Field Reports: Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission to meet this week

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will take up a few petitions and discuss cougars and wolves when it meets later this week.

The nine-member panel will meet Thursday through Saturday in Olympia, beginning with its regular set of committee meetings on Thursday and voting on a number of items on Friday and Saturday.

On Friday, the commission will consider four petitions, including one that asks commissioners to create separate deer tags for the West and East sides of the state.

The move would force hunters to choose between the two tags when planning their hunts for the year. The petitioner argues that doing so would help conserve the state’s deer populations. A similar system is already in place for elk.

Another petition asks the commission to expand its wildlife control operator program to allow private contractors to respond to conflicts involving ungulates and predators.

The program trains and certifies people as professional wildlife control operators, which allows them to help landowners with wildlife that are causing problems on private property.

The petition, which was filed by a wildlife control operator from Kettle Falls, argues that operators aren’t able to help with conflicts involving predators or ungulates like elk, and that the restriction limits their ability to help when conflicts arise. The petition says that’s led to frustration among landowners and to some conflicts never being addressed.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife staff are recommending that the commission deny the petition.

Commissioners are also scheduled to discuss rulemaking for cougar seasons Friday, although the agenda indicates that the body won’t vote on the rules. On Saturday, the panel will be briefed on a WDFW gray wolf status review.

The full agenda and links for streaming the meetings is available at wdfw.wa.gov/about/commission/meetings/2024/14-16mar2024-agenda.

Idaho will hold youth archery class next month

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game announced last week that it’s holding an introduction to youth archery class next month in North Idaho.

The four-week series will offer kids ages 10 to 16 a chance to learn how to shoot recurve and universal compound bows. The class includes instruction on the equipment, range safety and target archery. No prior experience is required.

USA archery coach John Skikas will teach the class, according to a news release. Bows, arrows and targets will be provided.

The classes will be held Tuesday afternoons from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. from April 16 to May 7 at the Farragut Shooting Range Center in Athol.

Ten spots are available for the program, which costs $40. Registration is required and can be done online at www.register-ed.com/events/view/210019.

Idaho plans summer day camps to learn hunting, fishing

Two summer day camps in North Idaho will offer youngsters a chance to learn the basics of hunting and fishing and earn their hunter’s education certifications.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game announced last week that it would hold two three-day camps this summer for students aged 10 to 15 who have not received their hunter’s education certificates.

Participants will learn a number of skills and have the opportunity to use bowhunting equipment and firearms under the supervision of National Rifle Association-certified instructors.

The camps will also teach students outdoor survival skills, game tracking and some of the science behind setting hunting seasons, according to a news release.

They’ll also get a chance to try some primitive hunting skills and learn about fishing.

The camps are specifically for students who have not completed hunter education. The first camp will run from June 25 to 28 and the second will run from July 30 to Aug. 2.

Registration is available at www.register-ed.com/programs/idaho/253-hunting-shooting-skills?event_type=179. The camps cost $20.