Washington commission to reconsider 2022 spring bear hunt

BY

• Courtney Flatt
• https://www.kuow.org/stories/washington-commission-to-reconsider-2022-spring-bear-hunt

JAN 21, 2022at4:43 PMNorthwest News Network

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The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will reconsider a controversial spring bear hunt that the commission had recently postponed.

In November, the commission did not update permits for a 2022 spring bear hunt after a 4-4 split decision. A majority of commissioners needed to authorize the 2022 special hunt permits, which meant the upcoming spring season would not happen.

Since the November vote, hunting groups petitioned the commission to open the 2022 spring bear hunt.

The commission is expected to reconsider the 2022 spring bear hunt at its March meetings.

At a special meeting Friday, Commissioner Don McIssac said he believed the hunt could go on because black bears are imperiled in Washington state.

“I note something like 48 consecutive years of a season without overharvesting,” McIssac said.