Hunters get final shot at Washington rule proposals
The public has until Tuesday to comment on 2015-2017 Washington hunting rule proposals such as increasing moose permits and restricting the use of bait in deer and elk hunting.
The proposals, developed after several months of public meetings and involvement, will be refined and presented to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission at its March 20-21 meeting in Moses Lake.
Final commission action is scheduled for the April 9-10 meeting in Olympia. The 2015 hunting seasons and regulations pamphlets will be published later in April.
Here’s a sampling of the proposals.
• Mule deer hunting seasons would be increased by two days in many units under one proposal. The 11-day seasons would mark the first increase since the seasons were shortened after bad winters about 10 years ago.
• Antlerless whitetail deer hunting would be expanded for youth, senior and disabled hunters under another proposal.
“They’ve had only four days for either-sex hunting for quite a few years and we want to give them more opportunity through the early season,” said Kevin Robinette, state Fish and Wildlife Department regional wildlife manager in Spokane.
Bowhunters also would be allowed more antlerless opportunity for whitetails.
• Baiting – a controversial hunting practice in which hunters put out food such as apples to lure wildlife they intend to shoot – is facing increased scrutiny.
“We’ll present the commission several options to consider,” Robinette said. “This is one of those issues that hunters are either adamantly for or against.”
Idaho allows baiting for bears but not for deer and elk.
Washington voters passed a 1996 initiative banning the use of bait for black bear hunting, but the state still allows baiting for deer and elk.
Baiting for migratory birds such as ducks and mourning doves is prohibited by federal laws.
“We’re offering different approaches, including one option that calls for limiting the amount of bait that can be put out,” Robinette said.
• The four-point minimum for whitetail bucks in Units 117 and 121 is up for reconsideration with several options.
“We could return to any-buck in those two units, or maybe keep the four-point minimum with an exception for youth hunters,” Robinette said.
The four-point minimum was adopted in 2011 at the request of northeastern Washington hunters seeking to increase numbers of larger bucks.
“It’s another case of hunters either loving or hating the rule,” he said. “We’ve seen an increase in deer numbers since four-point was adopted, but we’ve also had mild winters. It’s hard to tease out all the cause and effect.”
• Cougar hunting seasons would be lengthened by a month under a proposal, although certain areas would still be closed early if quotas are reached.
• The number of spring bear hunting permits would be doubled in northeastern Washington. “We’re addressing increasing nuisance and damage issues as well as local interest in having more hunting opportunity,” Robinette said. “There’s a healthy bear population up there.”
• Moose permits would be increased in northeastern Washington by splitting some units and offering two shorter seasons rather than a single months-long season.
A moose permit is among the most coveted big-game tags in Washington, with thousands of hunters applying for about 140 tags offered last year on a once-in-a-lifetime basis.
“We’ve already been hearing complaints from moose hunters about crowding in some areas as moose permits have increased,” Robinette said. “But by taking a unit like Three Forks, splitting it into two areas and splitting the season we can offer 12 permits – twice as many as last year.”
• Hunting equipment proposals include allowing bowhunters to use mechanical broadheads and approving crossbows for general big-game hunting, but only during rifle seasons.
“Bowhunters have been adamantly against allowing crossbows during archery seasons,” Robinette said.