Hunting Washington Forum
Community => Advocacy, Agencies, Access => Topic started by: andersonjk4 on August 10, 2021, 08:38:55 AM
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I try to keep myself up to date with the goings-on of the Fish and Wildlife Commission and while looking through the documents presented on the WDFW website I came across a summary of the topics for upcoming Commission meetings. One thing that jumped out at me was a meeting regarding Spring Bear and then a subsequent meeting with a decision being made on the Spring Bear topic. It is unclear at this time what the topic(s) relating to Spring Bear are, but the last time there was discussion of Spring Bear hunting during a Commission meeting the Anti's showed up in full force against it. They have slated these two meeting right in the middle of hunting season, but hopefully we can have a strong showing from the hunting crowd. Mark your calendars.
Link to the Agenda:
https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-07/year_at_a_glance_-_updated_73021.pdf (https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-07/year_at_a_glance_-_updated_73021.pdf)
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Tagging
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🤔
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Are they taking written comments? I didn’t see it in the link.
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This is just my assumptions, but I would guess the spring bear discussion will be about any proposed changes to the 2022 spring bear season. I would assume that those proposals would go out for a public review comment period sometime around when the meetings are held. If I see anything, I will try to remember to update this post.
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I would place a healthy wager they will attempt to torpedo the spring bear, and im wondering what the current years submission data is regaurding the sow harvest levels and those lactating are. That will determine a lot, and if the numbers for hunters are good you will see a different tactic by the Antis to get rid of ir prevent the expansion of Spring bear.
I would also add that lots of proposed changes to hunting in general were scrapped at the last moment. Some of the changes had broad support. I found this to be quite strange, however the 2 new unconfirmed Comissioners could be part of the reasoning. RCW 77.04.030 states the requirements for the comissioners and how each region and user group needs to be represented. https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=77.04.030
Perhaps its just wishful thinking that all the changes were tabled because that RCW is not bei g followed and something is in play. Since i have not read any justification for delay in the previous rule changes my hope is that what ever nonsense Lorna and Koontz have or will vote on will be vacated as its obvious these appointments are not legal... This hypothesis is bolstered by the fact that they were not confirmed. I find this strange since Van De Wege the chairmain of the natural resource Comittie in the senate is both a Democrat and a several time recipient of legislator of the year from HSUS.
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I would place a healthy wager they will attempt to torpedo the spring bear, and im wondering what the current years submission data is regaurding the sow harvest levels and those lactating are. That will determine a lot, and if the numbers for hunters are good you will see a different tactic by the Antis to get rid of ir prevent the expansion of Spring bear.
I would also add that lots of proposed changes to hunting in general were scrapped at the last moment. Some of the changes had broad support. I found this to be quite strange, however the 2 new unconfirmed Comissioners could be part of the reasoning. RCW 77.04.030 states the requirements for the comissioners and how each region and user group needs to be represented. https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=77.04.030
Perhaps its just wishful thinking that all the changes were tabled because that RCW is not bei g followed and something is in play. Since i have not read any justification for delay in the previous rule changes my hope is that what ever nonsense Lorna and Koontz have or will vote on will be vacated as its obvious these appointments are not legal... This hypothesis is bolstered by the fact that they were not confirmed. I find this strange since Van De Wege the chairmain of the natural resource Comittie in the senate is both a Democrat and a several time recipient of legislator of the year from HSUS.
Regarding the proposals that were scrapped, I spoke with a WDFW employee who was very involved in the process, those proposals were not scrapped altogether. The department basically got called on a technicality that they are not allowed to make rule changes outside of bag limits and season lengths (ie method of take) without going through the formal SEPA process. So the department has put together a plan to go ahead with the formal SEPA process for those proposals they tabled in the last go around. There will be another round of public comment on those proposals and if they get adopted will be implemented for 2022.
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Back to spring bear...
I did find where the spring bear pre-proposal (CR-101) has been submitted and you can provide public comment on it here. I have not been able to find any specifics regarding any upcoming proposals.
Links:
https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/development# (https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/development#)
https://publicinput.com/2020SpringBear (https://publicinput.com/2020SpringBear)
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This is just my assumptions, but I would guess the spring bear discussion will be about any proposed changes to the 2022 spring bear season. I would assume that those proposals would go out for a public review comment period sometime around when the meetings are held. If I see anything, I will try to remember to update this post.
Thank you for keeping us up to date :tup:
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One more update on this topic. The spring bear season setting proposals are currently being formulated. If you would like to make a comment or suggest something to be included in the upcoming proposals use the link in one of my above posts (and below). The department will use these public comments to help formulate the proposals which will be presented formally for public comment.
I would urge everyone to at least comment to show general support for our spring bear seasons. I am sure the department gets hammered with anti bear hunting comments, so lets try and offset them.
Link to public comment:
https://publicinput.com/2020SpringBear (https://publicinput.com/2020SpringBear)
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Thank you
tagging in :tup:
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Tagging and will comment. Thanks.
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Some thoughts on comenting. Only 2 BMU bear management units were over sow harvest according to the Game Management Plan. And they were the N cascases and the Puget sound region where all the people live and even that was just barely 3 of the 10 years.
Secondly we have had one yeaar of mandatory spring bear pelt/tooth/sex checking to make decisions off of. Considering that all past recomendations from the Carnivore division has restricted hunting it would be my assumption that we will see more of the same.
I do think showing up in force comenting is important however i think some details should be known so we can make better arguments. While I personally think we have several Animal Rights activists on the Comission, some are quite good.
I have heard Mc Isaacs ask many great questions from testifiers looking for insight. Additionally Thornburn has stood up for sportsmen and the wdfw mandates quite well despite not being a hunter herself.
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They still haven't earned my trust or confidence in their decision making
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tag
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One more update on this topic. The spring bear season setting proposals are currently being formulated. If you would like to make a comment or suggest something to be included in the upcoming proposals use the link in one of my above posts (and below). The department will use these public comments to help formulate the proposals which will be presented formally for public comment.
I would urge everyone to at least comment to show general support for our spring bear seasons. I am sure the department gets hammered with anti bear hunting comments, so lets try and offset them.
Link to public comment:
https://publicinput.com/2020SpringBear (https://publicinput.com/2020SpringBear)
Comment sent, thanks for the link. Basically mentioned the increase of predators and decrease of deer and elk populations since hounds and bait were banned. And how effective spring bear is for taking mature boars and leaving the sow and cubs alone. I should have added that spring bear hunts add revenue as apposed to having cost for removal programs.
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Thanks for link, comment submitted.
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Tagging in.
Also sent in comments at the link provided.
Gary
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Update 10/11/201:
Here is a link to a public comment page. Everyone needs to go to this website and flood it with support of our spring bear season.
https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations/season-setting (https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations/season-setting)
Public comment is open until 10/21. Share as much as possible until then. Make our hunters voice the loudest in the room.
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You can tell by reading through the comments that the same anti's are commenting over and over again. All you have to do is clear your browser history and it lets you comment again. Also urge people to take an extra minute and make sure the pro-hunting comments are well worded and grammatically correct. Nothing takes away from a logical argument like "kill all them bears and wolves cause we ain't got no deer left" :chuckle:
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DEADLINE EXTENDED 5PM NOV1
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You can tell by reading through the comments that the same anti's are commenting over and over again. All you have to do is clear your browser history and it lets you comment again. Also urge people to take an extra minute and make sure the pro-hunting comments are well worded and grammatically correct. Nothing takes away from a logical argument like "kill all them bears and wolves cause we ain't got no deer left" :chuckle:
I dont think this is a laughing matter. The anti hunters dont understand how an ecosystem is actually works, and they are better organized than us hunters that actually care about species preservation. We have an uphill battle.
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With the new Blues elk calf numbers OTC seems logical. Please get your comments in, now and often.
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I ran into one of the good commissioners today and asked about how the meeting went
That commissioner said hunters really need to get their comments in. Don't sleep on this folks, sounds like it's going to be a pitches battle and we need the numbers. Comment comment comment
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I submitted comments. The entire skull and pelt is a bit of overkill for check within 72hrs.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Comment submitted , I sure hope they listen as many of us have had "feet on the ground" in this regard.
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:bumpin:
Comments due by 5pm!
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The vote ended in a 4-4 tie. There will be NO 2022 spring bear hunt.
Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
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The vote ended in a 4-4 tie. There will be NO 2022 spring bear hunt.
Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
Is there no tie breaker in place for these kinds of things?
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The vote ended in a 4-4 tie. There will be NO 2022 spring bear hunt.
Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
Is there no tie breaker in place for these kinds of things?
It's a 9 member commission but there's a vacancy, so that's why it was a 4-4 tie. The Commission essentially voted on approving the season for 2022. Since it was not approved there is no season.
Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
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Do we know who voted for and against it?
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Ya pretty obvious
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Do we know who voted for and against it?
In favor: Kim Thorburn, who had made the motion to approve the hunt as presented by WDFW staff and strongly supported by Director Kelly Susewind, as well as Molly Linville, who seconded the motion, Jim Anderson and Don McIsaac
Against: Vice Chair Barbara Baker and Commissioners Fred Koontz and Lorna Smith, Chair Larry Carpenter cast the decisive no vote
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For Immediate Release, November 19, 2021
Contact:
Sophia Ressler, (206) 399-4004, sressler@biologicaldiversity.org
Washington Wildlife Commission Suspends Spring Bear Hunt
OLYMPIA, Wash.— The state of Washington’s Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 4-4 today to suspend a proposed 2022 spring bear-hunting season. The spring hunt, which the commission reviews annually, required a majority to authorize, so the tie vote puts the hunt on hold.
“This vote is a huge win for Washington’s black bears and all our wildlife and ecosystems,” said Sophia Ressler, a staff attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Pausing this hunt to properly analyze the risks will allow for reasoned decision making, and I hope the commission listens to the majority of folks in the state who want these cruel spring hunts to finally come to an end.”
More than 100 people testified on the issue during a Zoom meeting held before the commission Oct. 22. The vast majority — over 90% — asked the commission to ban outright the special-permit spring bear hunt or wait to make a decision until more science and information were provided.
Many experts and members of the public voiced concern over the possibility of bear cubs being orphaned when mother bears are killed during the hunt. Most who testified also expressed concern about the flawed management rationale, lack of transparency during the rulemaking process, and absence of relevant information to support the decision.
Bears emerge from their dens in the spring in a very vulnerable state, struggling to gain weight after winter hibernation. This is particularly challenging for mother bears, who must also feed their cubs. In previous years Washington allowed hunters with a special permit to target black bears during this time.
Prior to today’s vote, Washington was 1 of only 8 states in the country that allowed a spring bear hunt. Black bears are found in 41 states.
This is why we loose
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They're reasoning behind their votes is proof to me that there is zero hope for this in the future.
https://nwsportsmanmag.com/tie-vote-on-2022-wa-spring-black-bear-season/
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More than 100 people testified on the issue during a Zoom meeting held before the commission Oct. 22. The vast majority — over 90% — asked the commission to ban outright the special-permit spring bear hunt or wait to make a decision until more science and information were provided.
As many have said before, we (hunters/anglers) never voice our opinion in strong numbers. We bi**h about things amongst our friends, on Hunt-WA, etc. But how many have actually gone to a Commission meeting (or now via Zoom) to testify? The anti's know they have to show up to get their views passed, we on the other side just bi**h and complain.
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Lets be real here, hunters testifying or not, the people on this commission now have an agenda and their minds are already made up on virtually every issue before it's even presented, science or not. I don't usually have a defeatist attitude like that, but it's honestly more pragmatic than defeatist at this point.
This section from the article pretty much sums it up.
WDFW staff maintained there are no conservation concerns about the black bear population and that the hunt provides a recreational hunting opportunity with secondary and tertiary benefits to reduce timber damage, elk calf and deer fawn loss and human-bear conflict.
But the season has been in the crosshairs of animal rights groups since last fall when the 8-1 vote to hold the 2021 edition was accompanied by a lawsuit threat that was followed through on but dismissed by a judge before hunting began this April.
This year’s appointment of Koontz and Smith by Governor Inslee always meant it faced a narrower path to approval.
And then there's Koontz who said he doesn't believe that WDFW staff are trained well enough to determine if a bear is a sow or a boar.... so he doesn't believe that only 1 sow was taken in 2021. That is LaLa land reasoning and literally the exact opposite of science based decision making. We're screwed.
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Exactly the commission has an agenda and it is not in the favor of hunters in this state. Another nail getting pounded into the death of hunting of this state.
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The opportunity to hunt should be there for hunters and the commission should be providing that opportunity until science says otherwise! :twocents:
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I dont dare say what I REALLY think. :bash:
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So we all get refunds for our points right? :peep:
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Lets be real here, hunters testifying or not, the people on this commission now have an agenda and their minds are already made up on virtually every issue before it's even presented, science or not. I don't usually have a defeatist attitude like that, but it's honestly more pragmatic than defeatist at this point.
This section from the article pretty much sums it up.
WDFW staff maintained there are no conservation concerns about the black bear population and that the hunt provides a recreational hunting opportunity with secondary and tertiary benefits to reduce timber damage, elk calf and deer fawn loss and human-bear conflict.
But the season has been in the crosshairs of animal rights groups since last fall when the 8-1 vote to hold the 2021 edition was accompanied by a lawsuit threat that was followed through on but dismissed by a judge before hunting began this April.
This year’s appointment of Koontz and Smith by Governor Inslee always meant it faced a narrower path to approval.
And then there's Koontz who said he doesn't believe that WDFW staff are trained well enough to determine if a bear is a sow or a boar.... so he doesn't believe that only 1 sow was taken in 2021. That is LaLa land reasoning and literally the exact opposite of science based decision making. We're screwed.
"reduce timber damage, elk calf and deer fawn loss and human-bear conflict"
We had plenty of studies to warrant a scientific bases for reduction of bear and other predators, and more on the way and some ongoing.
The commission stated this vote was not scientifically based, but one of emotion in this last meeting.
Well, if we manage our game based on emotion, as this vote was by their own admission, then we'll never have scientific based study again.
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More than 100 people testified on the issue during a Zoom meeting held before the commission Oct. 22. The vast majority — over 90% — asked the commission to ban outright the special-permit spring bear hunt or wait to make a decision until more science and information were provided.
As many have said before, we (hunters/anglers) never voice our opinion in strong numbers. We bi**h about things amongst our friends, on Hunt-WA, etc. But how many have actually gone to a Commission meeting (or now via Zoom) to testify? The anti's know they have to show up to get their views passed, we on the other side just bi**h and complain.
:yeah: The anti's are showing up in droves from all around the country to testify at these things yet most of my friends who hunt were not even aware that this was open for comment, let alone would they ever take the time to show up in person. The other side has a common goal, to stop hunting, whereas we spend more time griping amongst ourselves about trivial crap like "is long range ethical, scopes on muzzleloaders, why ___ yards is too damn far with a bow", etc. etc. to ever organize as a collective and actually fight these things effectively. Not to mention guys will drop $600 on an out of state deer tag no problem but won't donate $100 to pro hunting orgs... the whole thing is pretty sad but not surprising
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Good!!!!!
They voted to not take my 💰.
Will see how that works out for them.
Should of been OTC spring bear hunt anyway.
They can kiss my perineum and lap it up like a dog.
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So we all get refunds for our points right? :peep:
I was thinking the same thing 🤔
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https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/commission/contact
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I’m not surprised by this, at all. Venezuela Jay is stacking the commission with anti fishing/hunting zealots. I think the time is coming when people that only fish & don’t care about the reduction in opportunities, are going to start caring when these zealots get after them.
I could be wrong, but my understanding is Washington has one of the highest concentrations of black bears outside of Alaska & a couple provinces. Clearly they love science until it disagrees with heir political agenda. I feel bad for you guys.
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I’m not surprised by this, at all. Venezuela Jay is stacking the commission with anti fishing/hunting zealots. I think the time is coming when people that only fish & don’t care about the reduction in opportunities, are going to start caring when these zealots get after them.
I could be wrong, but my understanding is Washington has one of the highest concentrations of black bears outside of Alaska & a couple provinces. Clearly they love science until it disagrees with heir political agenda. I feel bad for you guys.
We are in top 5 3 way tie for third with OR and ID for the most number of Black Bears. 25-30k
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Spring bear in Idaho!! F Washington ! These anti mother F*#%^*s ! All you libs that voted for inslee can kiss……..
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I’m not surprised by this, at all. Venezuela Jay is stacking the commission with anti fishing/hunting zealots. I think the time is coming when people that only fish & don’t care about the reduction in opportunities, are going to start caring when these zealots get after them.
I could be wrong, but my understanding is Washington has one of the highest concentrations of black bears outside of Alaska & a couple provinces. Clearly they love science until it disagrees with heir political agenda. I feel bad for you guys.
We are in top 5 3 way tie for third with OR and ID
Oregon has a spring controlled hunt with liberal quantities of tags given out. No baiting or hounds allowed.
Idaho has OTC spring bear tags with baiting allowed, not sure about spring bear and hounds?
Both states and Washington have robust bear numbers, the OTC and baiting hasn't threatened Idaho's bear numbers, they offer reduced tags to entice hunters to buy much chesper tags (especially non-res)
Idahos OTC spring bear has had a very positive effect on ungulate calves and fawn survival rates.