THE MINER
Hunting Guide
OCTOBER 3, 2012 |
1B
2012 Hunting Forecasts for Tri-County area District biologists provide hunting forecasts based on surveys, field work BY DANA BASE DISTRICT WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST
Big game resources in District 1 include white-tailed deer – the most abundant species – mule deer, elk, moose, black bear and cougar. White-tailed deer are found at the highest densities in the valleys and foothill benches bordering the valleys, especially in the farm-forest mosaic within GMU 101. Elk are scattered at relatively low densities throughout District 1, but are most abundant in GMUs 113 and 117, which typically have the highest annual harvest among the district’s seven management units. Moose are relatively common and can be found almost anywhere in the district, but are typically most common above 3,000 feet elevation on the eastern slopes of each mountain range, which receive more precipitation that the west slopes. This district has the greatest number of moose and highest harvest in the state. All big game species except moose are available to hunters who purchase over-the-counter
tags. Moose tags are available only through the special permit draw system, which is typically conducted in May. Small game in District 1 includes three species of forest grouse, ring-necked pheasant, valley quail, wild turkey (Merriam’s subspecies), a number of migratory game birds including several species of ducks and geese, American coots, Wilson’s snipe, mourning doves, and snowshoe hare. This district has the highest harvest in the state for ruffed grouse and turkeys although most of the turkey harvest occurs during spring seasons. The spring of 2012 within District 1 set records for cool temperatures and precipitation, so survival of nest broods of gallinaceous game birds, including forest grouse, turkeys and quail was likely very low. Therefore, the fall hunting season for these birds is expected to be below average. While the cool and wet spring had negative impacts on upland game birds, it was likely positive for waterfowl in that there was more flooded pond and slough habitat to facilitate successful rearing of duck and goose
broods. Most waterfowl hunting in District 1 is concentrated in the Pend Oreille River Valley, including the river itself from Newport downstream to about River Bend and Ruby. The 2012 season will be the second in which a four-point minimum antler regulation is in place for white-tailed deer within Game Management Units 117 and 121. Any antlered buck is legal how-
ever, for white-tailed deer in the other five units of District 1 during the general seasons. For mule deer, the general three-point minimum continues district-wide. The 2012 hunting season will be the first in which only antlered bull elk are legal in the general seasons throughout District 1. Antlerless elk may still be taken, but only by hunters with special permits. This rule came about by hunter-group request through development of the Selkirk Elk Herd Management Plan. Drawing a special permit within the quality buck deer and bull elk categories is the ultimate hunting opportunity for Washington big game hunters, and that maxim certainly applies in District 1. The best advice to most hunters who come here is to hunt the general deer and elk seasons opportunistically, but keep applying for special permit hunts and accruing bonus points, so that someday you will draw a moose or quality deer permit and already know the country for planning your big hunt. There was a total harvest of 22 cougars (highest in the state) in
GMUs 101-121 during the 2011 hunting season. In recent years, the use of dogs to hunt cougar has become generally prohibited; consequently, WDFW has made substantial changes to the season. This new season structure is based upon years of accumulated scientific information, including cougar population dynamics, home ranges, social structure, mortality causes and mortality rates. With the appropriate licenses and tags, you can hunt cougar from September through December using any weapon. Starting January 1, hunt areas (GMUs) where the harvest guideline is met or exceeded may be closed. If you want to hunt cougars after Jan. 1, you need to call the cougar hotline at: 1-866-364-4868 or go online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/ hunting/bear_cougar/ to determine if the season is still open. District one also typically supports the highest black bear harvest in the state and we expect ample opportunities to harvest a black bear again this year. The season in this district starts Sept. 1 and the best success is often early in the season when the berry crop is being targeted by bears. Hunters should be aware that this district also supports a small population of grizzly bears,
DON’T SHOOT Near Power Lines BEER • WINE COCKTAILS
Newport
Careless or deliberate firearm damage to power lines, poles, insulators, transformers, and other utility equipment occurs during hunting season in Pend Oreille County. Hunter damage can cause outages, and the expensive cost of repairs is ultimately paid by utility customers. Pend Oreille PUD asks you to be responsible with firearms and report any damage you may see.
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which are protected by state and federal law. This extreme northeastern corner of Washington isn’t prime pheasant country but bird hunters did harvest 654 ringnecks in District 1 last season. The pheasant harvest was down from 2010 throughout the district and also down significantly (nearly 40 percent) from the 2006-2010 average. The quail harvest here, although small compared to the state’s best quail areas, was better last year than in 2010. The total harvest in Ferry and Stevens counties was just over 1,000 birds. While the pheasant and quail hunting in District 1 are marginal, not so the forest grouse hunting. Even though the districtwide harvest was down nearly 44 percent from 2010, hunters here bagged 13,357 blue, ruffed and spruce grouse last season, by far the highest district total in the state. Stevens County alone gave up 7,262 grouse in 2011.
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