More Bears Around; They’re On The Move

Hunters already know that black bears are abundant in northeast Washington this year. The animals are so numerous that some home owners in Pend Oreille, Stevens and Ferry counties have spent the last few months trying to scare the animals away from their property.

In some cases, the bears have become downright arrogant.

A poor huckleberry crop this year forced the bears to find other food, including abandoned orchards, blackberry thickets, old plum and chokecherry stands.

One biologist said: “Hunters in the mountains will have to spot and stalk.”

Even though bears are plentiful, hunter success rate probably will be lower than those of the last few years because of the banning of bait, the poor berry crop and denser-than-usual cover as the result of heavy spring rains.

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission added about five weeks to the bear-hunting season in Eastern Washington this year, moving the opener back to Aug. 1.

The commission also added a two-week damage hunt, starting July 15, in 20 Western Washington units, and allowed hunters there to take two bears a year, instead of one, to help alleviate damage to Western Washington forests.

Initiative 655, approved by voters last November, prohibited use of bait in hunting black bears, and prohibited use of dogs in hunting bears, cougars and other cats.

Black bear hunting got under way in North Idaho Sept. 15. Phil Cooper, Idaho Fish and Game Department spokesman for the Panhandle region, said bear hunters are learning that bears are on the move.

“The huckleberry crop was poor (in some areas),” he said. “Hungry bears are trying to put on weight before hibernation and have been sighted in apple, pear and plum trees, in mountain ash and traveling along roads where they are not normally seen.”

He said the bear kill should be higher this year than last.

“The season will not close for the elk opener as it has in the past, which should increase harvest opportunity,” he said. “The spring harvest was down 30 percent due to limited access, so more bears are available this fall.”

, DataTimes