Outdoors - Hunting and Fishing

POSTED: Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008

HUNTING: Wyoming hunters need to carry bear spray

Hunters in Wyoming are now urged to carry bear repellent spray after 17 grizzlies were killed this summer and fall by hunters defending themselves or their property.

A total of 46 natural and man-caused grizzly deaths are known to have occurred this year in Wyoming.

No longer on the federal endangered species list, the Wyoming grizzly population in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is closely monitored for mortality and the causes of those deaths under terms of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-approved state management plan

The federal-state management accords mandates that the great bear could be returned to federal protection if the death-rate under state management reaches a threshold point.

There is currently no hunting season from grizzlies in Wyoming and they are protected by Cowboy State law. All grizzly deaths, including hunter self-defense incidents, are investigated by Wyoming authorities to determine the circumstances and if the physical evidence supports the action. Hunters are not allowed to retain the bear in such cases.

In recommending the use of capsicum-based spray for defense against bear attacks during close encounters, researchers said that it effectively repels all bears, including grizzlies, in the vast majority of instances.

In all the other cases evaluated, injuries to humans were minor and experts concluded in those cases that adverse winds affected the spray's delivery.

Wyoming officials say that hunter grizzly bear self-defense deaths are preventable if spray is carried and used. If these deaths are eliminated, it will help keep grizzly management under state jurisdiction.

OREGON FOCUSES ON BLACK-TAILED DEER FUTURE

Management of Western Oregon black-tailed deer populations will for the first time ever be guided by a comprehensive plan.

Considered one of the most popular game animals in the state, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife managers estimate that 72,000 hunters took part in the 2007 general rifle season.

These annual undertakings give a $35-60 million net benefit to Oregon's economy according to a 2003 research paper.

Though they reside in dense coastal forests making them difficult to study, Oregon's westside deer species will be the focus of increased efforts to strengthen annual data gathering methods to estimate population levels and the health of the herd.

The plan also calls for managers to work with landowners to protect and improve black-tailed deer habitat.

AILING CASPER ELK FOUND WITH CWD

A bull elk found to be suffering from chronic wasting disease was killed by Wyoming Department of Game and Fish authorities earlier this month in elk hunt area 19 south of Casper, Wyoming.

It is the first elk in that zone confirmed to be afflicted with the fatal central nervous system disease.

Though CWD was confirmed in the Hunt Area 66 deer population in 2001, the disease had not been found until now in its elk herd, according to WDGF officials.

The finding means that Wyoming's transport embargo of certain big game body parts now applies to elk in that zone (elk hunt area 19). Hunters must leave behind at the kill scene head, spinal column and other central nervous system parts or dispose of them in a nearby approved landfill.

To prevent the spread of CWD through environmental contamination, Washington bans the importation of certain parts from hunter-killed big game animals coming from states such as Wyoming that have the disease in free-roaming deer, elk or moose.

For specifics on Washington's law governing return of big game carcasses this state, check online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/cwd/cwd_hunting.htm.

IDAHO CHANGES SUPER HUNT RAFFLE TICKET SALES

To simplify the fee structure for Super Hunt and Super Hunt Combo raffle tickets the Idaho Department of Fish and Game has eliminated sales of ticket packages.

The sales procedure also will be streamlined to allow persons to purchase drawing tickets online, too.

Super Hunt and Super Hunt Combo raffles annually raise money for Idaho's highly popular Access Yes![cq] program that compensates property owners for allowing public use of their land for hunting and fishing.

Idaho's drawing-awarded Super Hunt permits allow the winners to hunt individual big game species (deer, elk, antelope or moose) in any open game unit. Super Hunt Combos allow two winners to hunt all four game animals in one year during their seasons.

New prices for Super Hunt raffle tickets are $4.25 plus $1.75 vendor fee for the first ticket and $4 for each additional ticket.

Super Hunt Combo tickets will cost $18.25 plus $1.75 vendor fee for the first ticket and $16 for each additional one.

Drawings to award the single species and combination permits are held in June and August each year.

The new prices and electronic sales will take effect once computer software is updated. The current manual ticket order process will continue until then. For more details, check online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/hunt/superhunt/

SURGE OF HUNTER REPORTS CRASH COMPUTER

An Idaho Department of Fish and Game mailer reminding hunters to make their mandatory post-season reports online prompted such as response Nov. 10 that the state's telephone system and computer software, which receives and records the information, crashed.

Idaho officials say that as a result of the overload, some reports were not taken or recorded. Hunters must file this report within 10 days of a kill or at the end of the hunting season if unsuccessful.

Receipt of these reports via this computer-age real-time system is a critical step enabling managers to evaluate harvest and population information by January so that the following year's hunting seasons can be developed by March.

IDFG has eliminated 80,000 follow-up mailer reminders and will canvas by telephone hunters who have not reported.

To file Idaho hunting reports, log online to www.idaho-hunt.com or call 1 877-268-9365.

IDAHO SEEKS 2009-2010 TROPHY SEASON COMMENTS

Proposed special seasons for moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goats in Idaho are now available for review and comment.

Comments must be submitted to Idaho Department of Fish and Game managers by Friday, Dec. 19.

Hunters familiar with last year's seasons, quotas and open units in the Upper Snake Region will find no changes in proposed 2009 hunts for bighorn sheep and mountain goats.

However, antlered and antlerless moose permits would be reduced in the region.

In the Clearwater Region, some reductions in moose permits are proposed along with consolidation of hunt areas. Bighorn sheep permits will decrease and two hunt areas will be combined in Hunt Unit 20.

For full details concerning these seasons check online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/public/.