WA bans spring black bear hunting

Spring recreational black bear hunting was banned indefinitely by the state last week.

The state Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 5-4 on Friday against recreational black bear hunting in the spring, effectively banning the annual practice unless the commission reverses its decision one day.

The committee said Friday the ban doesn’t preclude the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife from proposing recreational hunts “when needed to address certain management objectives, such as timber damage, achieving ungulate management objectives, or human-wildlife conflict issues.”

The controversial spring hunt was canceled this year after the commission voted 5-4 against it in March, a narrow margin after the same subject caused a split vote in November 2021. A vocal supporter of and participant in black bear hunting, WDFW Director Kelly Susewind was adamant earlier this year the 2023 spring hunt would go forward, but a majority of the commision felt differently.

It’s unclear who will approve such hunts or to what end, but last week’s decision was hailed by conservationists.

“Ending this cruel, unnecessary and unpopular spring hunt is a big win for Washington’s black bears,” Sophia Ressler from the Center for Biological Diversity said in a news release Monday. “There’s no reason why hunters should be targeting vulnerable bears as they emerge from hibernation with babies to feed.”

Black bear mothers and their cubs are vulnerable in the spring, having just emerged from their dens after months of hibernation. The bears are found in 41 states.

Until last week, Washington was one of eight states that allowed permitted hunters to kill black bears for sport during the spring.

The Washington fall black bear season goes from August 1 until the middle of November. A valid big game hunting license is required and permitted hunters are allowed to kill two black bears each season.

“After a lengthy and often painful process, the Commission has finally made it clear that Washington will no longer have a recreational spring bear hunt,” Samantha Bruegger, executive director of Washington Wildlife First, said in a statement Friday. “It has long been clear that the Washington public is overwhelmingly opposed to recreational spring bear hunting.”