2023-2024 WDFW Hunting Regulation Proposals are out.

Smalma · Feb 16, 2023

The next season's hunting regulations are out -WDFW Feb 13 news release detail the process for comments with the comment period ending 3/27 when there is a "public meeting".

I encourage those of us that hunt to review those proposals.

There is a link to the all the public comments received, I took a quick at the waterfowl comments. Several were directed towards limiting or closing waterfowl hunting focusing on the issues of wastage and the unknow impact from avian flu (no hunting until that is understood). Given recent events it would not be surprising that similar types of comments are being made in other hunting opportunities.

Now is not the time folks to ignore the above threats to the sport of hunting or hoping someone else will fight for your interests.

Curt

Long_Rod_Silvers · Feb 16, 2023

Thanks for the friendly reminder!

Roper · Feb 16, 2023

Another good reason to leave the state…

Rob Allen · Feb 17, 2023

This CR 101 is the first of likely several in the coming years to implement the rulemaking portion of the 2022 10-year
recreation strategy for WDFW-managed lands. Priority #4 (Rulemaking) of the strategy identifies two goals: 1) reduce
regulatory uncertainty regarding recreation-related uses and 2) regulate access and use of specific wildlife areas, units, and
water access areas. Rulemaking associated with this CR 101 is intended to be fairly limited in scope and will aim to both
patch some of the more pressing regulatory gaps (e.g., define “posted” to include measures other than onsite signage) and
set the stage for more extensive rulemaking for deliverables 4.13 (Streambank easement rule) and 4.21 (Area-specific
rulemaking approach), among others.
Identify other federal and state agencies that regulate this subject and the process coordinating the rule with thes

I found this below the proposed hunting regulations.. this type of language really scares and angers me.

"Set the stage for more extensive rule making "
We need less rules not more...

Josh · Feb 17, 2023

Smalma said:
and the unknow impact from avian flu (no hunting until that is understood).

Is this a legit thing as far as waterfoul or upland birds? Are their populations affected by it and can hunting affect humans or somehow transmit the flu elsewhere?

I am asking genuinely. I myself am not a hunter (though I have nothing against hunting), so I don't know much about avian flu beyond why eggs are so expensive now.

Mossback · Feb 17, 2023

Avian Influenza Outbreak 2022-2023: Should You Take Down Your Bird Feeders?

Originally published April 20, 2022. Updated February 14, 2023. Many people are concerned about the 2022-2023 outbreak of avian influenza, or bird flu, that is affecting domestic poultry, waterfowl, raptors, and some shorebirds in the U.S. and Canada. Because the current strain (H5N1) causes heavy

www.allaboutbirds.org

Raptors and waterfowl can carry it, songbirds not so much.

Smalma · Feb 17, 2023

Certainly, an issue with waterfowl, for example in early November 400 dead geese (mostly snows) that tested positive for Avian flu were collected off Wiser Lake (north of Bellingham). A few weeks later a sweep along the southwest end of Fir Island 700 birds were collected. Again, mostly snow geese with positive tests.

As the lists in the link provided shows a pretty wide range of wild bird species have been documented with avian flu. I suspect with songbirds the number of birds dying of the "flu" is likely greatly underestimated. Most of the songbirds are relatively small species whose carcass may be harder to detect. A 25# white trumpeter swan dead in a field would likely be more detected than a dead house sparrow under a backyard bush.

Those lists also mention ring-neck pheasant as being documented with the flu. Again it is probably that sampling information on various upland birds is limited. In the past a different strain of bird flu was suspected in quail and chukar die-offs but don't whether that was confirmed or not.

WDFW provides a link in how hunters should deal with potential infected birds.

Fortunately this strain seems to difficult to transmit from birds to man. World wide there has been 800 plus cases for people getting this flu. They all were associated with the poultry industry. The scary thing is the more than 1/2 of those inflected have died of the disease.

Curt