Stop Spring Bear Hunting in Washington State

Your help is needed to end Washington's cruel and unnecessary spring bear hunts.

Yes, our state is one of the few that hunts bears when they are first emerging from hibernation. Spring hunts are in addition to our long regular summer-fall bear hunting season.

Bears in our state are hunted every month in which they are not hibernating except July. Hunters are allowed to kill females with cubs and bear cubs. No records are kept on the number of bear cubs that are orphaned and left to die. Most bear hunting is trophy hunting; often only the pelt is used. Hunters are allowed to kill two bears each year across our state even though bear density and mortality rates vary widely in different area

WA State's management of our black bears is unacceptable. We will need the help of hundreds of people to end spring bear hunts. Please join this effort by sending comments and speaking up. This fall we have another opportunity to end spring bear hunting in our state. These are special hunts that must be approved each year. Our state's wildlife commission will consider and vote on whether to have them again in 2022.

What needs to be done?  

1. Send comments to WDFW's staff and commissioners by October 21st.
   1. Send emails with comments to staff at: 2020SpringBear@PublicInput.com                                      
   2. Send emails with comments to commissioners at: commission@dfw.wa.gov
2. Send copies of comments to Governor Inslee who appoints commissioners and his Sr. Policy Advisor for Natural Resources, JT Austin.
   1. Send copies of comments to Gov. Inslee by pasting them into the contact form: https://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/contact/send-gov-inslee-e-message
   2. Send copies of comments to JT Austin at: jt.austin@gov.wa.gov
3. Speak for 1-3 minutes at the Fish & Wildlife Commission's public hearing webinar (zoom) on October 22nd or 23rd.
   1. Register several days ahead at: https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/commission/meetings/public-testimony
   2. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
4. Also, please *SAVE THE DATE* to speak at the November 19th Fish & Wildlife Commission meeting when adoption is expected.

A Few Talking Points

1. Originally the public was led to believe spring bear hunts were needed to address pressing management issues. It has now become clear that these hunts are not necessary and they are not an effective way to address the vaguely described and undocumented management issues WDFW uses to justify having these cruel hunts.

2. Spring bear hunting is not supported by the majority of the public because it violates basic principles of ethical hunting and "fair chase". Spring hunting and killing of females and cubs is also wrong biologically which is why no other wildlife species are hunted in the spring except non-native turkeys in WA State. These hunts, like wildlife killing contests, fit into the category of examples of the worst kind of hunting. This is why many hunters and wildlife biologists also oppose them.

3. Spring bear hunting does not reflect the values and ethics of most of the 7.7 million residents of our state. Fewer than 5% of WA residents purchase any kind of hunting license. Spring bear hunts may be popular with the 664 hunters who will participate if the hunts are held in 2022. Wildlife in WA State is a public asset and it should be managed for the public, not for the few who choose to hunt bears in the spring.

4. Some spring bear hunters probably are hunting using bait which is illegal in WA State. Some hunts are on commercial timber lands where bears are legally fed, supposedly to limit tree damage. Where, when and how much of this food is put out on commercial timber lands is a guarded secret. We do know these feeding programs attract bears and hunters may intentionally or unintentionally hunt where feeding programs occur which is illegal.

5. These hunts are cruel and inhuman and kill bears and cubs indirectly as well as directly because they occur when bears are starving and must find enough food to survive and are most vulnerable. Food is often found in openings where bears will be seen by hunters if they try to access it. This is why hunter success is highest during the spring. Bears must choose between eating or not being shot. This is especially true for females with new cubs who must focus on protecting their cubs as well as eating . Cubs die when females do not provide enough milk. Cub mortality is high under the best circumstances.

6. WDFW does not need to provide an opportunity for 664 hunters to kill bears in the spring. The regular bear hunting season was recently lengthened.   It now begins on Aug. 1st and runs until Nov. 15th, across the state. Recently the limit per hunter was raised from 1 to 2 bears across the state. These changes should be challenged because bear density and mortality rates vary widely in different parts of our state. Bears are hunted every month they are not hibernating except July in WA state. Why isn't this enough bear hunting?