensburg Saturday:



Yesterday I attended the Game Management Advisoy Council meeting in Ellensburg.  Here are some excerpts of what was discussed and voted on by the GMAC.
 
Dave Ware Wildlife Program Manager for the WDFW presented the following proposals for the season setting process:

 
1.  Add 126 antlerless elk permits for the Colockum elk herd.  These will be for Muzzleloader and Modern Firearm, with all bowhunters getting antlerless in GMU 334 during early season, and 334/335/328 during late season.

2.  Eliminate Antlerless Elk in GMU's 204/101/105/108/121.  As currently proposed this will affect modern firearm and muzzleloader.  Archery early season will still be any elk in these areas as the current proposals state. For late archery it will be any bull.

3.  Further reduce antlerless whitetail in 105/108/117/121, the proposal yesterday was to completely eliminate archery late season and reduce Senior/Disabled/youth to 3 days.  After much discussion we saved the archery season but it is now 10-15 Dec and there will be no senior hunt.  That was the motion passed by the GMAC. 

4.  Creation of a regional pool of Master Hunters for depredation/hot spot hunts.  Motion was passed to allow the landowners of GMU's 127 and 130n to select those hunters (not just MH) to do this.  All other GMU's will use the MH's.

5.  Night Hunting restrictions.  Motion was passed that as writeen it was to vague and could never be effectively enforced, voted down by GMAC.

6.  Allow electronic Waterfowl decoys.  Very long discussion regarding ethics and amount of harvest.  Representative from the Waterfowl group at the GMAC was against this issue and once again after a lengthy discussion it was voted down due to over harvest concerns.

7. The lighted nock issue.  Dave Ware asked Mr. Jim Sutton who has presented testimony to the Commission in regards to this to present his opinions to the GMAC.  I testified in regards to the Pope and Young rules of fair chase that NO electronics should be attached to the bow or the arrow,  the possibility of unethiccal shots being taken at twilight, and the opening of more electronics and technology to bowhunting.  Many people provided opinions.  A motion to allow lighted nocks was presented, and voted 14-4 with 1 abstaining to allow. 

8.  Expanding cougar seasons.  Mr Ware presented the quotas for each GMU, and past harvest rates (average over 3 years).  WIth this quota system season will be open from Sept through Dec 31, at that time areas will be closed if quotas are met, if not the season will continue through March 31. 

Please understand that these proposals will all go to the Commission for their decision and the GMAC just provides their opinion to accept or not to the Commission. 

The archery coalitions proposals were once again addressed to Mr Ware and hopefully we will be able to get these added and in front of the Commission this year.  The public input is through Feb 21st, so please email Mr Dave Ware at David.ware@dfw.wa.gov and Jerry.Nelson@dfw.wa.gov  the Commission also at commission@dfw.wa.gov and wildthing@dfw.wa.gov   

[bobcat]

5.  Night Hunting restrictions.  Motion was passed that as written it was too vague and could never be effectively enforced, voted down by GMAC.

   


Good news!  But of course this doesn't mean the Commission will vote it down just because the GMAC did. We can only hope.

[bearpaw]

Best way to stop the parts of the night hunting rule that you don't like is to write the commission:  commission@dfw.wa.gov

[bobcat]

Best way to stop the parts of the night hunting rule that you don't like is to write the commission:  commission@dfw.wa.gov

I will definitely be sending some letters.