Game Meeting Set

Hunting

Proposals that would significantly alter the way game is hunted in Washington will be discussed this month in statewide public meetings.

Proposals gleaned by citizen comments and a telephone survey of 700 hunters include:

Establishing statewide spike bull-only seasons for elk. Branched-bull hunting would be limited by permit draw.

Consolidating modern firearm deer seasons from 11 to two.

Authorizing damage hunts for landowners with a history of deer or elk damage verified by the department.

Replacing permit-only cougar hunts and general season cougar hunting with a statewide quota system. Cougar tags would be available to all hunters for use in any game management unit where cougar hunting is allowed. Separate cougar quotas would be adopted for each unit.

Expanding the Canada goose season.

The proposals, if approved by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission in December, would become effective in the fall of 1997.

Public meetings in this region begin at 7 p.m. as follows:

Tuesday at Ephrata City Hall.

Wednesday at Spokane Falls Community College, Student Union Lounge Rooms.

, DataTimes