State Curtails Deer Hunting Commission Acts To Offset High Mortality Rate

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission on Saturday decided to restrict mule-deer hunting in parts of Eastern Washington where severe winter weather led to high mortality rates among the herds.

The commission voted not to issue buck deer permits in 61 hunts. Nearly all the restricted areas are on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains.

Commissioners also voted not to issue elk permits in seven hunting areas where the animals were hard hit by the harsh winter.

The commissioners also heard testimony on how to distribute the already scarce deer and elk permits among hunters who use modern firearms, muzzle loaders and bows and arrows.

After much debate, the commissioners voted to adopt a “citizen task force recommendation” that the permits be divvied up among hunters based on the number of hunters in each user group and last year’s success rates in bagging an animal.

Complete permit information will be available Wednesday at Department of Fish and Wildlife offices.