RMEF supporting Oregon's spring bear hunt

[hibernation]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife recently made recommendations for the 2025 big game regulations, and the commission is set to adopt regulations on September 13th. The season structure, quotas, limits and special hunts are developed by biologists based on the best population data available.

Anti-hunters are exerting pressure on the commission to ignore those recommendations, specifically seeking to close the spring bear season, reduce bear license tags, further limit mountain lion hunting opportunities, and opposing a newly proposed bear hunt in the Alsea-Stott unit for 55 youth hunters.

Anti-hunters used this tactic in Washington state to close the spring bear season in recent years, overruling the scientific recommendations of the biologists because of political pressure from anti-hunters. It is critical that hunters make their voices heard now so that Oregon’s commission doesn’t follow down that same dangerous path.

The Commission is meeting on September 13 at the Fort Dalles Readiness Center in the The Dalles. To testify in person you must register by Wednesday at this LINK.

Take Action

Effortlessly contact your state and federal lawmakers to make your voice heard on issues that impact wildlife and elk country.

www.rmef.org

I haven't heard any specifics of people trying to ban spring/fall bear hunting in OR, but after what's happened in WA the last few years, I'm sure they're trying. RMEF has a draft letter you can send to the wildlife commission in support of following ODFW's own recommendations and management plan. Hopefully we can make a good showing and stay ahead of this.

 

[MatukaJoe]

Take Action

Effortlessly contact your state and federal lawmakers to make your voice heard on issues that impact wildlife and elk country.

www.rmef.org

I haven't heard any specifics of people trying to ban spring/fall bear hunting in OR, but after what's happened in WA the last few years, I'm sure they're trying. RMEF has a draft letter you can send to the wildlife commission in support of following ODFW's own recommendations and management plan. Hopefully we can make a good showing and stay ahead of this.

It's not on the ODFW Commission Agenda nor in letters/feedback to ODFW for the upcoming meeting however HSUS does have the following CTA - https://secured.humanesociety.org/page/156283/action/1?locale=en-US

I know that the OSCP is commenting and I expect other CTAs from hunting orgs to follow suit (per RMEF) soon.

 

[MatukaJoe]

I'd also love to see people writing in directly address that HSUS comments are not based in facts and that bear hunting (a low-success endeavor) is not only highly sustainable (considering there are upwards of 40000 bear in the state and the harvest last yr was 2205 bears for the entire year spring and fall hunts combined) and that the meat is excellent. I am confident some out there do not know hunters eat bear.

 

[hibernation]

I'd also love to see people writing in directly address that HSUS comments are not based in facts and that bear hunting (a low-success endeavor) is not only highly sustainable (considering there are upwards of 40000 bear in the state and the harvest last yr was 2205 bears for the entire year spring and fall hunts combined) and that the meat is excellent. I am confident some out there do not know hunters eat bear.

Agreed, lots of folks are shocked that black bear is one of my favorite animals to eat, they lump it all under "trophy hunting" and assume we just leave everything but the hide and head. I think we need a good PR campaign for bear hunting.

 

[MatukaJoe]

Many CTAs up! Here is the link to the thread I just posted in Rokslide - https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/protect-oregons-spring-bear-hunt.373734/