WA 2022 Spring Bear Hunting Suspended. Is it Lost for Good?

Maybe I'm just a little hot right now, but if those that feel that non-consumptive users (for lack of an appropriate term) deserve a bigger seat a the table, please explain how that doesn't equal the loss of hunting. Read the actual quotes. The goal is very specific. NO MORE HUNTING.

I hope my Trump 2024 hat gets here soon...
 
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As an Oregonian, this worries me more than a little. We have a black bear management plan, and it is supposed to be updated every few years. As I understand, Oregon is way behind on any sort of update, and I fear this could be used to litigate and close bear hunting here entirely. The bears are doing fine, but if you don't keep up on the paperwork, the science is open to questioning.

QQ
 
In the words of Big Fin, “Unbelievable. Just un-effing-believable.” I know I’m stuck in my own head, but… Why can’t we trust experts? I spent elk season listening to 13 wolves howl, and seeing one fork horn whitetail in WA. I’m not anti-wolf, but I recognize myself as part of an ecosystem that must be managed. We are the only cognizant species that has the intelligence to consider others. We are not above or below, we are equal.

I eat bear. It isn’t recreational. Maybe I’ll buy some meat grown in a petri-dish in the future and not consider the side-effects of such.
 
Washington has a handful of the most ignorant wildlife commissioners in the country. Truly uninformed/ignorant people. I have no real issue with some of them wanting to take a broader view or even look more at non-game species - because I do not see a lot of that conflicting with hunters/hunting/conservation. The reality is some of these commissioners are simply using these red-herrings to fulfill their anti-hunting motives/desires. If they applied the same logic from their spring bear decisions (not 'enough' data, don't support hunting animals during breeding season, etc.) they would end every big game hunt in the state. That is what is so scary about how spring bear played out...they literally have a roadmap and appointees that could end hunting in WA state.
 
Washington has a handful of the most ignorant wildlife commissioners in the country. Truly uninformed/ignorant people. I have no real issue with some of them wanting to take a broader view or even look more at non-game species - because I do not see a lot of that conflicting with hunters/hunting/conservation. The reality is some of these commissioners are simply using these red-herrings to fulfill their anti-hunting motives/desires. If they applied the same logic from their spring bear decisions (not 'enough' data, don't support hunting animals during breeding season, etc.) they would end every big game hunt in the state. That is what is so scary about how spring bear played out...they literally have a roadmap and appointees that could end hunting in WA state.
What makes them really scary is that they're not uninformed but actually very informed, very intelligent, and fairly articulate.... and very VERY agenda driven.
 
So is hunting deer and elk during the breeding season next to go? I’m sure WDFW does good population monitoring for those species but can they meet the burden that some of the commissioners think they should to allow hunting?
 
So is hunting deer and elk during the breeding season next to go? I’m sure WDFW does good population monitoring for those species but can they meet the burden that some of the commissioners think they should to allow hunting?
I think they're going to reduce opportunity for elk in the Blues to help feed predators.

But yes, they are quoted as saying hunters are no longer necessary.
 
I think they're going to reduce opportunity for elk in the Blues to help feed predators.

But yes, they are quoted as saying hunters are no longer necessary.
The bulls in the blues are already getting hammered by tribal hunters. It’s truly amazing the number of really big bulls a few guys are killing from august until Feb-March
 
The bulls in the blues are already getting hammered by tribal hunters. It’s truly amazing the number of really big bulls a few guys are killing from august until Feb-March
Dude, my Mom was just telling me about the Glenwood refuge in south-central WA. It used to be private, but a recent court case ruled that the it is actually within the Yakima Rez. There's a national wildlife refuge in the middle of the valley that holds a ton of elk. The tribe is taking elk, off of the refuge, every week. She was quite distraught. Too much trespassing on neighboring private lands, and the County doesn't even have jurisdiction over the area anymore so you have to call the tribal police from topenish, over an hr away.

It's like do you really want to perpetuate racism? Then stop giving people reasons to. Sorry, maybe that's over the line, but it cuts too close to home.
 
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I don’t think it’s a race issue as much as it is people just calling them out for being untruthful about what they do. This gets into a whole other issue that would most definitely get out of hand quickly here. The tribes calling it “subsistence “ hunting is about as far from the true meaning of the word as you can get.
 
What makes them really scary is that they're not uninformed but actually very informed, very intelligent, and fairly articulate.... and very VERY agenda driven.
So, despite the outpouring from hunters (myself include, and I don’t even hunt in WA) the commission just did whatever they wanted? Or was the side advocating for the permanent closure that much more vocal and large in number?
 
I think they're going to reduce opportunity for elk in the Blues to help feed predators.

But yes, they are quoted as saying hunters are no longer necessary.
This is the exact thing that the wolf reintroduction folks stated was part of the goal. They envision a habitat that is “self sustaining” and balanced with no need for hunting.
 
So, despite the outpouring from hunters (myself include, and I don’t even hunt in WA) the commission just did whatever they wanted? Or was the side advocating for the permanent closure that much more vocal and large in number?
@neffa3 stays up to date on this more than I do but my view is that it wasn’t a matter of more voices advocating against it necessarily. It was basically our voices being dismissed completely by a commission that has no intention of perpetuating bear hunting.
The commission isn’t interested in hunting.
 
So, despite the outpouring from hunters (myself include, and I don’t even hunt in WA) the commission just did whatever they wanted? Or was the side advocating for the permanent closure that much more vocal and large in number?
Unclear at this point. But generally they did what they want. They know that a large # of Washingtonians support their push to eliminate predator hunting. How much further they'll take it isn't immediately clear. But comments don't seem to matter to them. Like I said, they are agenda driven.
 
What makes them really scary is that they're not uninformed but actually very informed, very intelligent, and fairly articulate.... and very VERY agenda driven.
When I say uninformed/ignorant I'm speaking to their knowledge of hunting/hunting practices...something I think is critical when setting hunting policy. Outside those lanes - I agree - they are intelligent, political, and informed on how to attack hunting opportunity. But when some of them state hunting animals during breeding season is not common, or when they have no idea the difference between special permits and general season, or no idea the difference between scopes and open sights...its just beyond a level of ignorance anyone on a commission setting/approving hunting specific policies should ever have.
 
When I say uninformed/ignorant I'm speaking to their knowledge of hunting/hunting practices...something I think is critical when setting hunting policy. Outside those lanes - I agree - they are intelligent, political, and informed on how to attack hunting opportunity. But when some of them state hunting animals during breeding season is not common, or when they have no idea the difference between special permits and general season, or no idea the difference between scopes and open sights...its just beyond a level of ignorance anyone on a commission setting/approving hunting specific policies should ever have.
Those statements made by them aren’t out of ignorance or lack of understanding about hunting. That’s just a tactic they use to spew out propaganda that supports the anti message. The whole looking stupid thing is just a disguise for them. They fully understand the role of hunting…just not interested in supporting it anymore.
 

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