HUNTING -- The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted restrictions on the use of bait to hunt deer and elk, but made few significant changes in state hunting seasons at a public meeting April 8-9 in Olympia.

The commission agreed to set a 10-gallon limit on the amount of bait hunters can make available to attract deer and elk at any one time.

The new rule also prohibits establishing bait piles – usually apples, grain, or minerals – closer than 200 yards apart. Scents and attractants used by hunters are exempt from the new baiting restrictions.

Commission Chair Brad Smith said public meetings and opinion polls conducted by WDFW over the past year showed a diversity of opinions among hunters on the issue of baiting.

“This measure is not designed to prohibit the use of bait when hunting deer and elk, but rather to curb its excesses,” Smith said. “Many believe baiting is a legitimate strategy in certain types of hunting situations, including those for youths, seniors, and disabled hunters.” 

• See below for explanations of the vote by commissioners Jay Kehne of Omak and Kim Thorburn of Spokane.

The new baiting rule was approved along with a series of minor changes to hunting seasons initially established for deer, elk, bear, cougar and other game species last year as part of a three-year plan.

The most significant change reduces the number of hunting days for white-tailed deer in northeastern Washington. Last year, the commission expanded that hunt for young, senior, and disabled hunters from four days to 14 days, but reversed its decision in response to an outbreak of bluetongue disease in the area’s deer herd.

Hundreds and more likely thousands of deer died last last summer and early fall in the swath from Colville area south into Idaho.

The commission also directed WDFW wildlife managers to continue working with community leaders to address concerns about cougars related to public safety and livestock depredation.

The commission also took action on several other issues. Among them:

• Brown pelican status: Boted to remove the large seabird from the state’s list of threatened and endangered species at the recommendation of the department. The species rebounded throughout the Pacific coast after the pesticide DDT was banned in 1972, and was removed from the federal Endangered Species List in 2009. Up to 10,000 brown pelicans now pass through the state each year, although their population varies in conjunction with the cyclical abundance of forage fish.
• Road-killed wildlife: Starting in July, people can legally salvage deer and elk killed by motor vehicles in all areas of the state except Clark, Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum counties, where only elk may be salvaged due to federal laws regarding endangered Columbian white-tailed deer. Those who salvage deer or elk will be required to obtain a permit from WDFW within 24 hours. For more information, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/game_salvaging/
• Chronic wasting disease: Added Michigan and Arkansas to the list of states that have discovered the disease in their deer populations. The disease has not been detected in Washington, which requires additional processing of deer, elk and moose carcasses imported from those states.

The baiting issue stirred up some hot debate.  In the end the, the commission voted for the mid-range option between doing nothing to restrict baiting for deer and elk and prohibiting the practice.   Here's what two commissioners had to say about the decision:

Jay Kehne, Omak:

I think the commission made a good decision.  While some from the hunting community wanted no change to Washington's baiting rules and other hunters wanted it stopped altogether,  the random survey of deer hunters showed 58% of deer hunters were opposed or strongly opposed to baiting and 69 % of elk hunters felt the same way. 

This was never about non- or anti hunters wanting to end baiting.  It was a discussion among hunters.  

Seven of 10 western states ban baiting outright.  Most states that allow baiting have either a volume, distance, or timing restriction on baiting or all three. 

The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies does not support supplemental feeding of deer and with no restrictions on volume or timing. Some of the current baiting operations that run into early winter very much approach a supplemental feeding situation which WDFW veterinarians and WAFWA show ample evidence as being harmful to individual deer digestive systems if not bad for the health of larger groups of deer who gather at feeding stations. 

Even so, the commission voted for a compromise that restricts the volume to 10 gallons with a 200 yard distance limitation between bait stations of individual license holders or other known bait stations.  Bait has to be accessible to wildlife to be considered bait,  which could allow for feeders that hold more than 10 gallons if only 10 gallons are on the ground or accessible to wildlife.  This gives some room to folks or guides who use bait to attract deer for clients. 

After reading and hearing from hundreds on both sides of this issue, i think this is a good compromise to start with and we will see how it goes! 

Kim Thorburn, Spokane

The baiting question was tough.  The commission looked at it because we believed there was a concern.  We learned that the science and conservation issues are unresolved. 

Our constituents who weighed in were hunters and they were polarized.  Some argued that "fair chase" leaves no place for baiting.  Others felt as strongly about the opportunity that baiting provides for young, disabled and elderly hunters. 

I struggled because my own enjoyment of wildlife comes from using animals' behaviors and movement patterns to be able to find them, more of a fair chase approach.  In the end, I agreed with the majority of my fellow commissioners that the issue was excessive use of baiting, in which the biologic concerns were most plausible. 

It seemed that a middle position limiting amounts of bait yet still allowing a practice that has the potential of broadening the access to the sport was the right decision at this time.