The 2022 spring bear hunt was canceled after the Fish and Wildlife Commission voted against the proposal at a Saturday meeting.

Credit: Anne Lindgren / Thinkstock

A young black bear cleanses its palate after finishing a meal of pink salmon at the Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site in Hyder Alaska.

Author:Cody Miller

Published:9:32 AM PDT March 18, 2022

Updated:4:54 PM PDT March 19, 2022

 https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/washington-commission-bear-hunt-controversy/281-c70c221d-835c-4fe5-9d90-240b11089a8a

OLYMPIA, Wash — The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 5-4 against establishing a controversial 2022 spring black bear special permit hunting season.

Groups, advocates and residents spoke out on both sides of Washington state’s controversial spring bear hunt, which was previously put on hold due to deadlock within the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Last year, when the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) proposed changes to the hunt, allowing 664 permits that the department estimated would result in fewer than 150 bears…